n6pse

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Is this Ham Radio history?

Posted: 04 Apr 2016 08:04 AM PDT
https://n6pse.wordpress.com/2016/04/...radio-history/




Ham Radio is a hobby steeped in history and tradition. Many men have made
significant contributions to the hobby over the years. Names such as
Marconi, Faraday, Maxwell and De Soto come to mind. Marconi spanned the
Atlantic Ocean with wireless in 1901. In 1906 Lee De Forest created the
first triode.

In 1914, Hiram Percy Maxim founded the ARRL. Many other significant Ham
Radio historical events have occurred since then

In recent times, Owen Garriot-W5LFL brought a two meter rig into space and
made contacts. Soon, the SAREX program was born.

There is a long history of Amateur Radio operators creating and supporting
cutting edge technology and solutions.

So it is for this reason that I wince when I keep seeing the VK0EK
Dxpedition announce that they are “making history� with their weekly
podcasts from Heard Island.

To conduct their podcasts with W5KUB.com, they are using an expensive and
commercial BGAN terminal to access the Inmarsat Satellite network. In fact,
Inmarsat the company has sponsored their BGAN terminals, Isat phones and
their satellite usage time which typically costs $7.00 per MB. This makes
it cost prohibitive for all but the most well-heeled of commercial
enterprises.

Inmarsat is a commercial satellite network with Billions of dollars
invested in satellites. Once a link is established, the VK0EK team is using
a software application called “Skype� to handle their voice and image
transmissions. Skype is a Voice over IP application created in 2003 by a
small group of Estonians. It has been bought and sold a number of times and
is now owned and run by Microsoft.

So VK0EK is using a global commercial satellite network owned by Inmarsat,
their sponsor and Skype which is owned by Microsoft, currently one of the
most highly valued commercial companies in the world. There is no amateur
radio gear involved in these podcasts.

Is this group really making Ham Radio history as Marconi, Faraday, Maxwell,
De Soto, Maxim and Owen Garriot have done?Â* Or are they making a simple
VOIP call using commercial software on a commercial satellite network?

I have to hold my nose when they write that they are making history.

Can you hear me now?