Mixed Conclusions About Powerline Networking vs. Ham Radio

Barence writes "Since writing about the success he's had with powerline networking, a number of readers emailed PC Pro's Paul Ockendon to castigate him for recommending these products, such as HomePlug. They were all amateur radio enthusiasts, claiming the products affect their hobby in much the same way that urban lighting affects amateur astronomers, but rather than causing light pollution they claim powerline networking causes radio pollution in the HF band (otherwise known as shortwave). Paul's follow-up feature, 'Does powerline networking nuke radio hams?' documents his investigation into these claims, which found evidence to support both sides of an intriguing debate."

Re:Who cares about HAM radio

[CohibaVancouver]

It's an elitist hobby for techno-geeks

Funny, I feel the same way about World of Warcraft.

Does powerline networking nuke radio hams

[randy of the redwood]

I prefer my hams honey glazed and baked rather than microwaved anyway.

Re:Sheesh

[Cid Highwind]

Samir, this is America. You can debate anything.

Point out that electromagnetism is "only a theory", get Rush and Bill O'RLY to talk up ionospheric HF propagation being "a bunch of liberal mumbo-jumbo", and sprinkle the internet with scary chain emails about how radio was "cooked up by some European egghead". In a year or two, congress will be terrified to legislate against broadband over power lines because their constituents are gibbering incomprehensibly at them about illegal Mexican radio immigration, how we need to teach the controversy about "Intelligent Electrons" and the creeping socialist death panels that are coming to euthanize their satellite dish!

Re:Who cares about HAM radio

[moon3]

HAM radio. It's an obsolete elitist hobby for techno-geeks. Let it die.

You dare to say this on /. ? Lots of HAM radio operators are here, they tend to have an excellent karma and lots of mod bullets in their magazine.

Re:Who cares about HAM radio

[Anonymous Coward]

Bullshit, the asshole down the street with the big fugly antenna that screwed up my TV every Sunday didn't give me the time of day, just ordered me off his property when I went to tell him to knock it off. He claimed that since he had a license for his toys and I didn't have a license for my TV he got to screw me up all he wanted. I paid good money for that TV, I should be able to use it whenever I want, not when some ass with an overpowered bug zapper decides he's had enough fun for the weekend. Anyway we wrote letters to the government but they just ignored them. This went on for months. Finally my brother suggested we take a pair of bolt cutters to his antenna wire and that solved things nicely. We cut all the wires going up his antenna tower every time he reconnected them until a storm blew the damn ugly thing into his garage and he never bothered putting it up again. Peace and television for everyone. Everyone on the street knew we did it and NOT ONE person cared to tell the police, even when he offered a reward. Nobody liked him or his damn radio.

Re:It isn't just a hobby

[Anonymous Coward]

I believe you're talking about a chronic embarrassment to many radio services, not just the Amateur Service. They're called "Whackers".

Thankfully the vast majority of Amateur Operators do NOT fall under this category.

Thankfully, the vast majority of Whackers stay true to type and don't bother learning enough to get a license and wind up doing their stupid dance on the "Citizen Bands".

Also know, there is an active and functioning tradition within Ham radio to educate, train or otherwise "do away with" said Whackers. It's a pestilence we do not tolerate lightly and we're getting better and better at hiding the bodies.

Re:Sheesh

[Attila Dimedici]

Better yet, just start a rumor that Republicans are using Ham radio to organize opposition to nationalized health care and the Democrats will do everything they can to get rid of it. Of course, in that case they will claim that any debate is "un-American".

Re:It isn't just a hobby

[Anonymous Coward]

Huh, what? When the fuck have you ever seen him on his cellphone driving?

From what I have seen,

[falconwolf]

Ham's are pretty much self policing. The people that you get the most problem from are CB operators who have poorly tuned boosters.

I totally agree 1000%. I recall one person who lived across the street from me had a CB in his house. We could always tell when he talked on the radio because our toaster would start talking. We never had problems with hams, who also lived near us, though.

Back then I wanted to get my license but I had trouble with Morse Code.

Falcon

Re:Big Props

[telchine]

What are props?

They help airplanes fly.

Re:It isn't just a hobby

[telchine]

I'm pretty sure the machines that take over will be clever enough to jam ham frequency ranges though.

What makes you so sure? You're one of the machines aren't you?! You've blown your cover!

Burn the witch, burn the witch!

Re:It isn't just a hobby

[Anonymous Coward]

Desolder the witch!