Text 1841, 61 rader
Skriven 2007-08-05 06:29:55 av Thom LaCosta (1:261/1352.0)
   Kommentar till text 1839 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: any geratol net folks lur
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Michiel van der Vlist wrote in a message to Thom LaCosta:


 MvdV> When the telephone system was still a state monopoly, they did
 MvdV> not want us hams to compete with them. So no third party traffic
 MvdV> and the content of the conversation was to be limited to
 MvdV> technical issues related to the experiments or remarks of a
 MvdV> personal nature not important enough the warrant the use of the
 MvdV> public telephone or telegraph system.

We're lucky here....ham radio has a reputation and history of providing
emergency communications when the commercial services couldn't.  So, instead of
draconian regulations that limit us, we have a lot of latitude. 

 MvdV> comanies. So we are very carefull to not appear to compete with
 MvdV> the cell phone companies.

We auction off frequency allocations here....so the biggest threat is some bean
counter, under pressure from the commercial interests, decides the contribution
we hams make is not "worth" the money.  

Since technology is quite advanced, there may be less and less "Amateur Radio"
created innovations....thus less of a need to keep us in the protected class.

One reason given for allowing amateur radio to flourish was to have a corps of
trained radio operators for the military....with current technology, that corp
of ready operators may not be viewed as sufficient justification for us to
"own" spectrum.

The hot button is now EmCom.  Years ago emergency communications was given lip
service by ARRL, Red Cross and many governmental agencies....now, there is an
increased interest....and the ARRL has conjured up ways to receive grant money
to train us in emergency communications.

Personally, I think that unless hams here act more in the public interest and
convenience, there is a likelihood that we will loose spectrum, and be
regulated much more than we are.

 TL> I recall some of your previous posts about the ham fest(s).  Sounds
 TL> interesting....I don't go to many hamfests here....there is usually a
 TL> conflict between them and some music events...and the music wins out.

 MvdV> I am not much of a music fan, Not anymore. So no conflict here.
 MvdV> There is one hamfast that I never came around to. The Bodensee
 MvdV> Treffen. It is on the Swiss German Border in early july. It
 MvdV> conflicts with my birthday... 

Interesting.  I've never been that exxcited about the exact date of my
birthday.  If it's convenient to celebrate it on the exact day, great....if
not, I schedule something at another time.  Works out well....this year I let
the "event" slip a few days and was able to celebrate with both of my
daughters, my mom and several friends....which would not have been possible on
the exact date.

I suppose it's all a matter of priorities.

73,
thom - k3hrn
http://www.zerobeat.net/ 
--- GEcho 1.20/Pro
 * Origin: Home of The Other Robot (1:261/1352)