I agree with you. I don't see any merit in doing on the amateur bands what can be done on commercial frequencies. Indeed, I don't really see that even D-Star enhances the hobby in any way. Being able to call someone whereever they are by keying their call into your radio is not what ham radio is about, in my view. I already have a radio that can reach people wherever they are. It's called a cellphone.
I'm afraid that technology is starting to take the magic out of radio. RF is being reduced to a means of connecting someone to a network that guarantees reliable communication. That isn't what attracted me into this hobby 40 years ago. Of course, I have a different perspective coming from the UK where amateur radio isn't regarded as primarily an emergency communications service. :) Julian, G4ILO --- In [email protected], "af6it" <af...@...> wrote: > > A perhaps narrow outsider's opinion: There is potential here for both good > and for wreaking havoc with fellow users of VHF/UHF amateur bands given a > paradigm shift into a G3 digital era. Improving upon packet's abilities could > be a very good thing- particularly for those involved in EmComm. But running > analog FM users away just because commercial & gov't users have had the > change to digital crammed down their throat would be a very bad idea. If it > can peacefully co-exist with current users- then no problem! As a potential > user I confess that I'm not terribly interested in digital modes up here. > Adding more specialized equipment has no appeal nor any advantage to my > operating style. HF digital is much more exciting & useful to me. (YMMV) My > greatest fear is that someone in an urban upper 5% utilization zone might > find a listening ear in the FCC who would recklessly force a draconian change > to make us all go 100% digital VHF & above- even for the 95% who have no > trouble finding available analog freq's. This is ham radio after all- not > hard core government EmComm! (Which is I suppose STILL waiting to see how > beneficial the move will prove to be for them) > > One other comment: "Tactical" ham frequencies??!!! What in the world??? For > ham SWAT teams? <LOL> Didn't Indianapolis PD get into trouble for less than > that? :-) > > 73 de Stu AF6IT >
