[clug] Packet radio

[Neil Pickford]

It really depends what your interest in Radio Frequency (RF) pertains to 
as what sort of equipment one should strive for.

Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) tends to be the best approach for learning 
stuff, sure an IC7800 will do everything for you pre-packaged with its 
own embedded proprietary controllers, but I'm not sure if that is your goal.

Define your goals and work from there.

For digital modes it is important you can directly access the modulator 
without any pre-emphasis or narrow filters, which is generally bad for 
digital communications.

I ran AX25 packet for about 15 years but the solid (reliable) 
communications speeds we could achieve in standard channels (1200/4800 & 
9600 baud) were eclipsed by wired (dialup & ADSL) and 802.11x WiFi 
communications.

BTW simpler radios do tend to keep their value in dollar terms while the 
all singing ones depreciate more quickly.

Cheers
Neil VK1NP

Adam Baxter wrote:
> OK now I'm curious. What's a good (digitally tuned?) radio to get for
> listening to all the chatter that goes on?
> I was once told that it's good to sit and listen for a while before
> attempting your licence.
> 
> On Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 4:51 PM, Mike Carden <mike.carden at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 11:44 PM, Neil Pickford <neilp at goldweb.com.au>
>> wrote:
>>> Yes - if you do it on Amateur frequencies (144-147.999 MHz, 420-449.999
>> MHz
>>> etc.)
>>
>> I'm curious. Has packet ever taken off on Citizen's Band or LIPD
>> spectrum? I guess an argument could be mounted to say that all of
>> 802.11 represents the latter. :-)
>>
>> --
>> MC
>> --
>> linux mailing list
>> linux at lists.samba.org
>> https://lists.samba.org/mailman/listinfo/linux
>>