Have you ever heard the myth that "the EM spectrum belongs to the public?"
If the FCC is responsible for "our spectrum" that makes them "our trustees."
So "our spectrum" is being auctioned off? Does that mean we will awake rich tomorrow?
"So "our spectrum" is being auctioned off? Does that mean we will awake rich tomorrow?"
Not complex enough and not in the interests of special interests, which is the very reason why the spectrum is now kin to blocks of real estate properties.
RFB
"The truth hurts doesn't it!"
Sheesh! I think you mean your version of the truth, which seems to consistently be as cynical as possible ... too much so for me. Cold solder joint somewhere in yer ol' psyche?
Hasn't the ARRL has done an extraordinary job of preserving radio for the people, i.e., not just ham hobby stuff? Something akin to what the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) has done for aviation. Prometheus, too. Their successes have come through a lot of solidarity in volunteer effort, working with government instead of against it.
Be of good cheer ... the fat lady hasn't shown up yet ... and when she does, we'll put her on the air, too 😉
Tiny Radio you have me laughing with "cold solder joint in your psyche."
Got to use that somewhere..... hmmm, a lot of people wouldn't get it.... all the more reason to use it! Sort of like cursing someone out in a foreign language while smiling in a friendly way.
Low power is the only way to go.
"Sheesh! I think you mean your version of the truth, which seems to consistently be as cynical as possible ... too much so for me. Cold solder joint somewhere in yer ol' psyche?"
I think when people take things way beyond the context of a poke and fun..well I sometimes wonder where the cold solder joints are occurring given all the other things coming up cold jointed in the world.
Cmon Ken lighten up a bit. Why don't all the hard core hams lighten up a bit for pete's sake! Spectrum is like candy in a candy store and your all rushing the doors making a big mess for 7khz of buzz saw noise filled spectrum. With the little chunks here and there allocated already...why not be excited for an additional 7khz! New dirt to play on!
I found the decades old lame duck card "emergency" stuff a poor sales pitch considering the BETTER methods of emergency communications and other technologies that exist. If this was 1955 then I would be in that bunch as well saying the same thing.
I used to be a ham guys. Got out of it simply because of the lack of spectrum made available, the very dry and dull one-way prospective conversations and I did not want to end up having to wear hearing aids by the time I hit 50 after decades of headphone blaring static pops and clicks. I don't knock ham radio or its potential, I just do not find it the most practical or efficient means of modern world communications methods with all this other stuff surrounding us daily.
Well if they give yall the space, lets hope they do it and open the window a little bit wider than a mere 7khz!
JMO
RFB
It was just a couple of years ago that the "common knowledge" on this site was that a typical part 15 AM transmitter was cited as having an efficiency of 30 to 50%. Because of the efforts of some this efficiency has almost been doubled and the higher efficiency equipment is now available for use. Perhaps high efficiency transmitters were available before this but, if so, these data have not been made available. Efficiency has now become a legitimate talking point in evaluating transmitters.
Similarly, ham radio has provided the opportunity over many years for improvements in radio technology as well as encouraging its understanding and use by many hundreds of thousands of us. Regarding emergency communications, ham radio operators and their skills and equipment are given freely when needed. One strength is in the sheer numbers of qualified operators with the ability to send messages from blocks to thousands of miles.
Established communication systems can and do fail in times of disaster. Land line telephone and repeater based and cellular radio communications are vulnerable to failure, black-out, and overloading. I contend that ham radio operators are an important resource for emergency communications due to their numbers and the choices of available operating bands which make the ham communication systems more robust than the "practical and efficient" communication systems available to public service entities. I can cite several personal experience examples of where this has been the case.
I do not turn my back on being prepared and using my ham equipment just because I find some aspects of ham radio chit chat boring or because of a perceived lack of spectrum. If some do that is their choice but it is not accurate to dismiss the value of ham radio operators as back-up emergency communication providers.
Neil
"Cmon Ken lighten up a bit."
I tho't it was lightened ... maybe we're just having a spot of difficulty perceiving each other's humor. The hams I know are all about having a good time ... but OTOH, sometimes they're semi-serious about having a good time ... no other explanation I could come up with.
Having said that, the guys here practice using their lightweight self-powered portable units to get the island's emergency services communications back on when and if necessary ... we're talking about saving lives in a disaster, which is pretty serious ... comforting to know it's there if we need it.
I don't dispute that ham radio is a viable emergency communications tool or that it has done much in the radio field with discovery and invention.
It certainly provides that last resort option.
RFB
It could come down to smoke signals.
I have enjoyed all of your comments,
and special thanks to Robert, KC8GPD
for the info on that NVIS stands for.
I used to know that.
Bruce, DRS2