Hi.
Unfortunately, Echo Link doesn't hold a monopoly on rudeness, and they
haven't done anything that hasn't been done on 75 meters for the last
several decades. I think that it is important to separate the medium from
the message. Like every other tool given to man, Echo Link can be used for
good purposes or bad purposes.
I'm thinking of a situation in our area where I wish Echo Link would be
used. Our official bulletin station is located approximately 40 miles out
of Rochester, in a location where there isn't much elevation, and even with
a large directional antenna, it is usually a struggle to hear him through
the static on the repeater. Using Echo Link to get an easily understood
reading of the bulletins into the repeater would, in my estimation, be a
good use of this technology.
I do, however, see a danger with this, and I would concede this
point. Amateur radio should never become so dependent on Echo Link or
other Internet technologies that it cannot function in the absence of the
Internet, because if it were to fall into that trap, then it would have
failed at another one of its basic purposes--to be prepared to serve in a
time of emergency. To this point, amateur radio's independence from being
tethered to a rigid infrastructure has been its great strength, and I don't
think that we should lose sight of that.
I think that Internet technologies like Echo Link and IRLP have their place
as long as we keep our perspective on what they are good for, and what they
are not.
73, de Lou K2LKK
At 12:03 PM 11/3/2008 -0300, you wrote:
>Hello;
>Can't resist my two cents here. Personally I have some concerns about echo
>link or irlp however, With computers I don't think that talking with China
>or Europe has the thrill it once did. One can do it online without all that
>antenna hassle. Now we know that the internet is doing the work rather than
>ones individual station but for a newcomer it would be difficult to make the
>distinction. Also I think more and more folks are finding that they are in
>situations where a decent hf antenna system is a problem. To fuel the fire
>what do folks think of remote hf stations that one uses via computer. Is
>that radio?
>As for those rude echo link folks, some of the "rudeness" may be because
>they are unaware of procedures and probably the way we handle their behavior
>will dictate whether they hang around or move on to some other hobby.
>Just my two cents.
>Richard
>
>
>
>
>--
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>4:59 PM
Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
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