On Nov 22, 2008, at 9:01 PM, Harvey Heagy wrote:

> I don't see much point in including the 2 meter band which would be  
> for
> monitoring purposes only.

And what's wrong with monitoring? I ouldn't turn my nose up at  
something that would allow me to keep an ear on the local club  
repeaters. Besides, for non-has, being able to tune into things like  
our Skywarn nets wouldn't be a bad thing for anyone, least of all us.

>  If C-Crane really wants to do something good,
> they could include a receiver with the digital TV spectrum on it, or  
> maybe
> an accessible satellite/HD radio or something like that.

Which they addressed in the stocking stuffer show Mike mentioned. They  
simply can't release an audio digital TV receiver now simply because  
they can't get the decoder chip at a reasonable price. Moreover, at  
this point they'd have to include the whole decoder (for video and  
audio) even if they don't use the video part. Not at all cost  
effective for them, and I bet not for us, either. They're working on  
accessible wifi radio solutions and, no doubt, other things. Please  
remember that CCrane is catering to a larger market than just blind  
radio hobbyists.

>  Lots of people
> depend on portable TV's when the power goes out, but unless someone  
> comes
> out with a battery operated digital TV receiver they won't be able  
> to do
> that any more.

Lots of people won't be depending on portable TV's anymore. I haven't  
seen a portable digital TV yet, and even if I did see one, it sure  
sounds like it'd be about as useful as a one-armed paper hanger if  
reports of inability to decode signal on anything less than an outdoor  
antenna are to be believed.
>

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 746-4127 or 888-75-BUDDY
Create your own economic stimulus package:
http://www.powermall.info