On Sat, 17 Feb 2007, Steve Stroh wrote:
When a WISP slaps together a system, do they hook it up to a
spectrum analyzer to insure that substantially all the radiated
energy is contained within the desired band? No, they don't.
As odd as it may sound, I am in agreement with Mark on this one.
Mark went into detail about how it can (and should) be accomplished.
For example:
1. A radio (CM-9 for example) has known output power when combined
with a specific driver. It's up to the software folks to insure
they don't attempt to drive this card outside the manufacturer's
given parameters. SO, a card (combined with a specific driver/OS)
could be certified to behave in a specific manner.
Once we have #1 done, we can use this card and OS in combination
with ANY mother board and we won't be changing the operating
parameters of the card. What is wrong with a certification that
includes these 2 parameters?
2. Once we know that a radio/OS combo produces a CERTIFIED, known,
behaviour in terms of power levels, we can combine THAT CERTIFIED
COMBO with a specific antenna. This antenna would have to be type
certified as well. So long as that antenna exhibits a known
(certified) behaviour, we can easily, and RELIABLY predict the EIRP,
radiation pattern and even sideband noise.
I don't need a spectrum analyzer to know these things. So long as
the above is true, then what is the problem? I'll tell you what the
problem is...It is currently illegal to operate.
I agree with Mark's contention that it SHOULD be the way he
described (in terms of what is legal), but it is not. I'm at a loss
for how this fact benefits Americans. Perhaps I am just slow...
Um, the FCC is getting innovation and advancement - look at
Clearwire. When there weren't Clearwire, NextWave, Sprint Nextel
and AT&T actively deploying Broadband Wireless Internet Access, the
FCC needed WISPs. Now they've got those big players starting to
deploy and they can point to them as a success story for Broadband
Wireless Internet Access.
This is somewhat telling, huh?
As a WISP consultant, I can tell you that I am fully aware of
SEVERAL WISPs that are operating illegally. MOST of them are
operating within the parameters of the legal EIRP, but with
non-certified combinations of radio systems. I do tell those that
don't know that they are operating illegally. The fact is, the FCC
wants innovation? They have it with WISPs. They really need to
work on a means to allow us (as WISPs) to operate legally, but not
dramatically limit our choices. Allow us to provide reliable
service, within the limits of the EIRP, radiation patterns and such.
Allow us to make decisions on the combination of gear we use based
on the coverage we need, so long as we don't go outside these
limitations. I just don't see what's so wrong with this kind of
request (beyond the current legal status).
--
Butch Evans
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http://www.butchevans.com/
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