On Wed,8/24/2016 12:16 PM, Ward Silver wrote:
There are a lot of things in ham radio that don't particularly float
my boat but I am willing to consider the use of our allocations by
licensed amateurs to be "ham radio."
My problem with broadband digital modes is that, for the most part, the
only thing they have to do with ham radio is their use of the ham bands
for transmission. I strongly suspect that most if not all of what they
are transmitting also has little if anything to do with ham radio. I see
little, if any, difference between them and the mindless ragchewing on
our SSB bands and on FM repeaters.
To me, ham radio is about the technical side radio and other technology
that is related to using it. It is not about exchanging email to
boaters, nor to the mindless transmission of "brag" files on various
digital modes, nor to mindless ragchewing. I have no problem with
broadband digital modes on ham bands provided that 1) they are limited
to frequencies where broadband modes like SSB and AM are permitted, and
2) they must abide by the some non-interference rules as all other
modes, and 3) those rules are enforced.
One practical problem is that users of one mode often fail to respect
(or even recognize) signals produced by another mode. Another is that
some broadband digital modes are not all that easy to decode, so that,
for example, most of our volunteer OO team are unlikely to be able to
even identify them.
I don't want to start off an argument about hybrid network-RF
operating - it's something we do via ham radio and that is sufficient
for me. I happen to think it's pretty cool that hams have created a
world-wide network to exchange messages using sophisticated digital
protocols that in some cases, such as WINMOR, were developed
non-commercially. You are entitled to your preferences, of course.
Yes, that's cool. But why on the HF bands, as opposed to VHF and UHF?
73, Jim K9YC
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