Washington -- Springfield Rep. Billy Long is co-sponsoring a bill in the U.S. Congress that ham radio enthusiasts and others say jeopardizes a system they say is a vital part of emergency communications plans across the country.
When a tornado or ice storm hits southwest Missouri, nearly all of the first-hand reports come via ham radio enthusiasts, often providing crucial and timely information for the National Weather Service.
"They are a critical component of the National Weather Service's job to protect life and property," said Steve Reynolds of the Springfield office of the National Weather Service.
----------------
This is a really good article that points out the importance of ham radio and gives good justification for leaving our frequencies alone.
It is reported in this article that Long said he didn't know we hams had a problem with this bill.
I would hope he'd do his homework before offering legislation like this. He should have conducted an exploratory study on the current ban plan and consulted with the potentially affected organizations.
What do you think? Leave a Message or sign my Guestbook. Thanks
No comments:
Post a Comment