Good point... the question is how or should we (as hams) stop, and how do we get the likely end-users to help ham radio NOW...such as carriers; WISP; IOT, etc.
Let's make one thing clear from the get-go: WISPs are already strong supporters of amateur radio. Many are hams. I worked on some of the first modern digital radios as a graduate student at Stanford, as part of a project whose work was adapted by Lucent to create WaveLAN, the great granddaddy of Wi-Fi. The professor who advised us was - you guessed it - a ham. I was also the world's first WISP. WISPs have NEVER asked that spectrum be taken away from hams for their benefit, and in fact have partnered with hams on amateur radio networking projects such as AREDN. We also provide bandwidth - often at or below cost or even as a donation - for amateur radio services that require Internet connectivity. The threat to hams, WISPs, and all other users of spectrum comes from the large mobile carriers. They recognize that the best way to ensure that competition never arises to threaten their comfortable oligarchy is to ensure that no spectrum is available to any startup or innovator which might want to enter the business. They thus constantly claim that they have insufficient spectrum (despite the fact that they barely use a fraction of the huge hoards they have already obtained) and that they can work miracles for mobile users, rural residents, the poor, widows, orphans, etc. if only they can have more. This is why they are falsely claiming that there's a "race to 5G," in which our country will fall hopelessly behind others, economically and otherwise, if they are not given everyone else's spectrum. IMHO, the best ways to thwart them in this endeavor are: 1. Use our technical expertise to demonstrate that the mobile carriers are engaging in an anticompetitive strategy; 2. Explain, patiently, to non-technical policy makers that most of the wonders that the mobile carriers claim for "5G" are both economically and physically impossible (many violate, among other things, Shannon's Law); 3. Demonstrate the benefits that amateur radio has brought and continues to bring to mankind (many don't realize they have us to thank for their Wi-Fi and cell phones); 4. Keep innovating. Currently, some "old school" hams are discouraging the development of new radio technologies such as weak signal digital modes. They must recognize that if we don't do this we will no longer fulfill our charter (as stated in 47 CFR 97) to advance the state of the radio art; and 5. Better organize the amateur radio community to be heard by policy makers and noticed by the press. The mobile carriers have dozens of lobbying shops working for them; hams in the US really only have the ARRL. A group's influence on policy makers and bureaucrats increases exponentially with the number of voices that speak for it. Therefore, IMHO, there should be multiple amateur radio organizations working in DC and also at the state level. (While the states do not regulate spectrum - that's the exclusive domain of the FCC - they can be strong advocates for us.) That's a start. Additional ideas welcome!
Thanks Brett, You have an interesting and valuable perspective on this. Will be in WY in two weeks...probably not getting over your way unfortunately. Hangin' in Jackson Hole. 73 Chip W1YW
This is the inevitable question and I would think most VHF /UHF Hams would be more concerned about retaining 2m / 70 cm ? G3SEA/KH6
