EMC313 - Informing Officials

Occasionally someone questions our emphasis on the need to downplay the use of the words "ham" and "amateur" in dealing with various officials.

Unfortunately they have missed the point, which is to use words that have the same internalized meaning to both persons.

Here is an extract from a 1993 RACES Bulletin by Stanly Harter titled "The need to inform government officials."

At statewide meeting (in another state) of the communications volunteers in government service, the discussion revolved around "the fact that some local government officials had no idea what Amateur Radio or CAP Communications might be able to do for them."

Two of the items of interest included the fact "that at the suggestion of the state disaster agency, the most interested Amateur Radio operator had contacted the sheriff of his sparsely populated and remote county. The ham had explained his capability to contact the state capitol 218 airline miles distant. What if the county seat lost its long-distance telephone connectivity? This was an example discussed with the sheriff.

Less than two weeks later it actually happened. The ham was called on by the sheriff to make contact with "the outside world" and let them know of the predicament. The meeting between the ham and the official was timely and productive.

That particular state has rural counties with low population and few hams. This situation lent itself to the state organizing them into the State RACES instead of individual county RACES units."

The second item was that "during the statewide meeting it was stated that it is very important NOT to use "ham speak" when educating government officials and the public. For example they may understand the word "repeater," but technical jargon like "2 meters" they may not. Even words like "amateur," "ham," "RACES," "ARES," and other acronyms are meaningless. Avoid jargon. I know it's hard--but it can be important."

Recent bulletins have sought to convey the reality that people go by their inner ideas and images of whatever words they hear. Unless we know for certain what those words mean, we run the risk of not accurately being understood if we use words like those referenced in past bulletins.

The example regarding the use of the word "exchange" in real estate was a case in point. Only AFTER people learned what BENEFITS they could achieve by a transaction could the word "exchange" THEN be used to describe HOW it would occur. Using the word before the benefits were understood resulted in a closed mind. The same is true with "ham" and "amateur." Talk first about benefits and make sure they are understood, then talk about the how and you have a better opportunity to achieve your goals.

To any who say this "depreciates the ham or amateur," that is not correct. It is saying to find out what the other person may have in their mind about these terms before you use them (in those cases where you have no idea of their mental images and ideas). Simply put: use words that have the same internalized meaning to both persons. And, when not sure, convey benefits first before describing the "how," i.e., "ham" radio, etc. In the 1993 instance, Stan Harter emphasized that the benefits were conveyed BEFORE the amateur talked about "ham radio," thus avoiding possible mental stereotypes in the Sheriff's mind.