Mark wrote:
You know what the trouble is with us amateurs is ?

We are stuck in the analogue age... We should all be using digital
communications by now..

Wasn't there a time when amateurs were ahead of commercial design?

Now all we do is complain when the commercial world brings out new
technology that
causes a problem with our old technology.

Look at the big picture people... We are still using analogue
communications..
Blimey , even my home phone is digital. My CD player is digital, my TV is
digital.

That's my 2 pence worth ( about 4 cents... )


There are some serious limitations to digital voice comms that make it
not work so well for our purposes. Bandwidth issues, believe it or not.

Another problem I note is that I was reading a review of a unit that
will interface between the microphone and xciever. I was reading along
with interest - it sounded pretty good - then at the end of the article
they note that you have to receive the whole transmission, or you
receive nothing. No tuning across the bands looking for a signal.
Perhaps the ARS should be channelized like CB?

Comparisons with cell phones are amusing because the quality of those
little POC's is by and large unacceptable IMO. "Can you hear me now?" 8^)


Modern digital HF voice can be hi fidelity; narrow bandwidth, and experience
few dropouts. It is superior to SSB, in any case. I don't see why it is not a
superior solution for amateur service HF needs.

The next trend will be software defined radios/cognitive radios, for which we
have already got a simple taste of in recent years with Kachina, and so on.
The thing that will be new to us is the incredible flexibility of the choice of
waveform and frequency.

It IS a real shame that hams, as hams, have not led the telecom
revolution/evolution in the last decade. We had a shot at being the first
practical and major adopters of spread spectrum a generation ago--that
fizzled.

It may very well be that changes in the mode allowances on HF will encourage
some major innovation.

Do you now realize that SSB has had a longer run than AM as the dominant mode
in the ham community? Other than legacy use in military and public service,
where else will you find such an allegiance to SSB?

SSB is noisy; not optimized in bandwidth; and of poor fidelity. CW even beats
it for S/N for a given link.

SSB is especially prone to broadband low noise levels. All the more reason to
move it aside for better modes.

73,
Chip N1IR

(Fractenna) wrote in message ...

. . . .

Obviously there will be some markets where BPL does well, and others where it
won't.

But for a few vocal hams to try to kill a new technology only focuses the
spotlight back on us, as, in fact, it has this past Summer and Spring (for
example, the front page Wall Street Journal article). And that focus makes us
look antiquated and silly to the outside world.

Speaking of news articles chew on this one Chipster:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/37378.html

So no, I'm not horribly worried about BPL running on the lines around
here. Us "Luddites" who have been proactive in the fight against BPL
have realized for a long time that it's business model is
fundamentally unworkable and that it's very likely gonna be another
dot.bomb. Like any number of the recent-era "marvelous new
technologies" which went down the pipe when the bubble popped.


Chip N1IR

Brian w3rv

On 18 Oct 2004 14:38:24 -0700, (Brian Kelly) wrote:

Speaking of news articles chew on this one Chipster:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/37378.html


Hi Brian,

From that story:
"Lastly, the commission indicated that access to BPL would
facilitate the ability of electric companies to manage the power
grid by delivering remote diagnosis of electrical failures."

This is one of those benefits, tarted up with a fresh paint job to
convince ignorant investors of a remarkable accomplishment. In fact
the industry has had this ability to perform remote diagnostics
remotely for generations. The first time they sold it honestly to the
investors as SCADA.

Basically, the article describes the utter failure of the FCC's
ineptitude in refusing to standardize the design of the "Last Mile"
connectivity. This means the mile from subscriber to the nearest
terabit optical pipeline that could pump video on demand for everyone
- in both directions. In other words, the best of BPL is a
technological joke as a promise and bait and switch routine for an
existing service that is better and closer, but fails to rise in the
Neanderthalic imagination of Powell.

The "Party of Business" has been an abysmal failure as evidenced by
the flat lined Dow for YEARS. The neo-cons in charge have added more
layers of government bureaucracy than a frothing liberal signing laws
to "help us."

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

"Richard Clark"
...the "Last Mile" connectivity. This means the mile
from subscriber to the nearest terabit optical pipeline
that could pump video on demand for everyone
- in both directions.

'video on demand' - it has been noted that one of the greatest drivers
of many technologies is the p0rn industry (so I've read). Anyway...

Personally I'd be happy to write a cheque for $1k (or even $2k) to have the
fibre line run all the way into my basement. $1k one-time is small potatoes
as compared to $50 per month access fee (or $600 per year, NPV cash value of
about $6k - YMMV).

Oh well, www.Wildblue.com is coming soon.

Followed closely by Wi-Max.

BTW - Wi-Max will put local radio broadcasters (AM/FM) in competition with
Internet radio for mobile listeners (in cars). I wish them good luck
smirk.

Richard Clark wrote:
On 18 Oct 2004 14:38:24 -0700, (Brian Kelly) wrote:


Speaking of news articles chew on this one Chipster:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/37378.html



Hi Brian,

From that story:
"Lastly, the commission indicated that access to BPL would
facilitate the ability of electric companies to manage the power
grid by delivering remote diagnosis of electrical failures."

This is one of those benefits, tarted up with a fresh paint job to
convince ignorant investors of a remarkable accomplishment. In fact
the industry has had this ability to perform remote diagnostics
remotely for generations. The first time they sold it honestly to the
investors as SCADA.

Basically, the article describes the utter failure of the FCC's
ineptitude in refusing to standardize the design of the "Last Mile"
connectivity. This means the mile from subscriber to the nearest
terabit optical pipeline that could pump video on demand for everyone
- in both directions. In other words, the best of BPL is a
technological joke as a promise and bait and switch routine for an
existing service that is better and closer, but fails to rise in the
Neanderthalic imagination of Powell.

The "Party of Business" has been an abysmal failure as evidenced by
the flat lined Dow for YEARS. The neo-cons in charge have added more
layers of government bureaucracy than a frothing liberal signing laws
to "help us."

That is because Neo-Con's are a mutant form of liberal. Kind of like
liberals that have drank waaay too much coffee and turned mean! 8^)

But they are still liberals.

- Mike KB3EIA -

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 23:27:29 -0400, Mike Coslo
wrote:

That is because Neo-Con's are a mutant form of liberal. Kind of like
liberals that have drank waaay too much coffee and turned mean! 8^)

But they are still liberals.

Hi Mike,

You and I are probably the only two to understand that point, but when
a right-winger who's been hood-winked into taking them into their
fold.... They will swallow a lot of swill and proclaim it Champagne
before admitting the lie. After-all, the pay off is so rewarding when
the neocons leave the financial tap running for them (helps the swill
go down).

We need only look at Nader embracing the only group that would carry
him into elections and they are the resurrection of the American Nazi
party.

Now there's a principle of reciprocity that is truly comic.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 22:34:16 GMT, Richard Clark
wrote:

On 18 Oct 2004 14:38:24 -0700, (Brian Kelly) wrote:

Speaking of news articles chew on this one Chipster:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/37378.html


Hi Brian,

From that story:
"Lastly, the commission indicated that access to BPL would
facilitate the ability of electric companies to manage the power
grid by delivering remote diagnosis of electrical failures."


More likely so they can monitor usage so you have to get up at
3:30 am to do the laundry so business interests have daytime power to
themselves.

They'll likely also use it to shut off power for late paynment
without the nuisance of a truck roll.

wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 22:34:16 GMT, Richard Clark
wrote:

On 18 Oct 2004 14:38:24 -0700, (Brian Kelly) wrote:

Speaking of news articles chew on this one Chipster:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/37378.html


Hi Brian,

From that story:
"Lastly, the commission indicated that access to BPL would
facilitate the ability of electric companies to manage the power
grid by delivering remote diagnosis of electrical failures."


More likely so they can monitor usage so you have to get up at
3:30 am to do the laundry so business interests have daytime power to
themselves.

They'll likely also use it to shut off power for late paynment
without the nuisance of a truck roll.

The power utilities have been remotely monitoring and controlling
their infrastructures for at least a couple decades with the SCADA
systems Clark mentioned. It's all political smoke & mirrors BS.

w3rv

Don't forget, he's STILL not giving straight answers to the questions
posed to him, nor providing independent sources for verification of
his answers.

-SSB

jj wrote:

He and his fractal antenna crap have been ridiculed so much on this
forum (rightly so)
that he feels compelled to use the BPL issue against fellow hams as a
weapon.

Don't forget, he's STILL not giving straight answers to the questions
posed to him, nor providing independent sources for verification of
his answers.

-SSB

Chris,

It is important that you express care when making statements that are false.

It's quite OK with me if you take a strong tone or attitude. It's not in your
best interest, however, to posit things in a false light for the sake of taking
things over the top against me as an individual.

You seem to have concerns about fractal antennas, which I have been forthcoming
about and dead honest.

I have no continued interest in 'defending' fractal antennas in this forum, for
the simple reason that the technology and the science are proven, accepted, and
well beyond this point.

You asked me about a specific design, and I provided you the info.

I also provided you info on how it was tested, but you chose not to accept that
info.

That's all there is, Chris.

Now, be the nice guy you are and don't seek to be a defamer or propagandist.

As for BPL, it would be wonderful if all the (few) uppity hams upset with BPL
could target an individual to accomplish their goal. The reality is that the
battle is lost, for the simple reason that there is no battle, and attacking me
only, apparently makes ham radio look bad in general; IMO.

I am not the only one who feels, or notices, how backward we are as a group of
communicators from a applied use of technology viewpoint. We need to understand
that HF communications needs to be advanced by hams AS hams, and not revered
in the same mold from 1967.

BPL will now be decided in the marketplace, not the histrionic hyperbole of a
few hams. Accept it.

I hope you will agree with me that this was always the case, but a few
emboldened amateurs failed to grasp that reality.

Have a pleasant day.

73,
Chip N1IR