Slashdot Mirror
Weather Balloons as Wireless Telephone Technology
Under the plan described in this article submitted by reader RoscoHead, "Space Data would use un-tethered weather balloons launched daily by the National Weather Service to carry lightweight wireless communications equipment to an altitude of 100,000 feet. There, at the 'SkySite,' they would relay voice and data signals to remote areas at a fraction of the cost of installing cell towers or launching satellites, company officials say."
Sending up weather balloons to cover large rural areas rather than putting up towers?
To answer this question, we have to look deeply into the psychie of the average rural-area yokel. Does he prefer shooting up towers with buckshot or shooting down balloons with a high-caliber rifle. Which is more economic for the redneck? Will ammunition sales at WalMart effect this decision.
Is it cheaper for the phone companies to patch holes in balloons or replate a tower.
I didn't see any mention of this in their story. One can only hope that they took this into account.
Keeping
They float around, usually about rural areas. They usually dont draw much attention, and would be perfect for something like this. Besides unlike ballons they wont explode, burn up, or any other unpredictable situation which can happen with a balloon.
Saucers could work
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
Why not just use our alien technology developed at Area51?
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
"..What?! Okay, I must be on a bad ballon, hold on... okay, wait, I see something. Lemme just drive closer to it... Drat, it's just a carnival. Hello?! Hello?!"
This will be great fun until the anti-cellphone nazis figure out they can shoot the balloons down.