RE: [amsat-bb] Going Digital... Ham Radio?

[Arthur H Feller <w4art@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Bob!!

At 11:35 AM 09-06-00 -0400, Bob Bruninga wrote:
>In my opinion, We dont want to waste precious P3D bandwidth with 
>"pipes".  We have free worldwide Internet Pipes everywhere.  We need to 
>use P3D for live QSO's and unique applications that cannot be done via the 
>internet.
>
>Yes, PIPES to serve a critical emergency, but only when needed... etc.

Agree completely on the operation of internet pipes.  Incidently, there's 
an interesting application for operating voice radios by remote control 
described at http://www.irlp.net.  We're using IRLP here on the NERA linked 
system with fairly good results.  (Australia, we'd love to hear you here in 
Virginia!!)

And, yes, IRLP may be more amateur telephone than amateur radio.  But, it 
is one more technique that's handy and we learned from making the interface 
work.

But, emergencies are a different matter.  Experience is that, if a system 
is not in common use, it won't be available when you need it most.  Two 
reasons.

First, most operators will be too low on the learning curve to be of much 
help.  Second, equipment not used regularly is equipment not maintained.

Keeping people and equipment around on "standby" isn't nearly as dependable 
as keeping them operating routinely.

Also, internet end user access may well NOT be available in a disaster 
situation even if the rest of the network is "self healing."  We will need 
ways to jump over the broken part (by radio, of course) to a point on the 
internet that's still working.  This hop might be short or long depending 
on the user's location and other factors.

Maybe we should encourage some transponder bandwidth/time for bent pipe 
applications?  It might turn out to be useful and we might learn something 
along the way.

Well, the P3D Program folks will worry about this so we don't have to right 
now.....

In the mean time, keep working on the digital systems!!!

73, art.....

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