Can the new product, XBee 900HP Module and Antenna, be used without a license?
ElectricAye
Posts: 4,561
I saw the new product listed in the Announcements, and it has me wondering if any kind of license is needed to run this thing, especially with the antenna, etc. attached to it.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/146956-New-Products!-XBee-900HP-Module-and-Digi-900-MHz-Antenna?
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/146956-New-Products!-XBee-900HP-Module-and-Digi-900-MHz-Antenna?
Comments
I fly UAVs and long range FPV aircraft using 433 mhz UHF band equipment with a 50 mile range or more (if using my yagi-beam antennas on ground station.) and that requires my Ham license...a killer benefit for it.
Getting your Technician class Ham license is not hard if you are already into electronics and willing to study a little for the test.
Anyone seriously interested in that drop me a line (message/email) and I will tip you on the shortcut to fast track this process.
Radio is freekin cool! lol
But I think this band also gets shared for ISM, Part 15 blah blah blah, which dictates the thing run at some low power if you're doing it unlicensed. Where it gets crazy is when you stick an antenna on it, at which point it gets into the problem of so many microvolts per meter emission, etc. and that's kinda what I was wondering about. What's the wattage output or microvolt/meter output for something like this, especially with an antenna attached?
Paul
Yes, there are slices reserved for government and cell phones, but these are slowly migrating away into the faster frequencies in the microwaave spectrum, and so arent exactly enforced very strongly, unless there is compaints or issues created by someone interfering with operation of important services or coms.
Personally, I think its a crowded, and noisy section of spectrum and never been very interested in it for any particular reason.
Any place near band sections containing Bazillions of houshold telephones or consumer appliances tend to repel me from that region, if only for its potential for reciprocating spurrious harmonic emissions.
I have always gravitated toward longer wavelengths, and esp nowadays since much of that spectrum has been vacated for higher frequencies...I guess im biased in a way too because of past Ham activities down below 30mhz...down into the 1.8 mhz realm of shortwave and medium wave and hte ability to shoot a signal anytime of the day or night around the globe to Mongolia or N.Z. / australia with 5 to 10 watts...that kinda has an affect on those who have worked those frequencies, lol
But seriously, with my UAV piloting, and the limitations faced by operating above 1.2Ghz, the relative luxury of using Low UHF (430-460mhz) for long-range command and control has spoiled me big time.
The only conflicting issue that keeps me from utilizing longer wavelengths for stuff other than raw communications (station to station) is the requisite antenna dimensions for longer wavelengths. And, they can become daunting discouraging issues too, when the required antennas involve hundreds of feet of wire, or loading coils and traps that are bigger than my torso.
Ah...I still wonder about the early early days, the days of marconi spark gap transmitters...those super wide-band contraptions that could be worked globally with ease...morse code -in clicks- ...lol
<shakes head awake>
Use something like that now, and you trash everything up and down the spectrum from Dog-audible VLF to these low microwave regions we are debating today...in wide random swaths of harmonic horror.... Police knocking at my door, dispatched by FCC, DHS, FAA, FBI, CIA, and angry cosmonauts who had a forced, unscheduled re-entry sequence because my spark-gap trasmissions rebooted their flight computers.
Anyway, about that fast track to the tech license....here it is...and trust me, this is the chit...and it sounds too easy, almost stupidly, but Im not joking - this really is the easy fast way...www.hamtestonline.com , if youre real cheap just take the free version of the study exams, as they are at minimum 80% of the actual FCC pool questions. I literall couldnt beleive it when I took my exam and recognized nearly all of the questions verbatim on that test. Its the ticket.
Since they did away with the Morse code requirement, all you need to do is take a written multiple choice test. It's pretty easy to get the first license, especially considering you get the entire pool of questions in the ARRL prep book:
http://www.amazon.com/Ham-Radio-License-Manual-Arrl/dp/0872590976/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364571528&sr=8-1&keywords=arrl+technician+class+license+manual
Granted a ham Tix is NOT a license to kill.... In fact You are now "Expected " to Be more proactive and more aware of radio law then kiddies on FRS HTs .
Once you have your tix you can't claim ignorance .
Also every thing you transmit has to include your call sign .... so to use a ATV ( ham tv ) transmitter you need to have a Video overlay or perhaps your call in the background . the Prop backpack can do this with Ease ! however now you cant just Build a transmitter and shove it on the air as in a Low power part 15 device can .....
More work...
Peter KG6LSE
Look no offeince to my mom as she is not tech savy but she managed to get her Ham call .......... ( for the record it was so she can set up ARDF transmitters for out T hunting in Cali . )
Get a license and get some time to Learn RF and its laws then Play ! ......
unlike the IRS tax code and the ACA . the geeks here can probably relate to the FCC codes and laws . Its a good book to read and will Really open up your eyes to the bigger picture of how RF is and why we have laws in place for it .