I, for one, agree with Butch.
Parts certification is the way it needs to go.
Hold the part manufactures responsible for their published numbers.
Allow operators to mix-n-match parts as they see fit, within the power
limits. Hold operators responsible for their EIRP numbers.
This would allow ongoing innovation in the field without driving the
small guys out.
I don't want to be locked into a single manufacturer. Quite honestly, I
don't trust that what I need will still be available 6 months from now
if I'm locked into one provider.
Using commodity hardware I can build what I need. If, as an example
only, the SR2 cards becomes unavailable, I can use a CM9 and a small amp
to replace it. I'm sure others can come up with more examples...
What happens to me when the single source supplier I was using drops
support and production of the equipment I was using?
Blair Davis
West Michigan Wireless ISP
269-686-8648
Butch Evans wrote:
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).
--
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