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G4EBT > WLAN 27.09.03 09:54l 148 Lines 6238 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 031578G4EBT
Read: GUEST DB0FHN OE5RCO DK5RAS DO1SLP DO6NP
Subj: Re: VK3JMA It's not ham radio
Path: DB0FHN<DB0THA<DB0ERF<DB0FBB<DB0BI<DB0NOS<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0AR<GB7FCR
Sent: 030926/2153Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:16850 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:031578G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : WLAN@WW
Ari, VK4PKT wrote:-
> Mark Vk3JMA recently commented
> "If that is what is left of the spirit of experimentation then I may as
> well give up trying"
Ari:
> I do have a couple of reservations on the subject only from the point
> of view of the interference potential in 2.4Ghz especially in light of
> the difficulty being caused (so I hear) by QRM from 2.4G LAN's to Sat
> operation in the U.S. in particular where (once again so I have heard)
> a couple of large corporate entities have been required to turn off
> their 2.4 LAN by the FCC due to interference and I understand that AO
> 40 is almost a loss in some areas for same reason, although from what I
> hear AO 40 is not at it's best in any event these days. Also I believe
> an ACA discussion paper was recently released dealing in part with
> 2.4gig and interference potential although I have not read the document
> in question so cannot comment further.
I wonder if many VK amateurs (indeed, amateurs all over the world for that
matter), have read the excellent and insightful Linton-Harrison paper:
"Amateur Radio and the challenge of Change"?
The Authors, Jim Linton VK3PC, and Roger Harrison, VK2ZRH, address the
fact that amateur radio in Australia - as elsewhere, is in accelerating
decline, is losing its critical mass, and that if it is to survive, must
embrace changes in technology, and in society. They had previously
addressed these issues in a discussion paper back in 1985
It seems to me that the problems faced in Australia are a microcosm of
what's happening all over the world - an ageing, often inactive, bedrock
of amateurs, set in their ways, many of whom see new technology and
communications methods not as progress, but as a "dilution" of the purity
of amateur radio in its traditional forms, and hence, a retrograde step.
The fact that there are so few radio amateurs in Australia now, and in
such a vast country perhaps highlights a situation which is not quite
so apparent in the UK.
Interestingly, the proportion of city dwellers in Australia (84.7%) is
not much lower than in the UK (89.4%). However, in VK the cities are many
hundreds - in some instances thousands of miles apart, with the overall
population density only 2 per sq KM, compared to the UK at 243. That in
itself brings many challenges in maintaining anything like a "critical
mass" in any facet of the hobby.
The Linton-Harrison paper can be downloaded at: www.wiavic.org.lintonharris
on
The paper highlights the extent to which the use of wireless LAN's has
been exploited across the world, and as much in Australia as anywhere. It
would be inappropriate for me to quote large chunks of their text, but I'm
sure they wouldn't mind a paragraph or two:
Quote:
"Wireless network enthusiasts have embarked on solving the technical
and logistical challenges of extending the 2.4gHz signals way beyond
the boundaries of their properties to create hub and spoke or multi-point
networks. Strong parallels with amateur radio are readily recognised.
To quote from the website of Aaron Swartz who lives in San Francisco
(ww.aaronsw.com/weblog/000842), in a piece entitled "Wireless of the
future" he says":
"...the (WLAN) boxes are getting stronger too, able to push bits for
farther distances. they're cheap and popular enough that all San Fransisco
is covered in a forest of overlapping wireless. The next software upgrade
turns this collection of hob-and-spoke network into one large mesh letting
packets bounce from one base station to another, perhaps stopping at a few
laptops in between".
"Aaron is 16 years old, and a member of the World Wide Web consortium
Resource Description Committee (www.w3.org.RDF/) and in 1999 won a
prize for excellence in building non-commercial websites. Is he a
visionary, or a revolutionary?"
"Wireless LAN hobbyists in state capitals around Australia are carving
out a similar vision. See:
http://melbourne.wireless.org.au,
www.sydneywireless.com,
www.x.net..au/coverage.html
End quote.
I think that's enough to give a flavour of what's going on in the wider
world outside the somewhat myopic world of packet radio, and surely,
anyone who wants to explore such initiatives to perhaps give packet the
shot in the arm it so badly needs should be applauded, not derided? Well
done to Ari for coming down on the right side of the fence.
I went into the Melbourne Wireless website out of curiosity, and very good
it is too. It shows that in the Melbourne area the following 2.4 gHz WLAN
nodes exist:
Operating nodes - 114
Testing nodes - 166
Building nodes - 102
Total nodes - 895
If any old farty radio amateurs who are stuck in a rut as deep as a grave
were to tell these guys that "it's not proper radio", do they think they'd
give a hoot? They might not even be aware that amateur radio still exists
as a hobby.
If anyone thinks that denigrating such developments will further the
advancement of amateur radio in some obscure way, I think they've lost
the plot.
The march of time and the development an implementation of new
technologies is inexorable. Maybe radio amateurs on packet should be
co-operating and collaborating - not competing and being combative.
> Hell, I'm a sysop and I'll state straight out that if the 2.4gig idea
> can be made workable and effective within the regs I'd put a port on if
> the user demand was there, and yes I realise the potential for this
> medium goes far beyond the average PBBS-packet user scope as well.
The enterprising local LAN hobbyists refered to above won dispensation
from having to take out telecommunications Carrier Licences (at $10,000),
that would otherwise have regulated their activities. Rules and Regs don't
seem to be an issue.
Sounds good to me.
(With apologies to anyone in VK who thinks that this is none of my
business, and that as I don't live there, I'm not entitled to hold
and express opinions, or take an interest).
73 - David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Eddystone User Group Member
G-QRP Club Member No: 1339
QTH: Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
david@crofters89.freeserve.co.uk
Message timed: 22:45 on 2003-Sep-26
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