Hi there, I think that BPL will be the  biggest threat, and the antenna
issue.  I know that in Virginia the BPL I think is in use, but I don't
know if it has started up for sure or not.  Does anyone know where this is
going to expand to next with regard to BPL?





On Tue, 30 May 2006, Colin McDonald wrote:

> personally i don't think it has much to do with echolink or IRLP...since
> there aren't a whole lot of HF privvallaged folks on there anyway.
> Its probably got more to do with the fact that most people in our day and
> age don't have as much time for persuing their radio hobby as they once did.
> Also, with the american operators becoming more and more restricted as to
> antennas in housing developments, with hams who previously operated HF, now
> having to stick to 2M and 70CM because they can only use a mobile set up.
> I think echolink and IRLP are pretty much the least of the issues out there
> that are causing us to hear less and less folks on the HF bands.
> Lets not forget that many many hams simply aren't bothering to get on the
> air because they do not like to deal with unstable conditions and are
> waiting for conditions to get more stable, if not necesarily better.
> the threat of BPL has also thrown a shadow over many, and their plans for
> antennas and so on have been put on hold until plans are finalized one way
> or the other for BPL projects...no point in putting in an expensive antenna
> system when it will prove useless when BPL goes through in your area right?
> I think another big problem, especially right now, is that there are less
> and less US hams that are getting HF privallages because the regulations are
> still quite stringent.  You will hear many many more hams from Canada and
> other countries who have relaxed the code requirements on the HF bands now
> compared with a year ago.
> These are surprisingly very good operators and I personally have seen
> nothing but good come out of relaxing the code requirement here.
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
>