Please read Congressman Mike Ross's (WD5DVR) remarks that he made on the
house floor Wednesday (shown below).  Amateurs in the state and
ESPECIALLY IN HIS DISTRICT should write the Congressman and thank him
for his remarks and the Sense of the House resolution he introduced
last fall.  I understand he has not received too letters regarding the
latter, so let's all write him a note and spend the 39 cents for a
stamp to mail it to him!!
  

February 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Extensions of Remarks E105 A
SALUTE TO
HAM RADIO OPERATORS

HON. MIKE ROSS OF ARKANSAS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday,
February 8, 2006 Mr. ROSS.

"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of American
citizens who are members of the Amateur Radio Relay League, known as
HAM radio operators. Citizens throughout America dedicated to this
hobby-a hobby that some people consider old fashioned or obsolete-were
true heroes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as they were often
the only line of communication available into the storm ravaged areas.
Amateur radio operators are often overlooked in favor of flashier means
of communication.
As communities across the gulf coast and America learned this year,
technology can be highly vulnerable. HAM radios, entirely selfcontained
transmitters, require no cell towers or satellites, simply a battery
and a strip of wire as an antenna. Just as after major earthquakes,
tornadoes, and
the terrorist attacks of 9/11, HAM operators around the country
received an alert to stand by their radios to listen for calls for
assistance. Following Hurricane Katrina, when cell phones and e-mail
were useless, a HAM operator located in Connecticut alerted authorities
about a woman trapped for 4 days without food or water and a Coast
Guard Auxiliary in Cleveland arranged for a medevac for a woman in
labor in New Orleans. These are just a few examples of the many lives
that were saved with the critical intervention of HAM operators
throughout the country. Now more than ever, I am proud to be a licensed
amateur radio operator. It is important to realize that every HAM radio
operator in it! The Amateur Radio Emergency Service is a volunteer.
This year, when disaster struck, hundreds of HAMs moved to the gulf
coast to help in every way they could. Every one of which did so on a
volunteer basis and their only goal was to assist in what became one of
the worst natural disasters in America.  The dedication displayed by
HAM radio operators in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina sets a tremendous example for us all. The people
whose lives were rescued as a result of the tireless dedication of HAM
radio operators will forever be grateful to these selfless public
servants."


Thank You Congressman Ross!!!

73
DE K5UZ

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ARRL Arkansas Section
Section Manager: David A. Norris, K5UZ
k5uz@arrl.org