The AM Forum

Any thoughts as to its affect on Amateur Radio? Received an email earlier this morning, it is looking for support to use the White Space for broadband internet. Out here in the sticks of Central Orygun the old TV antennas are becoming a thing of the past since the switch to digital TV. Cable is slowly replacing the antennas.

So the thought is to use the white space to provide broadband internet to the rural folks.

Tnx,
Craig

Dean Moseley was involved in something similar.

Accelernet was the company.  They used isdn or telephone line dialup for the back haul, and all data from the server was over TV channel 43, iirc.

Yes I know this isn't the same.  But, I had moseley syst in rural Harris County Texas, and I'll tell ya....  It was damn fast!



Then cable modems arrived and the company went under.

--Shane
KD6VXI

Over the air TV is alive and well...government mandated you know..must get the propaganda/news out to the people...

Hi Steve,

Gave up on TV years ago...............still see the propaganda on the web. Can't find real news. ;D

Craig,

It is interesting how the cable companies from the early days worked their way into being about the only system available that [mostly] works.  Started when the FCC was pressured into going from analog to digital on TV.  Many places, like around here, this meant a loss of about 50% of the original coverage areas.  Tried to get an antenna up for my mother without any good success.  So, she and those like her who could not afford cable ended up with no TV.  Guess that's progress.  And cable is mostly like electric service:  a monopoly in an area; take it or leave it.  And a note to the propaganda:  I hated to see Radio Moscow/Voice of Russia or whatever they ended up calling themselves leave SW ops.  It was always fun in the old days to listen to Radio Moscow and Voice of America and average the information to see what was really happening in the world.

It will likely go to 5G and 6G wireless, whatever that turns out to be.

  When I had my house re roofed in 2007 I had to take down my  antennas including the one of TV which was pointed at Mt Sutro in San Francisco where there were a number of major TV channels, I never had cable.

   Deciding not to have a TV was a political, intellectual and cultural statement, about the only time I watch TV is if I'm staying at a motel while on a trip and I have yet to regret that I don't have TV.

    As to missing Radio Moscow I believe CNN has filled that niche.

T,

I guess we'll have to disagree. Radio Moscow had the 50 cycle Hum of Authority.

KLC

Oops, than I will disconnect the shield of my mic cable . But don't know if a 60 cycle hum gives the same Authority....

50 cycle him = authority
60 cycle hum = smugness

--Shane
KD6VXI

Ok, Thanks Shane

I've been looking into this recently for work. The 6 MHz wide channels in the UHF spectrum that was formally occupied by an occasional TV signal is now much better utilized for wide area ISPs in rural areas. The channels are supposedly coordinated to prevent interference. I doubt there would be any interference problems to amateur radio.

Mark WA1QHQ

This sounds like GOOD news...Thanks..

I think we were actually hearing mostly the 100 cycle per second overtone. 

 Regardless, yes it did have that tone of authority. - Good one.

 Eliminated AVC burps on your cheap receivers too.  You knew it was the real Radio Moscow, hiding nefarious phase modulated slow code in that hum for whirl' wide sub and consulate service.

Yes sir, nothing fake in those days. We laughed at the almost on target distortions.