Concerning inconspicuous rovers, I can offer some comments from experience. I
have been "interviewed" by the authorities during every contest I have been in
so far. It has ranged from city police, county deputies, highway patrol, a lady
MP and even Naval Intelligence in the Florida Keys. ( an ex ham - he took
pictures ). If you look at my photo on QRZ you will see there is no way to be
inconspicuous. I run all bands up to 2304 MHZ. All interviews turned out well.
I just smiled and responded with respect. I did add that this was a national
exercise to practice emergency communications for situations like after a
hurricane. In Florida that seems to get immediate appreciation. I always
operate safely and off the road, but the sheriff's deputy offered the comment
that a vest and cones would be a good addition, although he had no issue with
my operation. Another tip, keep a copy of your license in the rover. Showing it
to the authorities during the interview seems to help give an
official standing. Civilians also seem as curious as the authorizes and I have
frequently found myself in the ham radio ambassador capacity with civilians as
well. In any case, it's been fun.
73's Bob AH8M/R
-----Original Message-----
>From: vhfcontesting-request@contesting.com
>Sent: Sep 16, 2009 3:00 PM
>To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
>Subject: VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 81, Issue 14
>
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>Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Rover/EMCOMM Vehicle Visibility (Eugene Zimmerman)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:10:26 -0400
>From: "Eugene Zimmerman" <ezimmerm@erols.com>
>Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Rover/EMCOMM Vehicle Visibility
>To: "'Les Rayburn'" <les@highnoonfilm.com>
>Cc: 'VHF Contesting' <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
>Message-ID: <005e01ca366a$7c559fe0$0f00a8c0@gene>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>Hi Les
>
>This is wonderful information for emergency vehicles. But not so good for
>rovers.
>
>Rovers need to obey the law - emergency vehicles sometimes do not. For
>instance if your rover operates essentially only when it is stopped, or even
>if you are a run and shoot rover who occasionally stops, it is ABSOLUTELY
>incumbent on you to get your rover off the road as far as you can and in any
>case far enough that NO part of the vehicle or the antennas you use is on or
>over a travelled road. Then there is no reason to worry about being hit
>unless some drunk runs off the road and hits you. And then no amount of
>markings will help.
>
>Secondly you should make your rover as inconspicuous as possible. That can't
>be the case for a run and shoot rover but a rover that stops and sets up can
>often have the antennas collapsed to the point that from a distance it looks
>like a few bags of oats for the family horse or some fertilzer for the
>garden. I guarantee you will be hassled by the authorities who know nothing
>of amateur radio or roving. If you are in a car covered with neon stipes and
>you are wearing a yellow safety vest, what are you going to do when you are
>approached by the local sheriff? If you tell him that you are an emergency
>vehicle he is first going to ask what emergency and then ask for
>identification - as an emergency vehicle - and second he can't be faulted if
>he thinks you are not playing with a full deck of cards. In the latter he is
>correct as many rovers including me will tell you. I don't know about
>Alabama and the Florida panhandle but I'll bet law enforcement officers are
>very wary of folks they think are crazy. He may be looking for the target on
>your back. :-)
>
>Brian the Rover ND3F/N3IQ is probably the expert on dealing with authorities
>and how to avoid a bad outcome from such encounters. I'd suspect ND2F/5
>knows more than anyone else about authorities for a run and shoot rover -
>how to dress, how to pull completely off road, what to say, etc. But making
>the rover vehicle any more conspicuous than it already is and wearing
>clothing that is - to be nice - odd is probably a good way to get on the
>wrong side of the authorities.
>
>73 Gene W3ZZ
>
>-----Original Message-----
>
>From: Les Rayburn [ <mailto:les@highnoonfilm.com>
>mailto:les@highnoonfilm.com]
>
>Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 3:39 PM
>
>To: Sean, KX9X Kutzko; K1CE@cfl.rr.com; VHF Contesting Reflector; DEC Region
>
>2 WX4AL
>
>Subject: [VHFcontesting] Rover/EMCOMM Vehicle Visibility
>
>Amateurs who operate "Rover" in VHF/UHF Contests, and those who operate
>mobile response vehicles for emergency communications deployments should pay
>particular attention to their safety while on the road. For some great
>suggestions on how to improve your chances of not being involved in an
>accident, you may want to read a new study just released by the United
>States Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the International
>Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), and supported by the US
>Department of Justice.
>
>Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study (PDF, 2.2 Mb).
>
>According to the study, numerous law enforcement officers, firefighters, and
>emergency medical services (EMS) workers have been injured or killed along
>roadways throughout the US over the past decade. While I'm not aware of any
>serious injuries to amateur radio operators, most of us who operate mobile
>can share stories of many "close calls". The study discusses the importance
>of addressing emergency vehicle characteristics and human factors to reduce
>
>injuries and deaths.
>
>The key findings of the study were:
>
>. Retro reflective materials hold greater promise for enhancing the
>
>conspicuity of emergency vehicles.
>
>. Being visible and recognizable are important facets of emergency
>
>vehicle conspicuity.
>
>. Contrasting colors can assist drivers with locating a hazard amid
>
>the visual clutter of the roadway.
>
>. Fluorescent colors offer higher visibility during daylight hours.
>
>The following are the key recommendations of the study:
>
>. Outline vehicle boundaries with "contour markings," using retro
>
>reflective material.
>
>. Concentrate retro reflective material on lower half of emergency
>
>vehicles.
>
>. Use fluorescent retro reflective materials in applications where a
>
>high degree of day/night time visibility is desired.
>
>. Use retro reflective material on law enforcement vehicles on rear
>
>to maintain stealth when facing traffic or patrolling.
>
>. Apply distinctive logos or emblems with retro reflective material
>
>to improve emergency vehicle visibility and recognition.
>
>To that, I'd add another suggestion. When operating rover, I always wear a
>bright yellow "safety vest" sold at Lowes, Home Depot and similar stores. It
>includes the highly reflective 3M materials that seem to almost "glow" under
>headlights. I wear this vest even when parked...so that if I suddenly exit
>the vehicle during the action of a contest, I don't have to remember to put
>it on.
>
>I consider myself a very safe operator/driver, but recognize that I get
>caught up in the furor of operating and might make a mistake. I've also got
>a set of yellow flashing "caution lights" that I use on the truck whenever
>I'm storm spotting, or driving in poor weather conditions.
>
>Thanks to the EMR-ISAC for summarizing the report, most of the content of
>this e-mail is theirs. The study is well worth reading, and might save your
>life.
>
>73,
>
>Les Rayburn, N1LF
>
>EM63nf
>
>121 Mayfair Park
>
>Maylene, AL 35114
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
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>
>End of VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 81, Issue 14
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