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Taking VHF Ham Radio From Local To Global
yipper writes: "For a couple of years now a small group of amateur radio enthusiasts have been putting together a system of linking local VHF repeaters using the internet. VHF communications are usually used for local ( 0 - 50 mile ) operations. This system described at www.irlp.net allows linking of one or more local systems together using linux, streaming voice software, fast internet connections, and a few custom parts." Ah, integration!
This is similar to Superlink, but this relies on wired technology. It's cool for the coolness factor, but things like Superlink could become critical forms of semi-long-range communication when internet and telephone lines get destroyed in a major disaster, for example. Yes, there is HF as well, but these days VHF is probably a lot more common, and so quite important for emergency communications.
Sure... and with prohibitions on any commercial use, licensing requirements, equipment costs several to a dozen times more expensive than cellular phones, no encrypted privacy permitted by FCC regulation (meaning everyone can hear your "call"), and no logical "call routing" architecture to locate a specific party (other than saying their callsign), you think the cellular industry will waste two seconds worrying about this?
Per the FCC, they've been strong supporters of the amateur service.
Actually, the only concern I'd have about this is that places amateur radio interdependencies on the public telecom network - something we're supposed to not depend upon as part of our public service mission.
*scoove*
I fondly recall [CAUTION: FLASHBACK. CAMERA FOCUS MAY BECOME WAVY IN TRANSITION.] back in my days as WV2LCM, the illicit joy we found at patching calls that otherwise would have cost an insane amount of money or were simply impossible (for those of you not old enough to understand this reference, this was before the breakup of AT&T, when long-distance was a monopoly, and before the breakup of the Soviet Union, when direct-dial was not available). Reuniting George in Ireland with his daughter in New Haven, causing Dmitry in Kiev to be able to speak with his brother in New York for the first time in a decade, those were the joys of communication (as well as a well-deserved poke at Ma Bell, especially after she figured out that we were calling collect to payphones to flout her insane rates, but that's a different story). Rarely did anyone get caught or punished, because (this is one of those little-known facts) the guardians of ham radio communication, the FCC, are (or perhaps were) nearly all ham radio operators themselves.
It's no coincidence that ham radio operators are usually the first on-scene at the Emergency Services Centre during a disaster, and so I'm glad to see this frontier-pushing group (which, sadly, I have not been part of since my equipment was stolen) using the ultimate in global communications to further its cause :)
Zaphod B (CQ, CQ)
One-time WV2LCM on 2m
Zaphod B
Zaphod B
When duplication is outlawed, only outlaws will have
I know it's a good idea to integrate all these technologies, but sometimes it seems like people are connecting these things just for the sake of connecting them, not for any real greater purpose..
.. they'll be sending TCP via carrier pigeons next..
oh
Yes, the IRLP has been a great project to watch grow over the years. I'm a member (and currently the outgoing president) of the amateur club which is the home of the IRLP and have had the privilage to watch Dave work long and hard over the past few years to grow the IRLP from a system of about 3 nodes to what it is today.
Any hams out there with a repeater and a high speed connection I suggest you investigate joining up. It's brought all kinds of life to our repeater.
antarctican at antarcti dot ca