Spectrum Defence Fund 2006
Protecting amateur radio's ability to respond
The ARRL officially kicks off its 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund campaign
Monday, October 10, by once again emphasizing that Amateur Radio spectrum
is one of our nation's most valuable assets.
Amateur Radio and everything it accomplishes during disasters and emergencies
would cease to exist without
access to the range and variety of frequencies it enjoys, says ARRL Chief
Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH.
"Public service is number one on the FCC's §97.1 hit parade
of reasons Amateur Radio exists," Hobart said. "The events of
September 2005 - like those of September 2001 - demonstrate the power of
Amateur Radio in spades."
She says ham radio volunteers who've been taking part in the hurricane
Katrina and Rita relief and recovery, whether on the Gulf Coast or from
home, "testify to what hams have known for years - the value of Amateur
Radio frequencies when disaster strikes."
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer Christy Hardin, KB7BSA, just
returned home to Alabama after two duty tours in southern Mississippi
following Hurricane Katrina. "This is the essence of why we need
to fight for our frequencies and maintain what we have," she said,
looking back on her experiences of the past several weeks. "This
is what it's about."
Amateur Radio volunteers have employed a wide range of modes and capabilities
to provide needed communication support following the Gulf Coast hurricanes,
Hobart points out. The mix includes extensive use of HF, VHF and UHF as
well as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems such as
EchoLink and IRLP, and data modes - primarily Winlink 2000.
In a 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund appeal going out to ARRL members, ARRL
CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, calls the past month "a challenging one"
for those directly affected by the twin Gulf Coast hurricanes. Amateur
Radio was in the forefront of those responding to help, he said, from
the time Amateur Radio nets began tracking Katrina's course as a tropical
storm to the response on the ground in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
"Amateur Radio operators continue to do what no one else can do - provide
reliable emergency
communications."
"In recent weeks the demand for information about ham radio from
the press, and the helping hands extended by official Washington and our
Amateur Radio industry have validated what hams have been doing for decades,"
Sumner's appeal goes on to say, "using our treasured frequencies
to save lives, move emergency resources and relay messages across the
country."
Amateur Radio's spectrum is available because the League works hard every
day to protect and enhance it, Sumner noted. "Each year ARRL expends
thousands of staff hours and provides funding to work with agencies and
organizations to protect Amateur Radio spectrum," he said. "Amateur
Radio volunteer operators are always glad to help . . . to ensure that
our frequencies are there for disasters, drills, nets and just plain fun,
we must continue to protect them."
Donations to the League's Spectrum Defense Fund give the League the means
to represent Amateur Radio at critical meetings in official Washington
and at international conferences, prepare FCC filings and presentations
and even to work to eliminate harmful interference from such sources as
BPL and power line noise.
Hobart says every radio amateur has reason to feel proud of the service
that ham radio volunteers have provided in the most recent disaster. "I
hope that every ham, active or not, ARRL member or not, will translate
that pride into a contribution to support defense of our frequencies,"
she said.
Giving is easy. Radio amateurs may contribute online via the ARRL's
secure donor Web site. Those contributing
$50 or more may request a gift as a token of the League's appreciation.
The ARRL has been included in the 2005
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) National/International list. This
means federal government civilian employees as well as postal workers
and members of the military can designate their CFC pledges to the ARRL
during the campaign season, which ends December 15. The League's CFC donor
code is 9872. Federal employees who participate in the CFC can donate
all or part of their CFC contribution to the League to support ARRL's
efforts on behalf of Amateur Radio.
For more information about the 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund or to discuss
other ways you can support the ARRL's continuing work on behalf of Amateur
Radio, contact ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary
Hobart, K1MMH
; 860-594-0397.
Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The
American Radio Relay League
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