[650] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Perhaps dismissal of packet radio in the classroom is unwarranted
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dennis Ferguson)
Mon Apr 29 21:37:43 1991
From: Dennis Ferguson <dennis@utcs.utoronto.ca>
To: brian@napa.telebit.COM
Cc: bill@tuatara.uofs.edu, com-priv@psi.com
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1991 20:30:45 -0400
Brian,
The amateur would have to be doing some odd stuff to cover the
entire 20 MHz band, and spread spectrum is fairly resistant to
narrow band noise as long as there aren't too many sources (and
as long as they aren't so unfortunately located that the signal
strength overwhelms your receiver). I am pretty sure that "going
to lose if you try to go long haul" is really much too strong an
assertion, with proof by existence. Spread spectrum can work
okay even under really rotten conditions.
Point taken, however, that you won't get telephone-company-quality
service guarantees at 900 MHz (actually a faulty microwave oven
can do horrible things at this frequency as well). I do note
that Apple is now asking the FCC to free up 40 MHz of spectrum
up near 2 GHz for wireless networking. Should they succeed at
this (I understand there is much doubt since they are trying to
displace some rather powerful existing users, utilities I think)
I wonder what the operating restrictions will be there.
Dennis
