[olug] Homebrew wireless

[Sam Tetherow]

OBrien, Timothy wrote:

><quote who="Sam Tetherow">
>[snipped]
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>>but instead because they are very unfriendly to spectrum as a general
>>rule and it is a violation of FCC rules.
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>[snipped]
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>It is only a violation if someone reports you to the FCC, and the FCC come
>knocking at your door... ;)
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It's a violation regardless.  As someone who makes his living operating 
in the part 15 bands this type of attitude is very frustrating.  Let 
alone is it illegal it is completly irresponsible.  There is so little 
unlicensed spectrum available and so many people trying to use it, that 
even using FCC certified equipment there are areas that are pretty much 
unusable for even these short range links.

The problem with homebrew equipment and hacked radios (like running a 
linksys wrt54 at 250mw) is two fold, one it trashes the spectrum it is 
in, but it can also bleed off into the adjacent licensed spectrum which 
someone has paid good money to lease.

The wireless internet community has been struggling trying to convince 
the FCC that more spectrum should be released under the part-15 rules, 
or if barring that atleast a non-exclusive cheap/free license scheme.  
However with people using uncertified equipment, especially poorly 
manufactured equipment, I can understand the FCC's reluctance to release 
more spectrum to the commons so that it can be further abused.

    Sam Tetherow
    Sandhills Wireless