125 mile 2.4 GHz record Wi-Fi connection

AG4YO,

Too funny. I can almost see that 300 feet of RG-58 after 500 watts of 2.4 ghz RF pushes a Pam Anderson video through it. Whew, talk about an "air biscuit".

Dick

 

QWN, actually no, I've never participated in ham activity on 2.4 GHz. I've run my wireless LAN there without a hassle for many years though.

 

Neat stuff, but I'm more impressed with the new 47 GHz world record that was just set here in California during the 10 GHz and up contest... 330+ km.

 

The next SOCALWUG meeting is tomorrow Thursday 08/25/04 at 7pm (Pacific). Locations and directions at http://www.socalwug.org

Frank Keeney, Discussion on the world record set at the Third Annual Wi-Fi Shootout at the Defcon conference in Las Vegas. This year a new 802.11b distance record was set at 125 miles. I’ll show detailed Google Earth (and other) maps of the successful and unsuccessful locations that they attempted and why they did and did not work. Detailed hardware discussion, more photos and news of the event. I’ll show the “high definition” version of the popular online video from http://pasadena.net/shootout05


Trevor Marshall, PhD, http://www.trevormarshall.com holds the Australian Amateur Radio distance record set back in 1964 of about 105.5 miles set (by voice) on the ultra-high frequency of 576 MHz amateur band. The record still stands, as the 576MHz band was lost to amateur use soon after that.

He’ll present information on long-range propagation and FCC rules. He’ll also explore the techniques of building long distance links and their affects on data timing in transmission and reception. This will be an enlightening presentation for those wanting to discuss and learn about how to build reliable long distance wireless links.

We’ll attempt to stream the meeting video live see http://www.socalwug.org for the latest video streaming information.

Frank
KG6JVE

 

Hello All. I think some of you miss the point of this test entirely. A test was made, It was successful. Regardless of the content. It opens the path way for others to follow. And just maybe bring in some younger people into our hobby/service. Try to be positive about things like this. Times change and so must we. It's all part of the future and nothing stays the same.

 

I think this test was great. And they conformed to the rules. Read them...

Amateur Radio Operators operating under licensed spectrum:

Users operate under FCC Part 97 rules and regulations.

Frequencies usable from over-the-counter consumer gear include the  33cm  902-928 MHz band  and the 13cm 2390-2450 MHz band.  

In the 13cm band, 802.11 channels 1 thru 6 are the only channels in the 2390-2450 MHz bandplan.

Maximum Transmitter Power Output (TPO) is 100 watt or 50dBm.

If more than 1 W is used, automatic transmitter control shall limit output power to that which is required for the communication.

You must enable broadcasting of your SSID, which has to include your callsign.

WEP encryption is not permitted.

 

I need help with something concerning this test. They took off the shelf cards and hooked up 10' dishes to them. What was done to advance Amateur Radio? The dishes looked like old "C" band Satellite dishes. Seems to me the only thing "Amateur Radio" about this test is that Amateurs did it so as not to bust the Part 15 rules. What about this will attract new Amateurs? Is it that they can "boost-up" their Wifi Devices like an old CB Radio if they become Amateurs?

My point is that there isn't much about 2GHz propogation we don't know at this point. There are many path loss and hop design programs available free that will help you design a microwave path at 2GHz which esentially what this is.

If someone drives a Chevy and goes 100 miles on 1 gal. of gas, is it significant when someone drives a Ford 90 miles on 1 gallon just because it was a Ford? We can all admire that these folks got outside and had some real fun. I applaud this "outing" as kind of a nice field day exercise. Sounds like it was alot of fun. But IMHO, no real advancement of Amateur Radio was done. Should they continue having fun? Absolutely!! And keep posting the great pictures too.

 

You can't "live and think out side the box" if, in so doing, you violate the FCC regulations applicable to the mode of operation.

In other words, you can't operate equipment licensed for operation under part 15 regulations using Part 97 rules, unless the equipment in question is modified for use IN the Amateur Radio Service, in which case part 97 rules would apply (which also means that the equipment in question can no longer be used for Part 15 operations as it is no longer type accepted due to the modification).

Clear as mud?

Paul, N0JAA.

 

If the modification involved using a non Part 95 antenna (due to too much ERP), then returning to Part 95 is as simple as removing the antenna or replacing the original.

But this type of change has been done thousands of times already for many years by amateurs using equipment from commercial on the ham bands. I have never seen anything that says that you cannot return a Mitrek (or such) to commercial use after it has been used for ham.
It's only ham equipment that is not type accepted for use in the commercial bands.

I don't think one would have to crack the case to declare it as Part 97. I'm not sure there has to be a "modification" to declare it as used under part 97, just as there would not be a Mod required for any other gear. Since it is already designed for the ham band, what would you be modifying?


Someone please correct me if I am not thinking clearly on this.


Andy
WJ9J

 

i don't think a Pamela Anderson video will FIT through an RG-58 cable!

Paul, N0JAA.

 

I don't think this would be considered a modification of the device.  Since the antenna is external to the device, you would not be modifying anything.

But you WOULD have to crack the case to make the modification, as you would have to change the appropriate circuitry, tuning coils, final amp, etc., to make the device able to transcieve on Amateur frequencies.  Such a change would be considered a modification and would make the device no longer type-accepted for the service for which it was originally designed (such as modifying a CB radio to transmit on 10 meters, causing the radio to lose its Part 95 certification).

The only exception to that I can think of is if you feed the output from the original device through a transverter, thus changing the output frequency (and possibly power) of the original device.


Paul, N0JAA.

 

Sport? I think you are mistaken. There is no correction on what I said at all and I will not correct any of it. You are the one that is mistaken. There was nothing illegal in this record breaking setup but some folks seem to thinkk there is. That is what I am talking about. Not like an unlicensed operator using the ham bands to experiment or anything like that.

PS next time do not call me sport. I take offense at that.

KC7GNM
Greg

 

Actually, some radios, you don't have to crack the case, depending of where you put them, the Motorola Maxtrac for example.

You are claiming that a modification (other than antenna) has to be done in order to make something legal for part 97. Do you have a rule to back this up? (I disagree with this postulation unless you can prove it) Do you know what they did to modify these devices? Can you speculate?

Thanks

Andy
WJ9J

 

Again:

They took off the shelf cards and hooked up 10' satellite dishes to them. What was done to advance Amateur Radio? Seems to me the only thing "Amateur Radio" about this test is that Amateurs did it so as not to bust the Part 15 rules. What about this will attract new Amateurs?

Help me understand.