Service in Ham Radio

by Maryann NS7X

Many people get their ham license out of a desire to help others. It’s a noble calling

which we refer to as public service.

There are lots of ways for a ham to participate in public service events. From becoming

active in the National Traffic System (NTS) by passing third party traffic throughout the

US and Canada, to being a member of the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) by

sending messages of behalf of military personnel, to joining the Amateur Radio

Emergency Service (ARES) by participating in ARES nets, drills, and activations, to

volunteering to provide communications for any number of public events such as bike

rides, runs, and other fund raising activities. Strictly speaking, even a weekly check-in

to your local two meter net is an exercise for training in how to operate on a controlled

net.

There are lots of reasons to become active in public service as a ham. It’s a great

opportunity to polish your skills, to make sure your equipment is functional under not-so-

ordinary circumstances, to get some really good PR for hams, and it’s a whole lot of fun.

But, if truth be told, there is one very important reason to participate in public service,

and it’s a critical aspect of why amateur radio exists. According to the FCC, the first

listed purpose of amateur radio is:

Ҥ 97.1 Basis and purpose.

“The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service

having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles:

“(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a

voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing

emergency communications.”

The reason hams are so valued in times of disasters is because we enjoy so many

different modes on so many different bands. We are the most versatile modern

communications system that exists. My favorite example of our flexibility was when Mt.

St. Helens erupted and the ash in the atmosphere shut down all VHF/UHF

communications. Hams in the area were able to send emergency and priority traffic

from the immediate area to Australia and Australian hams relayed it back via 6 meters.

Only hams can work that kind of magic. There’s a reason they say, “When all else fails.”

If you choose to become active in public service as a ham, I have a caveat for you. All

public service activities require discipline. You need to listen to and follow the net

control station’s instructions, learn the specific protocols of traffic handling, and take

training classes in emergency communications. Jumping into a situation because you

want to help with any knowledge or experience is a sure-fire way to cause problems.

Listen, learn, and mimic those who clearly know what they’re doing. That’s when you’ll

discover just how satisfying public service is.