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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."
"why is there still opposition?"
Because the radio hams are, as always, opposed to anything which exhibits technology newer than from the turn of the 20th century.
Time and time again they bitch and moan for no reason other than to try to slow down progress for everyone else.
Typical luddite reaction from teh hams, to be perfectly honest - they hate to think that anyone else might actually enjoy modern technology...
why is it everytime some story is posted here that talks about some way to get cheaper broadband, there are so many posts here slamming the general idea?
I thought slashdotters LIKED technology?
Maybe the motto should be changed to "News for Luddites"?
eat shiat and bark at the moon
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.
"Good thing you posted as anonymous...dick."
Damn, I thought I was anonymous. How did you know I am Dick?
"Do you have any idea how many hams actually USE computers WITH their radios?"
Yes. A minority.
"Their waves, and yes I do mean THEIR waves,"
Then you are wrong - the airwaves belong to NOBODY. Period.
Here's a clue - from whom did you hams buy or rent the airwaves? Hmm? Quick, come on, it's not that hard.
And from whom did THEY purchase them before you? Well?
Oh! Nobody!
Bingo.
"are the only efficient places to meet new and interesting people from around the world."
ROTFLMAO!!!!
You might want to actually get out into that real world of which you speak so much whilst knowing so little - there you can actually meet REAL people! Imagine that!
"Ham radio may be becoming less and less popular"
Why yes, yes it is. Just as all other antiquated outdated past-its-best technology does.
Get used to it.
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.
I think YOU ought to look up what that FCC Part 15 thing that is on all your electronic equipment, and try and understand what it means before you spout off like a clueless jackass.
Doesn't it state that your equipment "must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operations?" So, you are arguing that you are unwilling to follow FCC Part 15, but wanting others to adhere to it. Not that I'm taking a stance either way, but it is that hypocritical crap that makes hams look like raving loons when talking about these things. If hams knew what they were talking about, they could tell us what dB the interference was, rather than the doomsaying "stomped all over the bands" or your apparent point "any is too much, despite the fact that my equipment is required to accept it."
advantages (none) and disadvantages (many) are for BPL vs internet over phone lines or satellite.
Are you stupid? No, really. I can't see any other excuse. Are you saying that 600 ms+ latency is just as good as sub 100 ms latency? Or are you just lying in order to further your agenda? I could go on with the other drawbacks of satellite Internet service, but just that one shows that your no advantages and many disadvantages statement is simply false. And, since you are obviously so ignorant of the technologies involved, but speak so authoritatively, how can we believe anything else you say?
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