Re: Announce: new EchoLink Howto
On Sat, Sep 20, 2003 at 03:01:06PM +0200, Michael Renner wrote:
> > I can tolerate IRLP because it's strictly RF-Internet-RF, but when one
> > end is purely Internet (or both) that's not ham radio, imho.
>
> What is ham radio for you Hamish? Why should somebody become a radio amateur?
> Just to be a radio amateur? I don't think so!
> In the 'good old days' before the internet and affordable computers there
> where several reasons to make the license. Maybe sombody was interested in
> electronics, in communication, in self-construction or in radiowave
> propagation.
> But only the last reason in my list remains! You do not longer need a license
> if you are interesetd in technics, to communicate with others, make your own
> electronic boxes (PCs). You need no license for this, because the
> communications ressources (IP-Adresses, TCP/IP-Ports) are unlimited, no need
> for a artificial limitation of the participants due the ressources
> (frequencies) are finite!
But how does Echolink help someone to experiment with radiowave
propagation? It doesn't even always use RF, and even when it does it's
likely to be only FM on VHF/UHF, via simple groundwave only.
> So, is it correct to limit activitations only (!) to radio communication? If
> we do this the hobby is convicted to death! There are no youngsters any more
> intereseted in RF. They have a PC. 20 years ago they where radio amateurs,
> but today, they write applications, e.g. for KDE oder gnome.
> I think the world develops, and we (the radio amateur) should follow such
> processes. To make it clear: I agree with you that 'ham radio' must still
> regard somthing with RF, but in my mind it is enough that a software is for
> radio amateurs or only usable for them (maybe like a logbook application).
Oh yes, there is certainly use for ham-related software. I myself have
little experience with designing RF circuits but plenty writing
software. But this software is RF-related, and Echolink is not!
Echolink seems to be simply voice-over-IP where the users happen to be
amateurs. If I speak to an amateur friend via the telephone (land line
or mobile) do we call that amateur radio too? I don't.
Well thank you for providing information on using Echolink with Debian.
I suppose if people are going to use it, at least they can do it on a
better OS than Windows. And maybe do some good old fashioned
experimentation at the same time.
73
Hamish
--
Hamish Moffatt VK3SB <hamish@debian.org> <hamish@cloud.net.au>
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