> Placed order for a MT-8000FA on Wednesday, it arrived today
There seems to be a significant number of folks getting these new
tracker units. While it's always great to see new technology hit the
streets, this is one place where it's a real step backwards. Despite
comments that a system with a receiver was coming, they continue to
release new products that cannot tell if they're transmitting at the
same time as other stations.
In the early days of packet, these systems would have been tracked
down and had their coax pinned...
It looks like one hope for the rest of us is to compete is to get
amplifiers or go to the high power settings with our existing systems.
This is unfortunate because it's so contrary to good amateur practice
and what ham radio should stand for. It's another example of the
tragedy of the commons that Bob B. talks about in:
http://eng.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs/fix14439.html
" Whenever there is a balance between individual interests and the
common good, human nature guarantees the overloading and ultimate
demise of the common resource."
Personally - I think I'm just going to start treating the stock APRS
144.39 channel like the CB it is becoming. It's relatively useful out
on the road but suffers from a far too low signal to noise ratio
around the cities... There is lots of interesting packet that can be
done on 9k6 or the data and emcomm 1200 baud channels. This is also
a good excuse to start making use of 6 meters since it's that time of
year... I'm going to miss voice alert but I think we can come up
with some even better alternatives.
Onward through the fog...
Bill - WA7NWP
PS. Note what Riley said quoting Bill Cross: -
http://www2.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/06/01/100
"Cross cited §97.7 of the rules, which requires each amateur station
to have a control operator and, in essence, to employ a
"listen-before-transmit" protocol.""
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