[Ansteorra] Walkie-Talkiers and Cell Phones

[mikea]

On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at 10:57:50PM +0000, willowdewisp at juno.com wrote:
> I think cell phones are so new we haven't gotten a handle on
> courtesies involving them. I have seen people interrupt church
> services with them. I feel that is very rude to be talking to
> someone and they take a call. The time we spend in the SCA should be
> a time where we are escaping from the everyday. How can you escape
> from the 21th century if you are carrying it around with you? I am
> sure you could discreetly check your phone regularly if you are
> worried about something at home, but if you want to get the most out
> of the SCA it is better to leave the 21 th century at home or in
> your tent. 

> willow

In very nearly everything I will agree with Her Grace's sentiments, 
but if the weather is threatening -- as it so often is in Ansteorra --
I will have my 2-meter handy talkie on my person and will monitor the
local amateur radio repeaters for weather warnings. My experience is
that the Weather Service takes about 5 minutes to pick up a weather 
warning from our local (Namron) Skywarn net, and the broadcast 
stations take another 5 to 15 minutes to put the warning on the air 
after the Weather Service broadcasts it. 

I'll generally try to do this where I and my radio don't detract from
the ambience, but it's my firm belief that high winds, heavy rain, 
lightning, and the occasional tornado are a much worse detraction from
the courts and times in which we like to imagine ourselves. 

So: if the weather looks like it might turn nasty, please give me and
the other ham radio types your understanding. I vastly prefer to be 
able to give people notice of bad weather where I'm able to.



-- 
Mike Andrews        /   Michael Fenwick    Barony of Namron, Ansteorra
mikea at mikea.ath.cx  /   Amateur Extra radio operator W5EGO
Tired old music Laurel; Journeyman Chirurgeon; SCAdian since AS XI
(In it for the music! Ja, sure! You betcha!)