Before I am criticized for asking this question, I did try many different searches on this forum for an answer and I checked CFR47 part 97 before posting.

Can a professional public safety employee (EMA, police, fire, EMT) who is also licensed in the amateur radio service operate on amateur bands in the course of his job?

My interpetation of Part 97, the public safety employee would be prohibited from using the amateur bands while on duty since his salary makes him compensated. If this is correct, then how would an EMA Director ever operate on amateur radio bands during a drill (such as monthly RACES tests) if he is being compensated in an official capacity? Is there some exception granted to public safety emergency communication in Part 90? Can a salaried Red Cross employee holding a ham license operate on ham bands during a disaster?

Please support replies with references to applicable FCC regulations.
Thanks,
Joseph, K9RFZ

Without totally hijacking the original question, does anyone use the HM-154T mic instead of the HM-133? Does the HM-154T have the same tinny sound? With the exception that you lose remote functions (may be a deal breaker for some) can the HM-154T offer a work around solution to the stock mic?

I use the IC-208H in my go-box and originally got low audio reports until I did the rubber boot over the element fix and the two setup menu changes described previously. These fixes provided adequate audio so that no one mentions out of the ordinary performance any longer.

Joseph, K9RFZ

I'm a cross-over hobbyist who used to build astronomical telescopes (ground and polished mirrors, machined mounts, etc). I recommend you look at a simple equatorial telescope mount already on a tripod. Many times you can find these units at garage sales because people buy the scope at christmas and by mid-summer they still haven't figured out how to use it and so they sell cheap. The benefits of a telescope mount for your satellite tracking application are many;

1) The axes are already designed for tracking objects moving across the sky
2) The mounts carry a counterweight for balancing the optical tube (or your antenna)
3) the axes generally have gears where you can attach slow motion manual controls or drive motors
4) The tripod is beefy enough to handle fine motions of an optical assembly, so it will work easily for your Arrow antenna.
5) These mounts are designed to be portable.

I suggest doing a search for small equatorial mounts from the Orion Telescope Center. They also sell DC drive motors, but if you are good with mechanical interfacing and elecronics, it shouldn't be difficult to build a synchronous or stepper motor drive control and attach a motor to one axis for tracking.
Good Luck,
Joseph, K9RFZ