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Old April 17th 07, 03:24 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:47:27 -0700, Joey wrote:

I wish I could find a use for it, but all good things come to an
almost-end, I guess


I don't know where you live, but here in the Midland Michigan area
packet and ham radio in general are alive and well.

I can't say the internet has been bad for amatuer radio... look at
IRLP, echolink, etc. success. It seems everything comes back to voice
traffic.... look at VoIP on the internet, we have a big fast data
network, and guess what? we want to TALK on it (or download p0rn.
lol)


There is a lot of digital traffic locally and via a gateway to through
the Internet. We use both voice and digital modes on VHF and UHF.

There is a lot of experimenting and building as well.


I guess my voice capable HT will never be obsolete! And that's why i
keep it up and running...

J


On 12 Apr 2007 07:22:20 GMT, blue box thief "blue box
wrote:

On 2007-04-12, Joey joey29034atyawwhodotcom wrote:
Just curious how many out there still have active 2m packet radio in
their area? Aside from APRS, I don't think anyone is listening... and
even that seems to be fading here.


APRS is also very active in this area.


I am not sure about that (aprs I mean). In Ireland there seems to be alot
of activity. Maybe its only by a small number, but it looks busy.

I've been rather inactive for the past 7-10 years and it seems packet
has dissapeared in that time! Anyone have any creative ideas?


It depends on the area. Some are very active and other's are like a
desert.

I use a TM-D700 in the car, an all band all mode 897D in the shop and
an old Alinco DR610T in here for VHF and UHF. I also use a pair of
VX-7RBs and often run locked cross band.

Well the only thing that hasn't been sent is pr0n..that seems a money-spinner
on cell networks.

I honestly can't come up with any use for it that I can't already do
over the internet... My laptop even has built in EVDO on two cell
networks (redundancy!). What more can I ask for?


Emergencies. If there is a major disaster and the power hasn't failed
yet, the cell towers become overloaded, often by the press and
therefore useless for any thing else. Nor can they remain on
emergency power indefinitely. The same is true for the Internet. No
power, no Internet. Strong storms can also render satellite
communications unusable as can solar storms. Of course those storms
take out GPS as well.

Storm chasing around here makes good use of packet/APRS and voice over
much wider areas then WiFi or WiMax


I remember going to a radio meeting(probably the only meeting i went to!)
, dunno, about 7-8 years ago.
I argued that Internet was good for ham radio, while alot of people (waay more
experienced than I) argued the opposite. It'll kill DX, Packet etc.

I argued the opposite. It'll give people opportunity to find information, access
to other sides of the world, as if they were in their backgarden.


Maybe the group here is just a bit more forward thinking as they
embrace many faces of ham radio as well as the Internet.

A little bit of both seems to have happened. Is that a bad thing?


I see the Internet and Ham Radio as compatible and that, to me, is a
good thing.


PS. 3 month old TH-D7A for sale




How about you and me have a chat http://www.runningwithbulls.com/blog/contact-us/

thanks,
bernard

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Old April 17th 07, 04:26 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?


When/If all comms is via satellite, then that will give a target/one
place of insecurity in comms.


Exactly. Didn't China just show that it can shoot down satellites?
I'm sure the US and Russia can, and possibly the EU as well.



... more likely serious solar disaster.... solar flairs, etc, could
knock out satellites.


Ed K7AAT

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Old April 17th 07, 08:43 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?

On 2007-04-17, Dick wrote:

When/If all comms is via satellite, then that will give a target/one place
of insecurity in comms.


Exactly. Didn't China just show that it can shoot down satellites?
I'm sure the US and Russia can, and possibly the EU as well.


And we cn't trust any of those states!

Yes, but it that happens we won't have to worry about communications.
We need to find a deep cave.


Where VLF will still work perfectly (one there is no EMP)


bernard

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Old April 18th 07, 06:00 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 22:18:54 -0700, Dick wrote:

On 12 Apr 2007 10:16:15 -0700, "Nobody" wrote:

Actually, no that is not a bad thing for the masses. . . . .



73, Dick - W6CCD


I'd have to agree with most of your observations...

I am in the southern california area, so yeah I see the lack of packet
and even APRS use. In the real world for day to day use, it
apparently has no value. Why should I care were some guy I don't know
is driving? Do I need to know where there hams are in a disaster? I
can just ask them on the radio.

I can basically dump any kind of data I want (voice, telemetry,
messaging, file transfers, remote control) on the internet. Heck, I
was instant messaging and watching myself on google earth via gps in
literally the middle of nowhere, Wyoming last summer (nothing but
freeway and a few cows) via Verizon 1xRTT/EVDO. I don't see 1.5MB
speeds on ham radio at the moment I have Verizon's EVDO in my
laptop, a Sprint EVDO card from work (talk about dual-band!), and a
cell phone from Cingular. Oh and an old-school 2-way pager. Other
family members have Verizon cellular, and 1 has a 2-way pager on a
different carrier than mine. Our main house has 2 electric feeds (#2
to a guest house) on reasonably seperated ciruits and 2 phone lines, 1
with DSL. I maintain a generator/UPS for my computers, refrigerators,
microwave oven, and of course radios. We also have a vacation house
80 miles away with its own DSL. That is the only place not covered by
simplex ham radio. We'd have to rely on repeaters and quite a distance
at that... Or get some HF stuff, but why bother...

So why do I need a ham radio????

Well, cause I expect 80% of that stuff to fail when we have our next
large siesmic event. I have a mobile 2/440 unit in my car and the
other two have $99 cloned 2m HT's programmed both for repeaters and
simplex. So amateur radio does serve as the last backup in case that
long list of things all crap out.

However, our family expects to be out of communication during a large
event. Our need to communicate really will just be for "health and
welfare", just to see how everyone is. I don't expect to have anyone
listening on the other end if stuck under a building. One of us will
be working at the hospital, one at home, and myself will either be in
school (at a different hospital) or at the local police dept.
(volunteer) as soon as I can get there. We know to stay off the
phones. "Yes dear, we all felt the same earthquake!"

Our local city fire dept does have a team of amateur radio operators,
organized at the county level, which is the only way to go if u want
to be successful. They have been used in the past in real conditions.
During the fires in so cal, they used them mostly for fire watch
patrols in the arson prone canyons around here. During a disaster,
they're primary purpose will still be "eyes and ears". There is an HF
station at our EOC for talking to "the state OES" but I dunno how that
would really be used. They also have sat phones, so unless the
chinese shoot us down, I guarantee you the emergency officials will
pick that up first. Our local 800mhz trunked system is very robust
with multiple sites for each system, with the abillity to run local in
failsoft at each repeater site in case the main controller goes away.
And don't forget everyone has a "Nextel" lol.

So yeah, I still see ham radio as the last resort. But honestly, I
don't expect to use it much during a disaster. I will be doing my
job/volunteer work. But I still keep everything charged and tested
just in case!!!

As for the future of the hobby, yeah, keep getting kids interested in
it. Since they all have cell phones now, it will be a challenge
however to find some reason to use these "antique CB radios". I heard
a QSO on the winsystem the other day between a local and a guy from
Australia and then one from Japan a few minutes later. via IRLP of
course... It's this kind of integration with other services that
*might* keep the hobby alive. You more creative types out there may
have to some up with something new! And no, showing up to a modern
school with a dirty t-shirt, greasy beard, Yeasu hat, and 6 radios,
speaker mics, and oversized antennas hanging off of your beer gut will
not inpress the kids. (Yes, I've seen this!!) One suggestion is to
integrate with local public safety and present the hobby in this
light; as an adjunct to police and fire. I wish I had more ideas as I
think we can still be a valuable resource, but it may not be in the
traditional sense that's been the "standard" for the past 50 years.

OK, enough ranting... back to the real world.....

Joey

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Old April 18th 07, 06:54 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:00:53 -0700, Joey joey29034atyawwhodotcom
wrote:


So yeah, I still see ham radio as the last resort. But honestly, I
don't expect to use it much during a disaster. I will be doing my
job/volunteer work. But I still keep everything charged and tested
just in case!!!


Joey


Something to keep in mind is that, if the President declares a
national emergency, no one will be able to use ham radio for anything
unless they are a member of RACES. So the decision will be made for
you unless you are a member of that organization.

Dick

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Old April 18th 07, 06:59 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?

On 17 Apr 2007 19:43:09 GMT, blue box thief "blue box
wrote:

On 2007-04-17, Dick wrote:


Yes, but it that happens we won't have to worry about communications.
We need to find a deep cave.



Where VLF will still work perfectly (one there is no EMP)


bernard


Might be useful to talk to someone in the same cave with you, but not
too useful if the rest of the world has been melted down to the basic
elements.

Dick

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Old April 19th 07, 05:58 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default Anyone still use packet radio?


On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:54:52 -0700, Dick wrote:

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:00:53 -0700, Joey joey29034atyawwhodotcom
wrote:


So yeah, I still see ham radio as the last resort. But honestly, I
don't expect to use it much during a disaster. I will be doing my
job/volunteer work. But I still keep everything charged and tested
just in case!!!


Joey


Something to keep in mind is that, if the President declares a
national emergency, no one will be able to use ham radio for anything
unless they are a member of RACES. So the decision will be made for
you unless you are a member of that organization.

Dick


That, and most of the repeaters, especially on 440, are all
closed/private around here and therefore useless anyway. Of course,
none of them are ever used expect for about 4 of the systems, and
therefore just tie up empty bandwidth so people can feel special about
themselves..

What's up with Santiago pk? Is there a secret society you have to
join first to put a repeater on that mountain? It's the best site in
so cal for north/south comms, yet 95% of the things up there are
"private"... Talk about pretentious...

I was, well technically am still on the county ECS team, but I became
inactive cause no one really did too much. They still do their thing
which is good, but I just didn't have time. Of course being a local
RACES (does that still exist?) member does u no good if a high-level
machine is taken over and you want to use it for 1 minute...

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Old April 28th 07, 09:24 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:01:59 -0700, Dick wrote:

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:26:45 -0700, Jack Hamilton wrote:

blue box thief "blue box wrote:

On 2007-04-13, Dick wrote:

BIG SNIP

Dick,

I agree with all you have said above!


Some day, when ALL communications are via satellite, and nothing on
the ground can be destroyed by flood, fire, earthquake, tornados,
terrorist attacks, etc., then amateur radio will lose its value to the
country for backup emergency communications. Until then, people will
continue to depend upon amateur radio even when they don't realize it.

When/If all comms is via satellite, then that will give a target/one place
of insecurity in comms.


Exactly. Didn't China just show that it can shoot down satellites?
I'm sure the US and Russia can, and possibly the EU as well.


Yes, but it that happens we won't have to worry about communications.
We need to find a deep cave.


I think solar storms would prove to be a far greater danger to both
satellite invigilation and communications. Just one major X class
solar mass ejection pointed right at us and it's going to get mighty
quiet down here. The GPS signals have been interrupted a couple of
times and we weren't even in a direct path.

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