RadioBanter - View Single Post - Before and After Cessation of Code Testing

Michael Coslo · April 20th 07, 05:39 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated

wrote:
On Apr 19, 11:47�pm, AF6AY wrote:
xxx wrote on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:41:27 EDT:

� �1. �"Discovery of 'shortwaves' enabling worldwide communications:
� � � Already known by non-hobbyist technologists.

Which ones? And why weren't they *using* those shortwaves before
amateurs led the way?

�Radio amateurs
� � � were forced upwards in frequency use by politics, not
� � � pioneering. �It was fortuitous for amateurs, yes, but not
� � � necessarily of their own and objected-to at the time by
� � � amateurs.

The conventional wisdom of the early professionals in radio was that
the longer the wave, the farther it would go along the earth's
surface.
The shorter waves were considered useless, or at least unreliable, for
long-distance communication, because ionospheric propagation was not
known at the time. Long-distance non-amateur radio used waves
thousands or tens of thousands of meters long for communications
across oceans and beyond. This required enormous antennas and
high power levels, all of which were developed for the purpose. The
Alexanderson-alternator station SAQ, now a museum that operates a few
times per year, is a prime example of the professional state of the
art at the time. SAQ operates at 17.2 kHz

I think you two are both correct. 8^) It looks like a difference of
basic versus applied knowledge. That the shortwaves and much much higher
frequencies were known is not in doubt. Scientists were doing research
in GHz range frequencies surprisingly early on.

Amateurs were forced to use frequencies that unknown to them or the
best minds of the time (could be both at once) discovered a lot of
unexpected characteristics of those higher frequencies.

I think that we'll find that time and again, restrictions lead to
innovation.

In November of 1923, documented two-way transatlantic radio
communication was achieved on approximately 110 meters by
two American and one French amateur, using less than 1000 watts input.
This success led to others, with transpacific and antipodal shortwave
amateur communications following in short order.

If the effectiveness of shortwave radio was known by nonamateurs,
why didn't they use it until after amateurs pointed the way and proved
it by their pioneering success?

A combination of ignorance (thinking that the higher frequencies were
of no use) and simply "betting on the wrong horse". is the answer AFAIAC.

The Amateurs were confined to that area, and the experimentally
inclined did their experiments, and viola, a lot of discoveries and
advancements were made. It is a great story, and Hams should be proud of
that part of their history.

As a more mature technology today, I wouldn't expect many more earth
shaking discoveries from Hams.

What is more likely is technological applications, such as my proposed
"texter" radio. A VHF (UHF?) text and voice enabled HT like instrument.
Text goes out using PSK31, and voice is traditional FM. Seems like an
interesting use of a certain almost unused band we all know and love
(loathe?)

While the above is only an example, in fact one that many might
consider derivative anyhow , I just offer it as a way that Amateurs
might get credit for a bit of innovation.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -