blog:2021-05-09:is_it_ham_radio
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blog:2021-05-09:is_it_ham_radio [2021/05/09 10:21] – [Is it Ham Radio?] va7fi | blog:2021-05-09:is_it_ham_radio [2021/05/17 20:48] (current) – va7fi | ||
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One of the recurring " | One of the recurring " | ||
- | My view is that (1) it's not black and white, and (2) the outcome only affects my own level of interest and doesn' | + | My view is that: |
+ | - It's not black and white, and | ||
+ | - The outcome only affects my own level of interest and doesn' | ||
+ | - It also has nothing to do with whether | ||
+ | |||
+ | To me, the degree to which something is ham radio depends on how much (or little) ham RF it uses. Here are a few examples to illustrate my point (there' | ||
===== Simplex and Repeaters ===== | ===== Simplex and Repeaters ===== | ||
{{ is_it_ham_radio1.png | {{ is_it_ham_radio1.png | ||
- | * To me, 2m simplex, stand-alone repeaters, and RF linked repeaters are close to 100% ham radio. | + | * 2m simplex, stand-alone repeaters, and RF linked repeaters are close to 100% ham radio. |
* I could nit pick and further sub-divide these in terms of how self-reliant they are (solar vs grid power for example), but that's a different axis. | * I could nit pick and further sub-divide these in terms of how self-reliant they are (solar vs grid power for example), but that's a different axis. | ||
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Echolink starts muddying the water a bit. | Echolink starts muddying the water a bit. | ||
- | * When someone uses their phone to connect to an Echolink node via the internet, which then connects to a repeater via RF, you can think of half of the conversation is via RF and the other half is over the internet. | + | * When someone uses their phone to connect to an Echolink node via the internet, which then connects to a repeater via RF, half of the conversation is via RF and the other half is over the internet. |
- | * But when two people use their phones to send each other text messages or have a phone-to-phone conversation, | + | * But when two people use their phones to send each other text messages or have a phone-to-phone conversation, |
===== IRLP ===== | ===== IRLP ===== | ||
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IRLP is a bit similar to Echolink but with more RF: | IRLP is a bit similar to Echolink but with more RF: | ||
* When used to connect two (or more) repeaters together, most of the heavy work is via RF. | * When used to connect two (or more) repeaters together, most of the heavy work is via RF. | ||
- | * But if someone has their own IRLP node at home and use it to connect to other repeaters, then it's a short step away from having an IRLP app on a phone that connects directly to the other repeater and do away with one of the radios. | + | * But if someone has their own IRLP node at home and uses it to connect to other repeaters, then it's a short step away from having an IRLP app on a phone that connects directly to the other repeater and do away with one of the radios. |
===== DMR ===== | ===== DMR ===== | ||
{{ is_it_ham_radio4.png | {{ is_it_ham_radio4.png | ||
- | Finally, | + | DMR can fall almost everywhere on this continuum. |
* When used in simplex or via a stand-alone (or RF connected) repeater, there' | * When used in simplex or via a stand-alone (or RF connected) repeater, there' | ||
* When repeaters are linked together (via the internet), then it's close to IRLP. | * When repeaters are linked together (via the internet), then it's close to IRLP. | ||
* When when people use their own hotspots, then it's close to personal IRLP simplex nodes. | * When when people use their own hotspots, then it's close to personal IRLP simplex nodes. | ||
- | * Finally, there' | + | * Finally, there' |
- | ===== Conclusion | + | ===== AREDN ===== |
- | Reasonable people can disagree where different technologies fall on the spectrum, but the points are that "Is it ham radio?": | + | {{ is_it_ham_radio_5.png }} |
- | * Is not a yes/no question. | + | So far I've only discussed voice modes so it might be tempting again to think this is an Analog / Digital divide. |
- | | + | |
- | * Isn' | + | |
- | It's also not a straight forward indicator of whether I'll be interested in something either. | + | ===== Conclusion ===== |
+ | Reasonable people can disagree where different technologies fall on the spectrum, but my main points are that: | ||
- | + | "Is it ham radio?": | |
+ | - Is not a yes/no question. | ||
+ | - Isn't prescriptive of what other hams should do with the hobby. | ||
+ | - And has nothing to do with whether something is analog or digital. | ||
+ | For me, the degree to which something is ham radio is only one of the factors that contributes to whether I'm interested in it or not; but it's not the only one: Currently, I'm not interested in investing hundreds of dollars into a DMR radio and a hotspot, but I'll give the (free) DroidStar app a try (since it's free). |
blog/2021-05-09/is_it_ham_radio.1620580911.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/05/09 10:21 by va7fi