[Geysers] Gazers, radios, logbooks, etc

[TSBryan at aol.com]

This might grow to be a bit on the long side, but I hope you will bear with 
 me. The post by Inez Austin certainly opened a few topics, and perhaps 
that is a  good thing. So here my several-cents worth. For the record, since I 
first worked  for the NPS in Yellowstone in 1970, I was in the park, at 
least for a few days  and often for entire seasons, for 41 consecutive summers. 
Nine of those summers  were as an interpretive ranger at Old Faithful. (I 
had to miss 2011 for a  variety of reasons, and 2012 will allow me only about 
three weeks an important  point I'll refer to later).
 
1. Geyser Gazers. What a unique crowd. What incredibly diverse backgrounds. 
 What nuts. What wonderful people. But they are people. We all have good 
days,  and we all have bad days. So perhaps somebody who normally is extremely 
friendly  is a bit gruff. Gonna happen. But I cannot imagine (well, with 
one possible  exception) anybody being closed and unfriendly at all times. 
Just doesn't  happen. So if for some reason you are put off by somebody, give 
that person  another chance. And if the negativity seems permanent... move to 
another  bench.
     I will say that I highly dislike those who  pontificate while standing 
on a bench....
 
2. Radio use. Use of the FRS radios is not reserved to the gazers. I don't  
know what the current FCC rule is, but up to a couple of years ago you were 
 supposed to have an FCC license to use an FRS radio powered by anything 
more  than 1/2 watt. And you were _supposed_ to announce your license number 
every  time you used the radio. Yep, that's technical; obviously 
unenforceable and I  can't recall my own number. Yes, "we" have tried to limit the use 
of Channel 4  Subcode 5 (hereafter "channel" and "4-5") to geyser reports 
only. In most cases  this has worked well. But the frequencies are in the 
public domain; anybody can  use 4-5 if they wish, and we all know the aggravating 
times when innocent park  visitors come up on the same channel.
     As an historical point, here is (apparently) how  4-5 came into use. 
Once upon a time, when the FRS radios were first out, I  arrived at Old 
Faithful and found just two other gazers with the radios. To  George and Sue 
Schroeder I asked what channel they were using, and joined them  there. As did 
others. And here we are.
     Above all on this, I will object to those gazers  -- you know who you 
are -- who repeatedly (often time after time throughout an  entire day) who 
call "So-and-so, go to five." Sure, sometimes there is an  important reason 
to contact somebody, but "meet me at the store" is not  necessary. It is 
aggravating to others, runs down batteries, etc. Radios  aren't that expensive. 
Get another set and keep those tuned to your "personal"  channel. Or maybe 
use your cell phone. Yak all you want but leave 4-5 for  geysers.
 
3. What to announce on the radios. Well, obviously any significant geyser  
activity or status. Relating this to North Goggles, I will agree with others 
 that the frequent one-foot boils are not eruptions and should not be 
logged as  such. However, I do think that is information worthy of a radio call. 
I haven't  seen North Goggles in a long time. When I arrive next month I'll 
be excited if I  hear such news. (Eruptions, including minors, do involve 
steady jetting, not  just boiling. But if Jim said "8 feet" I'd like to amend 
that to "6  feet.")
 
4. Radios and the Visitor Center. I think this has been well-enough  
covered, but I'll repeat. The VC can be a very busy place. Visitors at the desk  
and telephones take priority over FRS calls. Period. This is why, when there 
is  something really important, many of us have taken to using cell phones 
rather  than radios to contact the VC, or the ranger station.
 
5. Electronic (on-line) reporting. I agree with D. Schwarz. We now have two 
 varieties of on-line logging. I prefer the "old" e-mail listserv, where  
commentary can be written along with simple listings of times. I appreciate 
the  web-based databases, such as GeyserTimes.org. They have their uses, but 
as  simple lists they generally fail to impart the kind of information that 
I like  to receive, and like to pass along. I very much prefer this listserv.
 
6. OFVEC Logbook. The logbook belongs to the NPS as a repository of data.  
Whatever it's final destination might be (park archives or park geologist's  
bottom drawer), its contents must be accurate. And that is why only certain 
 people should have access to it. Who does the vetting, I don't know. If it 
is  Jim these days, then OK I guess. It used to be the sub-district 
naturalist  and/or park geologist. For all my time in the park and my books, I 
probably am  not in the logbook now. And that's OK. Whoever is vetted in that 
way, I think it  ought to be people who are able to spend substantial time in 
the basins so as to  be familiar with the activity and with policies. Beyond 
that, I don't think  I'm in a position to say who those people should be.
     Errors will always be possible -- we've all  screwed up, which is why 
making corrections on the radio should be permitted.  Even with only certain 
people having access to the logbook, things can happen.  How many of us 
remember that not-to-be-named VIP person a number of years ago  who puzzled us 
all with completely fictional Daisy eruption data that he entered  into the 
logbook. (Or for that matter, the surfeit of Green Spring eruptions  called 
out by protective rangers when a "Green Spring" sign had been placed next  
to the sewage treatment pond.) Yep; gotta be careful.
 
7. Gazers versus rangers. Another "gotta be careful." I think most  
(emphasize "most") of the Old Faithful interpreters understand and value the  
gazers. However, that is not necessarily so with law enforcement types. Despite  
the law of the land, we all been held up as "guilty unless otherwise proven" 
 when one of the "gazers" did something wrong. Not good. Gotta be careful.
     Hoping that this e-mail will be seen in the OFVEC,  here's a point 
that I don't think comes up real often, but it definitely does so  now and 
then. Some rangers, and especially those new to the loden green and  slate gray 
uniform, develop a superior opinion of themselves. Some almost pop  their 
buttons they get so puffed up with a "you may have been here before but I  am 
a ranger" attitude. I hope that's not the case in 2012. They may have some  
authority, but we happen to know a few things, too.
 
8. Ah, yes; authority. Yellowstone is a national park. Although it is a  
public place established "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people," it is  
under the legal jurisdiction of the National Park Service. We might not  
appreciate certain NPS policies and proposals, but they are real and the NPS 
has  enforcement authority. That should be enough said right there. 
Yellowstone is  not your personal playground. If you don't like something, then work  
through legal channels to change it.
 
I'm done.
 
Curmudgeonly yours,
T. Scott Bryan
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