You had me going for a few minutes! Are you going to send this again on April 1, 2016? ;-)
73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sun, Jul 12, 2015 at 1:13 PM, Larry Burke <w...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: > VERIZON WIRELESS TO OFFER REMOTE AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE > > > > BASKING RIDGE, NJ (Roytours) - The nation's largest wireless company > announced today that it plans to enter the remote ham radio station > business > to serve amateur radio operators. Verizon Wireless, a wholly owned > subsidiary of Verizon Communications, Inc. [VZ, -4.25%] indicated that the > stations are a natural fit with their existing infrastructure and require > little additional investment. Customers will be able to talk all over the > world using only their cell phone. The service will be available via > subscription to existing Verizon customers. Coverage is expected to be the > same as Verizon's current 4G coverage area, with all calls routed to high > powered stations located on the east and west coasts of the United States. > > > > "At first we really didn't understand why this service was needed" said > company spokesperson Ben Dover. "We had a misconception that ham radio > operators built their own stations and advanced technology. Then we learned > that there was a subculture in the hobby that tried to talk to as many > countries as possible using any means available and many were already using > a personal computer to talk to those countries. Some didn't even own a > radio. Often they were using a service that offers complete anonymity" > > > > When asked how the new service is different from how Verizon customers > currently call other countries, Dover hesitated. "Well it IS another > revenue > stream", he replied. > > > > Software developers have been quick to respond to the announcement. One > such > developer, who prefers to go by the name SchrockRock, is working on iPhone > applications called DXCodeReadR and ThisisHowIHonorRoll (THIHR for short). > SchrockRock explained that THIHR continuously monitors a notification > system > called the "cluster" and checks to see if the ham needs a country that has > been "spotted" there. If the ham needs it, THIHR automatically works in > concert with DXCodeReadR to generate what hams call a "QSO" to snag that > new > country, even while the ham sleeps. "It's all about convincing users that > they are advancing technology", SchrockRock added in a recent post to > reddit. > > > > Markets also reacted quickly, sending Verizon stock down as much as 6% in > early trading. Reached on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, trader > Larry Burke summed up the market's reaction, "There was a going-in concern > about the ethics associated with this type of service as applied to what > hams call the DXCC program. But when brokers are able to explain that not > even the national association of amateur radio operators, the ARRL, is able > to define 'ethics', most concerns evaporate". > > > > Currently, there are few players in the commercial remote business. The > largest, RemoteHamRadio.com or RHR for short, operates a network of > remotes, > many of which are located in New York state. Verizon spokesperson Dover > said > his company realized the potential "when the FCC chose to look the other > way > with enforcement of Part 97 and common carrier regulations as they applied > to this type of service". > > > > Users of existing services seem to enjoy them. One California ham, who goes > by the callsign NJ6YOY, had this to say: "These remotes are fantastic. Just > yesterday I had a PL-259 fail on the coax going into the back of my radio. > The technician told me it would be three weeks before he could come out and > fix it. Three weeks! What was I supposed to do in the meantime? I thought > to > myself, 'now this is a case for remote stations'. I whipped out my > MasterCard and signed up for RHR. I didn't even need one of those K3/0 > doohickeys. I just did my DXing with my computer. Things were going great > and then my internets stopped working. Fortunately for me there was another > RHR subscriber nearby. I used his internets to work four new ones in one > day. The guy I talked to in Ireland was really happy to work California on > six meters, too. He said he thought the band was only open to New York, but > when I confirmed our QSO on LoTW he was tickled shirtless to see he had > worked a new state". It is not clear to the uninitiated what all of this > means, but NJ6YOY sounded very excited about his new conquests. With > Verizon's new service he won't have to worry about his 'internets' going > down either. All he will have to do is keep his iPhone charged. > > > > > > [yes, it's satire] > > > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband