Topband: New Commercial Remote Service

[Mike Waters]

You had me going for a few minutes!
Are you going to send this again on April 1, 2016? ;-)

73, Mike
www.w0btu.com

On Sun, Jul 12, 2015 at 1:13 PM, Larry Burke <wi5a at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> VERIZON WIRELESS TO OFFER REMOTE AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE
>
>
>
> BASKING RIDGE, NJ (Roytours) - The nation's largest wireless company
> announced today that it plans to enter the remote ham radio station
> business
> to serve amateur radio operators. Verizon Wireless, a wholly owned
> subsidiary of Verizon Communications, Inc. [VZ, -4.25%] indicated that the
> stations are a natural fit with their existing infrastructure and require
> little additional investment. Customers will be able to talk all over the
> world using only their cell phone. The service will be available via
> subscription to existing Verizon customers. Coverage is expected to be the
> same as Verizon's current 4G coverage area, with all calls routed to high
> powered stations located on the east and west coasts of the United States.
>
>
>
> "At first we really didn't understand why this service was needed" said
> company spokesperson Ben Dover. "We had a misconception that ham radio
> operators built their own stations and advanced technology. Then we learned
> that there was a subculture in the hobby that tried to talk to as many
> countries as possible using any means available and many were already using
> a personal computer to talk to those countries. Some didn't even own a
> radio. Often they were using a service that offers complete anonymity"
>
>
>
> When asked how the new service is different from how Verizon customers
> currently call other countries, Dover hesitated. "Well it IS another
> revenue
> stream", he replied.
>
>
>
> Software developers have been quick to respond to the announcement. One
> such
> developer, who prefers to go by the name SchrockRock, is working on iPhone
> applications called DXCodeReadR and ThisisHowIHonorRoll (THIHR for short).
> SchrockRock explained that THIHR continuously monitors a notification
> system
> called the "cluster" and checks to see if the ham needs a country that has
> been "spotted" there. If the ham needs it, THIHR automatically works in
> concert with DXCodeReadR to generate what hams call a "QSO" to snag that
> new
> country, even while the ham sleeps. "It's all about convincing users that
> they are advancing technology", SchrockRock added in a recent post to
> reddit.
>
>
>
> Markets also reacted quickly, sending Verizon stock down as much as 6% in
> early trading. Reached on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, trader
> Larry Burke summed up the market's reaction, "There was a going-in concern
> about the ethics associated with this type of service as applied to what
> hams call the DXCC program. But when brokers are able to explain that not
> even the national association of amateur radio operators, the ARRL, is able
> to define 'ethics', most concerns evaporate".
>
>
>
> Currently, there are few players in the commercial remote business. The
> largest, RemoteHamRadio.com or RHR for short, operates a network of
> remotes,
> many of which are located in New York state. Verizon spokesperson Dover
> said
> his company realized the potential "when the FCC chose to look the other
> way
> with enforcement of Part 97 and common carrier regulations as they applied
> to this type of service".
>
>
>
> Users of existing services seem to enjoy them. One California ham, who goes
> by the callsign NJ6YOY, had this to say: "These remotes are fantastic. Just
> yesterday I had a PL-259 fail on the coax going into the back of my radio.
> The technician told me it would be three weeks before he could come out and
> fix it. Three weeks! What was I supposed to do in the meantime? I thought
> to
> myself, 'now this is a case for remote stations'. I whipped out my
> MasterCard and signed up for RHR. I didn't even need one of those K3/0
> doohickeys. I just did my DXing with my computer. Things were going great
> and then my internets stopped working. Fortunately for me there was another
> RHR subscriber nearby. I used his internets to work four new ones in one
> day. The guy I talked to in Ireland was really happy to work California on
> six meters, too. He said he thought the band was only open to New York, but
> when I confirmed our QSO on LoTW he was tickled shirtless to see he had
> worked a new state". It is not clear to the uninitiated what all of this
> means, but NJ6YOY sounded very excited about his new conquests. With
> Verizon's new service he won't have to worry about his 'internets' going
> down either. All he will have to do is keep his iPhone charged.
>
>
>
>
>
> [yes, it's satire]
>
>
>
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>