What Use Is An F-call?

What use is an F-call? Over the past year I've come to see and experience some of the different achievements that amateurs have made in this hobby. It's not immediately obvious what the scale or range of those things are. Just scratching the surface reveals that the amateur radio news is broadcast every week, there's likely a repeater within range, if not several, there are clubs and associations, contests, training services, websites, magazines, on-air nets, technical talks and seminars, educational activities, promotions, sponsorships and emergency services. I've had the opportunity to participate in most of those activities, some as a receiver of services and others where I was an active contributor. Recently I was struck by the invisibility of the edge. What I mean by that is that there are single points of failure in many of those services. The news that you're listening to right now for example is put together by amateurs like you. The news has been here every week and you've been able to listen to