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N2NOV > ALL 28.07.24 06:01l 79 Lines 4459 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Cognitive Dissonance in an Uncertain World
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Sent: 240728/0256z @:N2NOV.#RICH.NY.USA.NOAM $:ABRS_N2NOV
Cognitive Dissonance in an Uncertain World
By James Wades
Radio Relay International
July 27, 2024
Radio amateurs are subject to the same level of generational myopia and
propensity for denial as any other group of human beings. Like many today,
the average radio amateur has a hard time envisioning an environment in
which cellular mobile data networks are inoperative or regional Internet
connectivity is disrupted. Yet, recent events point to the vulnerability
of our interconnected society.
These events should serve as a warning that commercial and government networks
are quite vulnerable to both technological failure and cyber-attack. The recent
AT&T outage and the "CrowdStrike" disruption to Microsoft-based IT platforms
were caused by relatively simple "errors." Yet, many smaller disruptions occur
every day, such as 9-1-1 service outages and the occasional isolation of entire
communities due to infrastructure damage.
The bombing of the Central Office in Nashville by a deranged IT technician is
another excellent example of a serious disruption occurring at a .choke point"
in the telecom environment. Cellular mobile data networks were disrupted
throughout much of Tennessee and portions of Kentucky. In a world in which
traditional "copper-to-central-office" alternatives no longer exist, the loss
of several co-located mobile switching offices or the like can be quite
catastrophic over a broad area.
Wildfires have a proven track record of destroying cellular system
infrastructure, often doing so before "reverse 9-1-1" and similar cellular
mobile data network-based warning systems can be pressed into service. The
infamous "Camp Fire" and the more recent Lahaina Fire are excellent examples.
Interestingly, radio amateurs do not appear to be planning for such events.
Through cooperation with local emergency services, Amateur Radio clubs and
EmComm organizations could do much to plan for and to provide connectivity from
neighborhoods to public safety answering points (dispatch centers) during 9-1-1
outages. For longer-term outages, a program such as the RRI sponsored "National
SOS Radio Network" capability could also prove very helpful if combined with
suitable public service announcements over terrestrial broadcast media.
Smaller-scale situations could also be supported by radio amateurs. For
example, a recent day-long telephone and Internet outage near Chicago left
schools and similar important facilities without either "landline" or cellular
telephone service for an entire day. For example, how would a school request
emergency services in such a case. Yet, neither the local emergency management
program nor the local EmComm group had a plan in place for such an event.
Cognitive dissonance is powerful. We are so used to a reliable, robust wireless
infrastructure that even those with knowledge of its vulnerabilities have a
difficult time imagining a scenario in which such connectivity is unavailable.
Yet others retain the mindset that all communications emergencies must be
associated with large-scale, catastrophic events, such as hurricanes and
earthquakes, when in reality, a cut fiber optic cable or a fire in a central
office may be sufficient to disrupt local or regional systems.
Perhaps too many radio amateurs are like their non-technical peers. The average
citizen today is so addicted to the "tech narcotic" that he is very well
entertained, but very poorly informed and poorly motivated. It.s simply too
easy to sit back in an easy chair and stare at a glowing monitor saturated in
rich primary colors and constantly changing imagery in which our imagining and
creating is done for us by others, and which, in the end, isolates us from
living a genuine, experiential life of creativity and purpose.
If the Amateur Radio Service is to fulfill its community service obligations,
perhaps the time has come to take a fresh look at the emergency communications
mission. Let.s examine the vulnerabilities of our essential systems and plan
to mitigate failures when they occur. Let.s create robust infrastructure by
using OUR OWN SYSTEMS to provide both essential and value-added data and
information to our served agencies, rather than relying on the Internet like
everyone else. Perhaps we need a collective "slap in the face" and a loud voice
that says: "Wake up! What are you doing with that valuable RF spectrum you
control?"
--
73 de N2NOV
n2nov@n2nov.ampr.org
n2nov@n2nov.#rich.ny.usa.noam
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