[amsat-bb] Re: OT: Universal Text Messaging and Pagers (WAS Re: Re: dream)

[Tony Langdon]

At 11:55 PM 7/7/2009, Bob Bruninga wrote:

>In my mind a pager is just another way  of making the call.  THe 
>intent is NOT ONE WAY, it is to provide a call-up or a message as 
>part of a CLEARLY TWO-WAY amateur network.

For me, the use of modified pagers has a LOT of advantages.  There 
are times when I don't get to listen to the radio much, or wander off 
at the wrong moment, when someone's looking for me.  Having a pager 
facility would fill those gaps, and it sounds like it's not too 
difficult to integrate that into the APRS network.  I'm also an easy 
case, because I spend a lot of time in the same general area (around 
here).  Anyway, might be a way to recycle some redundant hardware 
that's lying around.

>There is no reason to nit pick rules.  When one is broadcasting (one 
>way) to the general public or using amateur radio inappropriately, I 
>think everyone can tell when it is blatanly illegal.  I just don't 
>see the FCC cares one nit about some of these debates when any one 
>can see that hams are taking initiative to better their use of the radio art.

Besides, it's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for 
permission, when it comes to the rules, if you breached them 
unknowingly, while acting in good faith.

We had some similar issues in the past with a local club wanting to 
do an innovative amateur related (i.e. club and local ham goings on) 
news broadcast, and one of the rules that was brought into play was 
about 1 way transmissions, so the news broadcasters came up with a 
clever solution.  It was to be an extended test transmission, with 
signal reports from those "participating" in the "test" before and 
afterwards. :)  While the news broadcast lasted only 3 years, due to 
participant burnout, it did lead to a significant change in the 
regulations here, for the better.  I participated as a relay station 
and also automatically recorded each news broadcast as it went to 
air.  There are archives lurking around somewhere.  Should also have 
them on a hard disk and on the web too.

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com