The People’s Republic of California is at it again! Reports are coming in that through unelected state officials, California is trying to sever ties to ham radio repeater owners throughout the state, jeopardizing the lives of millions of Californians who depend on these repeaters to operate during emergencies.
Last month, repeater operators were sent emails telling them the State would no longer allow them to operate repeaters on public land without paying substantial rental fees. In the letter sent by CAL FIRE, the state claims Ham operators no longer provide a benefit to the state or public safety. They claimed that “constantly changing technological advances” has made Ham radio obsolete during an emergency.
Keep in mind; this was done while the state was shutting power down in 34 of its counties because its infrastructure cannot handle 20-30 mph winds without risking wildfire breakouts throughout the state.
What is a Ham Radio Repeater
An amateur radio repeater system is a two-way radio system that takes weaker or low-level amateur radio signals and retransmits them at a higher level or higher power so that the radio signal can cover longer distances without degradation. It is a vital part of the local emergency communications system, and Ham Radio operators have been using them for decades to provide support during disasters that take out local communication infrastructure.
Why would they remove something that is the last line of defense during a disaster?
What is infuriating here is people are going to die because of this decision. It costs the State of California nothing to allow these repeaters on public land; in fact, Ham Radio Operators pay for the equipment and maintain the equipment at their own cost. Ham Radio operators also make nothing from running these radio repeaters; they do so as a service to the public to help ensure the public’s safety during natural disasters and emergencies.
While paying billions of dollars a year to cater to illegal immigrants and welfare bums, California is now targeting hard-working Ham operators who provide critical and vital Disaster Emergency Communications. These people have absolutely lost their minds!
There is a nationwide effort to Kill Ham Radio
Even most Hams haven’t taken notice, but in 2012 the federal government launched FirstNet, a public safety nationwide broadband network that many in the government think will make Ham radio operators obsolete. In reality, its nothing more than a $47 Billion Federal Cell Phone Network that itself is already obsolete. In fact, it needs LOTS of infrastructure to function, and it creates multiple, single points of failure.
The real story here is Ham Radio is a threat to the government. We make them look stupid! They spend billions on infrastructure that breaks down, while we can literally take a hundred bucks in equipment, some random wires, and in minutes set up a radio system that can communicate with anyone in the world. Hell, I’ve used my kid’s slinky, some Television Coax Cable, and a solar battery system to build a mobile rig that I’ve used to talk to people around the world — You can check out the Radio Rig Here.
They don’t want the public to realize that we can take care of ourselves, and do a much better and cheaper job doing so!
UPDATE:
Over the last couple of months, a bunch of so-called Ham Radio operators from the ARRL have been trying to debunk the facts of this article. Unfortunately, The American Radio Relay League is full of shit and is hell-bent on not upsetting the FCC or any other government agency.
The truth is the ARRL is about as useless as the NRA when it comes to actually defending the rights of their members. They are only interested in maintaining memberships and fundraising money.
But let’s look at the argument these people and some of the sellout hams are using to try to pretend this didn’t happen in California. They claim that this is a non-story or it is being blown out of proportion because it was a repeater on public land.
FIRST, Public land is OUR land. It’s not the government’s land! And it sure as hell isn’t CAL FIRES land!
It’s beyond sickening that these ARRL assholes and the hams defending California’s actions have never seemed to have heard the phrase WE THE PEOPLE. It’s amazing how many have allowed the government to become their parents, believing they need the government’s approval for everything.
They are forcing repeater owners off public land by increasing fees to levels that no repeater owner can afford. Land that you and I pay for, land that WE THE PEOPLE pay with our tax dollars
Second, these repeaters that are on “public land” are everywhere. They are the backbone of the communication network in some of these remote areas. Ham Radio would not exist without these public land repeaters. These repeaters, as well as the public land around them, are paid for, managed and usually maintained at great expensive by the repeaters owner.
Third, even in the ARRLs fake investigation basically admits this happened but they say they can’t determine how many repeaters it affected or who was actually affected by these actions– yeah great fucking work ARRL, way to spend that membership money supporting hams! They claim this has all been blown out of proportion, but to the dipshits saying the ARRL said it’s not true – how can it be both not true and blown out of proportion?
And one last thing for the people who keep citing the ARRL article, maybe read the quote where they admit this has been happening in California for years while then again trying to tell you there is nothing to see here and that it’s all being blown out of proportion.
To learn more about Ham Radio:
Do not, I say again, do not sell or junk out your radios and equipment. You will need it down the road….and sooner than you think. We’ll have to communicate with encryption. And keep our rigs mobile. It’s come to that.
73s
Really my FirstNet was down for hours this morning.
Time for Vivos shelters
Just shows how smart they ain’t what can you expect or my place like that don’t want any lives taken what’s the next time it catches fire Let It Burn
Build your own shit, ya big baby.
I’m an emergency manager and COML (not in CA). I won’t say that most public safety systems are fragile, but the more complex pieces in a system the more probability of failure – that’s my ‘day job’, God love ’em. Worse, ‘professionals’ can’t operate with a single click of static, and most gov’t end users get a wide-eyed look of terror when their $7,500 trunking radio becomes a brick.
Hams are a valuable resource in an emergency, as commo manpower until (or if) big gov’t ‘comes to help’, for their ability to perform emergency fixes to ANY antenna or radio system, and their knack for making something that works out of whatever is laying around. Plus most pride themselves on pulling a weak voice off of the noise floor.
A little water tower or hilltop space and a cup of electricity is a small price to pay for a free and valuable asset. CA will be sorry, but will never acknowledge it.
We the people have determaned government is no longer a benefit therefore it should be shut down.
So by Californias thinking I guess all public safety LMR systems can be shutdown since its also obsolete technology according to their thinking
If commiefornia doesn’t want HAM operators to help then let them burn, flood, whatever! Let them reap what they sew and learn their lesson. Only after they come begging on all fours is the time to tell them MAYBE we will think about volunteering our time and money to help them out. At that time they need to pass a law safeguarding the repeaters and the hobby in that rediculous excuse for a state! This includes getting rid of any fees they impose! If they don’t have an aha moment, that whole state will eventually burn down and wash away. At that point we no longer have to worry about it. Sorry this just really burns me, no pun intended.
Ironic the outcry a small minority on “public assistance” cry-out about unfairness when their handout gets taken away.
Pay your way, freeloaders. Pay your way.
73s
Craig your jealousies ate showing. If you only had the KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY to pass a test and spend some of your welfare bucks on a radio. I am certain you would “sing a different song”!!
I hope the next time you need help and a Ham can help he laughs in your ignorant face.
There is no handout. Amateur radio means that no one gets paid for operating an amateur radio. It’s all volunteer work! Hams pay for their radios out of their own pocket. To expect them to pay high fees for their tower locations is unreasonable.
Repeater networks almost always can operate on battery power, or on generators, thus enabling them to function when the grid fails.
California state government is 100% illegitimate.
And just what harm are the repeaters having where they are located?
Ill never give up my ham radio ,when no one can communicate with anyone , i will. I think ill keep it.
Kk6zzo.
More dramatization of fact … sad that most hams bite on this hook , line and sinker with looking into the matter for real facts.
I am SO GLAD I moved out of that state! And HAM RADIO is here to stay. I will continue to operate whether I use a repeater or not! And ole “Charlie Whiskey”.wont be silenced..even on 2M,or another band
California government STINKS and has for YEARS! I LEFT in 1976 and have never looked back.
WA5CEV
They state gov’t doesn’t want people to be able to communicate.
Make up your mind. Liberals are left wing, communists are right wing, yet I see you guys accusing California of being both.
I belonged to a club here in Taxachusetts, the east coast version of Kalifornia. We had a repeater for years on the public works, fire, ambulance and police tower. Then on a Thursday morning the trustee got a call saying “we’re expanding our 911 radio system, Your repeater and anything associated with it is outside the building, you have a couple hours to get it before we toss it in the dimpster.” The repeater, the club, and the town had an agreement that almost lasted 30+ years, and in a snap of some politicians fingers it was gone, no notice, no we’ll let you relocate your equipment,it was get your stuff before we toss it. Since then the repeater has moved a couple times, now it’s in its hopefully permanent location in a neighboring town. But the town’s and states can and will do that due to lack of knowledge or resources. I’ll say it sucks to move the repeaters, but in Kalifornia’s case, start talking to billboard owners and radio tower owners, some will accept a ham radio repeater on their tower as tower regulation insurance because Amateur Radio is a non-profit, public service utility that often keeps the towers up because they provide emergency communications. It has helped get 3 towers and repeaters in Taxachusetts past Zoning and installation of the towers.
Some might think the government is trying to take away the ability for We The People to be able to broadcast anything
What a bunch if morons! California always gets it wrong! Since they are so damn smart, then the hams there should say screw them and when they come crying on there knees because their crap doesn’t work make them eat crow publicly. And on top of that most 2way technicians are Hams they should go out of their way Not To Help the jerks when their crap fails, AND IT WILL!!!! One more time when morons think they know better than reality!!! Laurin WB4IVG