‰  NOW 20 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM DECEMBER 2016 QST  PAGE 44‰

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL VOICE MODES OVER CONVENTIONAL ANALOG FM ARE THEIR
TOLERANCE TO NOISE AND INTERFERENCE, AND THEIR ABILITY TO TRANSPORT THE
SIGNAL OVER THE INTERNET WITHOUT MODIFICATION.  SURE, WE CAN TRANSPORT AN
ANALOG SIGNAL OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL IP, BUT IT WILL NOT BE AS GOOD QUALITY
AS A DIGITAL SIGNAL.  DIGITAL VOICE MODES ALSO ADD THE ABILITY TO TRANSPORT
DATA SUCH AS GPS INFORMATION.  IN THE HAM DIGITAL WORLD, A REFLECTOR IS A
SERVER CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET THAT ACTS AS A VIRTUAL REPEATER.  DIGITAL
HOTSPOTS PROVIDE THE ABILITY FOR AMATEURS TO CONNECT TO THOSE INTERNET
REFLECTORS FROM THEIR DIGITAL TRANSCEIVERS.  HOTSPOTS CONTAIN A LOW POWER
TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER FOR AMATEUR FREQUENCIES, AND PLUG INTO A COMPUTER
CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.  A YEAR AGO, THE ONLY HOTSPOTS AVAILABLE ON THE
‰  END OF 20 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ