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Author Topic: *Georgia Amber Alert* New System  (Read 4302 times)

KG4HLZ

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« on: January 08, 2004, 02:16:56 PM »

There is an “amber alert” currently in effect in Georgia. A man is believed to have killed 4 people including his own infant daughter. He then is believed to have kidnapped three girls. Go to http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,107733,00.html for details.

I think that a system to alert Hams to these alerts on a national biases is needed.  Perhaps using APRS networks, Echolink and IRLP among others.

Any comments?

Bruce
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WA4MJF

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2004, 04:40:44 PM »

It has been on the Intercon and then the
MMN all day.
That is 14.3 MHz, the ham 911 frequency.

73 de Ronnie
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KC8VWM

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2004, 05:32:45 PM »


I like the idea of sending out "Amber Alerts" for missing children on Amateur Radio Repeaters.

They can be recorded into a repeater message system to play an audio recording - say every 30 minutes.

Since the first 12-24 hours are the most critical in finding a missing person, perhaps a protocal could be established that "Amber Alerts" should not exceed this time frame.

This would allow additional alert messages if so required.

They would include such things as the time a person was reported missing, persons description and last known time & location or direction of travel.

I agree, it would be a good idea... Now if the local authorities thought it is a good to have Amateurs combing specific areas while driving is another matter.

Sometimes, if there are too many people searching in an given area - It is more difficult for the police to spot the "suspicous vehicles" from the legitimate ones moving about in that same area.


73

Charles - KC8VWM
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KG4HLZ

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2004, 01:27:35 PM »

It’s good that the message is out on the MMN. I think that it could reach a wider audience on a VHF / UHF system. This would be especially true for those who are mobile. What do you think?

Bruce
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KG4HLZ

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2004, 01:32:48 PM »

I agree that Hams shouldn’t jump in there cars and start combing the roads. If they are needed then it should be planed before the emergency. They should be trained and rehearsed. I am however a believer in trained, screened and disciplined volunteer help. That shouldn’t be done on a national bases, but rather on a local basses. The decision to call out wood be handled according to there local governments emergency operations plan.

My vision is rather an alert system to supplement the existing media and road sign system. I think that it would be technically pretty easy to do. The Tennessee system consists of emails that are sent out by TEMA (Tennessee’s EMA). These emails could be retransmitted on APRS networks. Sound bites are also sent to various media outlets. These could be distributed via audio file format to the participating phone repeaters. An automated system could use the EchoLINK and IRLP networks to further distribute the message.

Bruce
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WA4MJF

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2004, 01:45:40 PM »

Well, Bruce, I expect, that ICN/MMN has greater coverage then any VHF/UHF system.  Lotsa land mobiles
on there, too.

73 de Ronnie
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KG4HLZ

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2004, 02:02:20 PM »

I think that I worded that reply badly. My point is that the existing system, whatever that is, could be supplemented by a UHF / VHF system to get the message out on a large number of machines. What I man when I say "system" above is a secure (only authorized activation) method of distributing alerts over a group of participating repeaters. It isn’t my intent to replace existing methods, only supplement.

Thanks,
Bruce
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KE4SKY

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2004, 09:51:21 AM »

You get alot of mobiles on 40 meters as well, SoCARS 7251, ECARS 7255 and MidCARS 7258, between the 3 nets you cover almost everything east of the rockies.
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KC0NVI

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*Georgia Amber Alert* New System
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2004, 10:46:31 PM »

Great idea, however I proposed this very idea to my ARES group here in Colorado, and I'm sad to say that it was not welcomed with open arms.

I know there are a lot of Hams out there that would willing to help, but some are dead set against lifting a finger. I thought that was what the amateur radio service was about was helping the communities, and soforth.

Honestly, I find this very unbecoming of a "true" amateur in the spirit of the service. But you can bet, if it were there child, they would be on that radio asking everyone within ear-shot to help, but never mind when it's someone else... The selfishness that was displayed was very appauling and as a result, I have become far less frequent on the air. Really too bad too.

Anyway, Best of Luck!

73
Randy
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