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Idaho Companies Tout New Wireless Record
pavelvp writes "A small wireless Internet service provider in Idaho and a wireless equipment start-up claim to have set a new record for transmitting data across a wireless link this week. Microserv Computer Technologies, based in Idaho Falls, and Trango Broadband Wireless, a fixed-wireless broadband equipment maker, announced that they transmitted data over unlicensed wireless spectrum 137.2 miles." This unverified record would beat the previous record holders from the DefCon WiFi Shootout covered earlier on Slashdot.
Uhh, I'm pretty sure voyager 1 has the record for data transmission across a wireless link.
Only on slashdot can a posting be rated "Score -1, Insightful".
That's on a liscenced frequency, you insensitive clod!
I have to say having experienced Microservs broadband links I'm not impressed. The mileage of the connection is impressive however their service routinely sucks. Dropped coonnections, low uptime, high prices for slow speeds.They have good latency when it actually works properly though :).
Qwest DSL or CableOne has Microserv beat all hollow. Even the local Teton Wireless internet kicks their ass. But Teton wireless does have some pretty impressive speeds for a long range wireless link (I've seen it get as high as 5Mbps down and 2Mbps up).
"The boy is dangerous, they all sense it, why can't you?"
In short: No.
Light would be scattered and attenuated even faster than the radio signal by everything from dust to water vapor. and things like Earth tides would throw off your alignment continously. the amount of power and focusing needed would be astronomical to carry a signal that far.
lasers work great when you can waveguide them in a controlled medium (ie fiber optics) but then we're back to being wired.
The best record in 2,3 Ghz is 1560 km
or 16475 km if use the moon
http://www.ham.se/vhf/dxrecord/dxrec.htm#F
You only need more erp, bigger disk, more power, or slower speed to improbe S/N