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Web Access Over Power Lines
anaesthetica writes "The CSMonitor is reporting that power companies may now be able to break into the internet provider market, giving consumers a third option, outside of telephone and cable companies. From the article, "Broadband over Power Lines (BPL), with investments from big-name companies including Google and IBM, is beginning to move beyond small trial projects to deploying systems for large communities." Earthlink may offer BPL as soon as next year. Apparently, a major source of opposition to BPL is operators of ham radios."
Good thing you posted as anonymous...dick. Do you have any idea how many hams actually USE computers WITH their radios? How often they use satellites to increase their transmission distance? Their waves, and yes I do mean THEIR waves, are the only efficient places to meet new and interesting people from around the world. You'll say "But what about the Internet? Why don't they just get with the times and communicate over the Internet?" The Internet with chat rooms full of pedophiles, pre-pubescent teens and /.ers? That sounds great.
Nothing beats sitting in your house with a little radio and talking to someone on the complete opposite side of the globe, all wirelessly. When did you first get to use anything wireless for YOUR communication? A few years ago on your computer? Oh wait, that still goes back to an electricity dependent land-line. Cell phone? Try again.
Don't knock something just because you're too ignorant to understand what it really is. Ham radio may be becoming less and less popular, but I've had my license since I was 18 and I'll be enjoying the waves until the FCC sells them off (or until BPL moves into my area.)
"Apparently, a major source of opposition to BPL is operators of ham radios"
Five guys in their basement constitutes "major opposition" these days.
You guys should really listen to NPR instead of that morning idiot on dc101.
I understand your point, but there is a serious problem.
That is, amateur radio is a specialized hobby, which has a few (very rarely) useful qualities that other technologies lack.
Yes, it can be useful in emergencies (as I made clear in my original post) but that's really insignificant, and yes I DO mean insignificant. Being useful once in a blue moon is a poor reason to protect ham radio.
"So, it is not hard to see that if BPL is introduced in every community in the USA, this will make the HF spectrum mostly unusable for THE ENTIRE WORLD"
That is PURE speculation, and by attempting to prevent the development of BPL, you are actually stalling progress which could eliminate the interference.
"But they should have to do it over shielded cables"
Or alternately, I would love for hams to continue to have undisrupted access, but they should use equipment that works in less than ideal situations. Why are hams so eager to place the burden on the power companies? There is probably a great reason, but what I've heard is essentially "We were here first" or as you did "there is an incredibly small niche that is insignificant, but I can spin it to appear important". That won't fly.
Now, to address your very first sentence about what I should do. YOU should get on your ham radio and tell your friends to stop crybabying and come up with a solution. No one likes a whiner.