I've been a ham for almost eleven years. The year I got started (1994)
was the same year the Web became open to commercial traffic, and I
guess the decline of packet began around that time. I keep an APRS
beacon on the air, and I use the local packet infrastructure. I edit my
club's newsletter, and write a monthly column about digital topics.
There is a small but active group of packet enthusiasts in the region
that keep the nodes running, but all the same I've seen a node and a
full-service BBS go dark in the last year or so.

One reason for digital's decline from my point of view is a lack of
interest. Obviously if the choice is reading bulletins at 1200 baud vs.
DSL or even fast dialup, most folks will go with the more attractive
alternative. It's too bad though that we as amateurs don't have a
viable nationwide digital network. I've given the topic a lot of
thought, and locally I'm trying to stir up interest in APRS since its
the 'hottest' digital application we currently have that is available
to most hams cheaply.

From an emergency communications perspective, we could potentially make
a better case for our existence if we had a national network that was
100% independent of the wired public infrastrucure (including the
Internet). Now, the ARRL is pushing Winlink 2000. I sat through a forum
on the topic two or three years ago at the Timonium, MD hamfest. I know
about the controversy surrounding it, but at least it provides a way to
pass email traffic via the client programs that people are accustomed
to using.

Besides lack of interest, there is always the cost factor. I don't know
what it costs to operate a typical node, but for a hobby it must be
expensive. Its obviously a labor of love for the sysops out there,
given the small amount of traffic and small number of users. A local
node/BBS seems to have gone out of service. It was a TCP/IP and AX.25
board, as well as an Internet gateway node. Maybe the connectivity
costs got to be too much, I don't know. Without users, even the most
dedicated packet sysop must eventually question the reason for
maintaining his or her system. I also understand that tower space is
getting more difficult to obtain and hold onto.

I think establishing high-speed backbones on a regional basis, using
802.11 technology under Part 97 rules, or maybe the Icom D-Star system,
would be useful. The problem there is cost and the tremendous effort
that would be involved. In theory, a group of clubs with repeaters that
have line-of-sight could get together and build a backbone linking
those repeater sites. Now I'm talking TCP/IP, so there is another
problem. I'm interested in doing amateur TCP/IP, but when I emailed my
regional Amprnet coordinator for an IP address, I received zero
response.

Imagine the value the ham community could offer if we had networks
ringing the major cities. I don't believe we need to recreate the
Internet or try to compete with anything that exists currently. But to
support emergency services effectively with a robust network would
really go a long way to justifying our continued existence.

Matt, N3SOZ











Marty Albert wrote:
I have been floating in and of this news group for about 12-15
years...
Sometimes I have been an active poster and other times I am content
to just
lurk.

What amazes me is really two things that have a very close connection
(no
pun intended):

1) The amount of useful and meaningful traffic in the digital
modes has
dropped dramatically.

2) The amount of useful and meaningful traffic on this news group
has
dropped dramatically.

Yes, there are a few APRS nodes and some traffic there... A node
simply
repeating ad infinitum where it is located, what time it is, and what
the
temperature is at the site. Not very useful, but it is better than
dead air,
I suppose.

While it really does not fit the definition of digital radio 100%, of
much
more interest are the EchoLink system and similar ideas. At least
there is a
combining of digital services (VoIP) and radio happening.

And yes, there are a few pockets of digital services that are
surviving,
perhaps even thriving. But this is not the norm... Just look at the
traffic
in this news group or check your local BBS (if you have one) and, if
you
have been around for more than about 10 years or so, you will see the
overall decline.

I am curious as to what people attribute the (apparent) death of
digital
systems overall.

I, of course, have my own ideas that have, by the way, not changed
for more
than a decade.

So, what say you about the life of digital services?

Take Care & 73

From The Desk Of
Marty Albert
KC6UFM