ham radio lookups
So, analog broadcasting is set to cease on 19FEB08. That should be something to see! It’s been talked about for 20 years. At first, we were told we had to have HDTV because Japan had it. Later, though, we learned the gov wanted to sell off the bandwidth.
I have always understood that the airwaves “belong to the people.” So were they stolen? I didn’t give them away. And do I understand correctly that it was the FCC, all by its lonesome, who made this decision on our behalf?
This is probably not the best time to ask consumers to invest in new equipment. But — wail till they find out about HDCP!
If you were sentient in the late 80s, you may recall the Digital Audio Tape player. This much-ballyhooed successor to the analog cassette tape never got off the ground, thanks to hardware copy ‘protection.’ Hardware manufacturers went to bed with camels, and got up with fleas.
HDCP is poised to do the same thing to the HDTV format. Except this time, we won’t have prior technology to fall back on. This ought to be very interesting.
All airwaves in the U.S. are regulated by the FCC. This is nothing new. In the early days of CB Radio, the FCC required everyone who purchased a CB to fill out a form to acquire a license for use, much like Ham Radio operators. However, they did away with license requirement when the FCC administrators couldn’t keep up with demand. For other reasons, CB’s died later on (i.e. cell phones). However, no one should delude themselves into believing that the “airwaves belong to the people”. The “people” never had this right. In order to keep from overlapping and conflicting broadcast signals, the FCC must regulate the airwaves in an orderly process.
As for HDCP, this is present on HDMI connections to HDTV sets only for premium content (e.g. HBO, Adult Channels, 1st run Sporting Events, PPV). It is not (well, should not be) present on ordinary broadcast channels, and certainly not on local broadcast affiliate tiers.
As for the need for people to go out and purchase devices upon the analog-shutoff date, the FCC has contemplated this as well (far in advance of the economy crashing). They offer a $40 coupon for redemption of a free-to-air digital converter STB which you can buy at CPE retail outlets, or can get through your cable company. Therefore, in theory anyway, if you’re simply looking to continue with “rabbit-ear like service”, you can continue to do so with the coupon-funded converter and without HDMI/HDCP requirements if you’re simply hooking up your converter to an analog TV set. Should you decide to purchase an HDTV set, then you should expect that premium channels will be HDCP-protected, and the only way around that is to sign up with your local cable provider, DBS provider (DIRECTV or DISH), or your telco provider who has TV (e.g. AT&T U-Verse or Verizon FiOS).
This was one of the proposed changes brought forth by the 9/11 Commission Report. The bandwidth will be used to connect first responders nationally, which was absolutely necessary and entirely far past due. It was supposed to be done right after the report came out, but the TV owners balked, because of the high consumer analog use, and for control/political reasons. And you can expect radio bandwidth to be next.
It’s been interesting to see how they’ve marketed this, and how they’ve NOT advertised. Unless one has actually read the Commission Report they’d have no clue what’s really up.
So yes, it will succeed. There is no other option. The bandwidth is needed elsewhere. But I doubt we’ll have it down as well as other countries who have had it for years at first. So, patience is important, especially given the real reason why it is being done.
Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications….including DS3-Bandwidth.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.
Excessive sweating is a condition whereby someone sweats more than normal. Although the exact causes are not known, the mechanism behind excessive sweating as well as the triggers that cause people to sweat are now fairly understood. As such treatments successful treatment is now available in most cases.
The first step in this journey is to know and understand what causes your sweating episodes. You have to contact your medical practitioner so that a determination is made on whether your hyperhidrosis is due to a systematic problem (illness, obesity, hormonal imbalances) or just a result of over-activity in your sympathetic nervous system. This will determine the type of medical intervention options available to you.
Available options for cure of excessive sweating range from the simple natural remedies through to medical procedures as outlined below:
Natural remedies: This method utilises naturally occurring products such as sage tea and honey to treat sweating. In most cases, the procedures are effective and target the physiological as well as the mental well-being of the patient. This can be complimented by hypnosis and relaxation techniques such as yoga.
Antiperspirants and topical lotions: These are applied to the affected area. The lotions and antiperspirants can be acquired over the counter or in case of strong dosages, through prescription by a qualified Medical Practitioner. They are generally effective for mild hyperhidrosis but are known to have mild side effects if used for a prolonged period.
Oral Medications: This is mostly prescription medication mainly in the form of anticholinergics. These work by inhibiting the stimulation of sweat glands thereby reducing sweat output. Although effective for generalised hyperhidrosis, they do not work well for focal sweating and have a multitude of side effects.
Electronic stimulation: The most common type is iontophoresis in which a weak electric current is passed through water in which the patient places their hands or feet. Generally this method has a high success rate for sweaty hands and feet but has accompanying side effects.
Botox Injection: In this method, Botox is injected into the affected area and works by glands. Although this method has a high success rate, it is temporary and has to be repeated at set intervals, on average every 8 months. It is also associated with some side effects.
Surgery: Various surgical methods are available and these depend on the type of hyperhidrosis targeted for treatment. The most common are Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS), Axillary Suction Curettage and Lumbar Sympathectomy. All these procedures have varying success rates and should be performed by fully qualified Medical Practitioners so as to reduce the prevalence of serious side effects.
It should stressed that not all methods will work successfully on all cases and the choice on which method to embrace should be left to the patient with the consultation of his General Physician or Medical Practitioner. Through a risk based approach of comparing the benefits against the side effects, natural remedies will offer the best option. To try this highly successful risk free method, click the link in the resource box below.
If you are suffering from excessive sweating and would like to find out how to control or treat excessive sweating, visit this website:
http://www.treatexcessivesweating.info/
and you will able to successfully conquer sweating in two weeks.
Evans is a social and technical writer and is interested in writing on medical and health issues.
