Amateur Radio and the Internet

Hi, I decided to remove my message about echo-link. I value ham radio too much to get involved in a debate that has no end. I have been reading old debates about echo-link in the last few days here on qrz and found that I put myself in the middle of it. I want to further ham radio and not hurt it by fighting with other hams. Thank you Ed, W5HTW, for your insite and I value your comments. I hope to meet you on the air soon I will put up an indoor dipole if thats what it takes.

73,
Ed DL9BCH/KA0ZWV

 

I, too, have deleted my previous post.

The replies I have seen to my post didn't lend much of a positive reinforcement to what HAM radio is to me, or what I was taught HAM radio means by the many more experienced hams who lent me their knowledge over the 17 years I've had a license.  The one gentleman said it the best, I believe "Remember that the future of amateur radio belongs to our young people. Elmer them,
encourage them, and above all NEVER discourage them."  My entry point into amateur radio was through my father, who has been a HAM twice as long as I, and who encouraged me in my hobby of short wave listening.  Does that mean if someone elses entry point into ham radio happens to be computer related, that his/her interest is any less valid than mine was?  Absolutely not.  Do I appreciate every HAM that didn't discourage me, but rather helped me and encouraged me in my interest
in HAM radio & electronics?  Every day!

In reply to the comments made from my previous post...

I own a UHF repeater.  I feel its my way of giving back to a hobby thats given much to me over the years.  It has many RF linked ports on its controller, which run off battery power, and I just so happen to have IRLP connected to it on a previously unused port.  IRLP simply replaces two link radios, but there must be a repeater or simplex radio on either end, and the distant party must use a separate radio to talk into that simplex radio or repeater on their end in order to carry on a QSO with repeater users on my end.  From a end-users standpoint, you can't tell the difference between the two.  Do most hams take the time to think how two repeaters are connected?  NO. Do they care to think "is this real ham radio" before they return a call?  NO.  Do they simply enjoy talking to the HAM on the other end, exchanging what gear they are using, weather reports, etc.?  YES.  Are both hams utilizing the spectrum?  YES.  Can someone on a computer talk to them without first owning a radio, taking a HAM test or having a valid license? NO.  If the internet connection goes down, does the repeater cease to operate and provide a service to  other HAMS in the local area?  NO.  If the *electricity* gets cut, would my repeater cease to
operate?  NO.  Would I ever refuse a FREE beer?  HECK NO! ;-)  Do I feel that I somehow deserve a free beer more than the other guy who simply uses my repeater to talk to his buddies?  NO.  Would I buy the person who bought me a beer, a drink in return, to show my thanks?  YOU BET.  Is my repeater open to all HAMS that abide by Part 97?  Absolutely.  Is using a repeater any less ham radio than HF?  Thats a ridiculous question.  Did I buy my radio equipment, ready to run, out of the box, from a store?  NOPE.  I used surplus commercial gear modified for HAM use.  But does that make me a 'bigger' HAM because I like to play with a soldering iron while the other guy doesnt?  NOPE.  The equipment has nothing to do with it.  It's all about having fun,
meeting new people, sharing experience, EXPERIMENTING and fostering good will to the hams I meet on the other end.

No, the Internet is not ham radio.  Thats obvious, and nobody in their right mind would think that.  Except possibly for
a few misguided politicians...but they think they invented the internet, anyway. ;-)
Does it provide a fun way of securely linking repeaters together?  Yes, as I havent met a single HAM
whos eyes didnt light up and jaw dropped when they heard a two way FM quality QSO going on between hams
in Alaska & South Africa...and then were able to break in and work the both of them with that same quality, on a low powered HT.  Has IRLP, in particular, brought life back to repeaters that sat mostly
quiet and unused in the past, and encouraged and stimulated use of spectrum that previously sat quiet?  YES.
Is that a good thing?  ABSOLUTELY.  Especially with the current state of affairs dealing with commercial desires for our ham bands.
No, it doesnt replace HF gear nor HF's purpose and legitimacy.  But does it destroy HAM radio?  
That question, too, is ridiculous.  It simply adds to it.  Is HF better than VHF or UHF?  No.  They are ALL the same.  They all serve a purpose.  HAM bands exist in all of them, therefore they ARE ham radio.  To say one is any less ham radio is to join those from years back that said FM & SSB wasn't HAM radio...that if you were not on AM or CW that you weren't a real HAM.  That argument and logic is nonsense.

The only thing that IS NOT HAM RADIO, that I've seen so far, is to put down a fellow licensed amateur simply and specifically for his/her preference in band, mode or current interests.  Or, because their interests are not your own,
to liken their amateur radio experience to that of the 11 meter CB band.  Thats below the belt.

73 respectfully to the group de Scott KB6JAG.

 

"... I havent met a single HAM  whose eyes didnt light up and jaw dropped when they heard a two way FM quality QSO going on between hams in Alaska & South Africa...and then were able to break in and work the both of them with that same quality, on a low powered HT."
==========================================================================

   I can understand that statement, and I see nothing wrong with IRPL and such.  It may merely be a matter of semantics, but there IS one part of the statement that is troublesome.
   Yes, you could break in and talk to the hams in Alaska and South Africa.  But IMHO, you didn't really "WORK" them.  I believe that term should be reserved for a contact made solely with your own equipment, without any intermediates, etc. involved.  (OK, I'll make an exception for satellite contacts.)  But in any case, I believe the term should only apply to contacts that are made with RF the entire distance.  I'm sure none of the contest or award committees would give credit for an IRLP contact.  Again, IMHO.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kf4jqd @ Sep. 26 2002,09:59)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I have said for along time that Ham Radio is falling behind to the computer technology....[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I agree with that. To the best of my knowledge, ham radio is not inflicted with SPAM to the degree that my internet connect is inflicted with every day. In the past six months, I have seen the volume of SPAM increase to the point that my ISP Spaminator can no longer keep up with the junk. Two months ago, I started receiving a 22 kB long Chinese Newspaper that I didn't request. Each time I requested to be removed from the mailings, I would simply receive an additional copy each day. After the 4th email requesting to be removed from the mailings, they started blocking my email requests. The Chinese characters often create havoc on my hospital office computer creating unnecessary delays in seeing patients.
 Yes, ham radio is always going to be behind the technology of computers but it is this issue that makes it the most reliable form of emergency communications available. No SPAM.
 Furthermore, I entered ham radio after coming across an unconscious person on a hike and discovered I couldn't get a phonecall to the outside world on my cell phone. My hiking partner Paul W4NMC had a 2m HT and was able to hit a local repeater full quieting to get some help. Within a month, I had my amateur license.

Ed AE4TM