Tom,   
      
   TW>There is NO Skill or Chalendge to operating a Ham Radio over the   
   TW>Internet   
      
     Unless you're talking about setting up and configuring the various software   
   programs...with a rig or not.   
      
     However, in my situation, RF is PROHIBITED by the lease because:   
      
   1) Coaxial cables on the walls or across the floor is defined as a tripping   
   hazard, and the paths to all windows must be kept clear, due to fire code   
   regulations. With the monthly inspections (sometimes more than once a month),   
   they are very particular about things like that. And, I can't even consider   
   something like an attic antenna, as that area is OFF LIMITS...set for   
   "maintenance only".   
      
   2) Many residents out here (all are disabled) need medical devices of some   
   sort (oxygen tanks, power chairs, pacemakers, defibrillators, etc.) to keep   
   them alive. Combine that with the law of entropy, and RFI, and it could be a   
   bad situation. Nowadays, people will file a lawsuit at the drop of a hat.   
      
     I live in H.U.D. subsidized housing for the disabled (I've been fully   
   disasbled since 2004, with over 50 medical conditions, and it has gotten worse   
   over the years). Some days, the health issues are so bad that it's difficult   
   to do things that are not ham radio related...never mind getting ready to do   
   nightly nets. It's true that "if one doesn't have their health, they have   
   NOTHING".   
      
     I realize that when the internet is down, or if I have thunderstorms in my   
   area, I am QRT. But, more and more hams, through no fault of their own, or in   
   situations out of their control, are getting put into the environments like   
   mine with antenna prohibitions.   
      
     If we are going to disqualify all of the hams like myself who have no choice   
   but to operate "internet radio" (I know the term makes the "purists" cringe),   
   there would be far fewer licensed hams.   
      
     And, what about those hams who have a license, but don't even get on the   
   air...internet radio or otherwise, because of other committments, such as   
   family, job, etc.?? Plus, if you can't get on the air, WHY get licensed or   
   upgraded in the first place??   
      
     To me, Ham Radio is a HOBBY, and it should NEVER take priority over things   
   like church, family, health, job, etc. A local TV meteorologist is "inactive",   
   even though he has his late father's callsign. But, with his job with the   
   "Arkansas Weather Blog", and doing "Daddy Day Care", raising his two young   
   sons, while his wife is at work, he doesn't have time to get on the air.   
      
     When I did a demo for a ham radio club at a local high school last year, I   
   had the laptop computer, a desktop mic and speakers, an external monitor, a   
   Wi-Fi card, and my DV Dongle. With that, I was able to show the students   
   things like "Packet Via Telnet", "Echolink", "D-Star" and "D-Rats".   
      
     In this regard, they don't have to worry about expensive items such as rigs,   
   power supplies, SWR meters, antennas, towers, etc. The kids were impressed,   
   and I think it motivated them to study to get their licenses. Besides, the   
   young people are the future of ham radio. If we don't replenish those hams who   
   are letting their licenses lapse, or who are becoming Silent Keys, in time,   
   attrition will kill the hobby...pun intended. The amount of hams who are   
   letting their licenses expire or lapse is shocking.   
      
     There was an article in QST back in 2006, talking about the bridging of RF   
   and VoIP with "The Six Meter Millenium Net". It ran both on RF and on   
   Echolink, but switched to Echolink only last year, due to the death of its   
   founder. Plus, in Oklahoma, on Monday nights, their VoIP Net I believe takes   
   checkins from RF, Echolink, and D-Star. I noted that even the Quarter Century   
   Wireless Association (QCWA) has a set of nets on D-Star, and a separate   
   division of their QSO Party on CQ100.   
      
     In another QST article, a ham radio operator took his laptop, a desktop mic   
   and speakers, to a local hospital, and arranged "Echolink single user setups"   
   (no RF involved) between hams in the U.S. and the U.K. -- basically, "to take   
   the loneliness out of the days of the   
      
   (Continued to next message)   
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