https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Urgent Matters


Commentary

Sooner or later, everyone needs someone to light the path

Sooner or later, everyone needs someone to light the path

Expert advice can make just about every task easier. With that in mind, UC and IWCE are presenting webinars on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 focusing on FirstNet, narrowbanding and LMR-LTE convergence, as well as system design and deployment best practices.
  • Written by
  • 4th December 2012

A very long time ago, I bought my first VCR. I was very excited about this event, because I had waited a long time to get one. You may recall that when VCRs first hit the marketplace, they were very expensive. This is typical of just about every technological breakthrough — the cell phone, laptop and high-definition television marketplaces all went through the same thing. When cell phones first emerged, for example, conventional wisdom was that they would be affordable only to doctors, lawyers and stockbrokers — it never was envisioned that they one day would become a commodity purchase.

Typical or not, the cost of a VCR at that juncture was a problem for me, because I am penurious by nature, which is a fancy way of saying that I'm cheap. Fortunately, I am not prone to instant gratification, so waiting until the price became more reasonable wasn't a huge problem.

When I finally brought one of these babies home, I was very excited. Speaking of babies, I had one of those — the real kind — by this point in my life, which is why I needed the VCR. I had discovered quickly what an enormous time-drain the little darlings are — but now that was no longer an issue because I could record my favorite programs and watch them later! (Sleep deprivation did become an issue, but I won't get into that here.)

Once home, I quickly liberated the VCR from its box, plugged it in and started to poke at it. (It's what guys do. What we don't do is read instructions or ask for directions — at least not at first. This is part of our DNA). I managed to turn on the VCR and play a video. But I needed to program it in order to unleash all of its wondrous power. That's when the wheels came off the cart. No matter how studiously I read the operating manual, I got nowhere. This was aggravating, to say the least. I am no dope, but this experience made me feel as if I was. The manual was written in English, but none of the words made any sense to me — and the diagrams were useless.

Finally, after a couple of hours of this — I do not give up easily — my frustration level spiked and I decided to go back to the store and ask them how to program the thing. I felt sure that this was a better solution than tossing the contraption out the third-floor window of my apartment. I also believed that they'd likely know how. I was right — within moments of entering the store, all of my problems went away, as the salesman who sold me the device showed me exactly what to do. It took all of two minutes — I kid you not.

The moral of this story is that it often is far easier, and far quicker, to have an expert explain what needs to be done and how to do it, as opposed to trying to figure it out for yourself. This is why we periodically convene communications technology experts in webinars–something that we have been doing in years. There are a slew of them archived at www.urgentcomm.com/webinars, and more are being planned for 2013. I urge you to take advantage of this free resource. I am confident that you will find it time well spent–and you can't beat the price.

Updated on 1/3/2012.

Tags: Commentary Commentary Newsletters Urgent Matters Commentary

Related


  • Expert advice can make just about every task easier. With that in mind, UC and IWCE are presenting webinars on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 focusing on FirstNet, narrowbanding and LMR-LTE convergence, as well as system design and deployment best practices.
  • Expert advice can make just about every task easier. With that in mind, UC and IWCE are presenting webinars on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 focusing on FirstNet, narrowbanding and LMR-LTE convergence, as well as system design and deployment best practices.
  • Expert advice can make just about every task easier. With that in mind, UC and IWCE are presenting webinars on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 focusing on FirstNet, narrowbanding and LMR-LTE convergence, as well as system design and deployment best practices.
  • Expert advice can make just about every task easier. With that in mind, UC and IWCE are presenting webinars on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 focusing on FirstNet, narrowbanding and LMR-LTE convergence, as well as system design and deployment best practices.

Related Content

  • How satellite communications create a critical connectivity link for first responders
  • As communities grapple with budget shortfalls, how will online and digital taxation change?
  • U.S. sets up new open RAN group amid telecom slugfest with China
  • COVID-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented challenges for ECCs, 911 centers

Commentary


Public safety needs a better way to triage emergency calls

13th January 2021

In challenging year, working with public safety to move FirstNet forward

30th December 2020

Communications solutions must evolve quickly to meet needs of a changing world

31st October 2020
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Become a Thought Leader at IWCE 2021! We are looking for dynamic speakers to present case studies and technical tal… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th January 2021
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: 📆 Mark Your Calendars: IWCE will be returning to Las Vegas this September and registration is slated to open in April 📆 Wa…

15th January 2021
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: ⚡FLASH SALE: Don't miss this exclusive offer! Passes to #IBFVirtual are now 50% off with code TWITTER50. Take advantage of th…

6th November 2020
UrgentComm

Get ready for part 2 of "Ensuring Public Safety Emergency Communications" next week! @PCTEL_inc will explore… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

3rd November 2020
UrgentComm

Over the past few months, we’ve seen the world transform, and it's clear that cities will be affected in the long-t… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
UrgentComm

Florida state & local agencies subscribing to the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) will be able to co… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
UrgentComm

Tune in to @slacorp CEO Josh Lober as he explains how the company has fully integrated its #PTT application to work… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
UrgentComm

.@SierraWireless announced the commercial availability of the AirLink MG90 platform, which they tout as the first m… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X