Informant38

Without sufficient safeguards, increasingly popular wireless networking technology could interfere with vital military radar systems.
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Desperately looking for ways to get out of a long-running slump, many IT companies have pinned their hopes on the new wireless LAN standard called 802.11a. It can transmit data about five times faster than the existing 802.11b standard�fast enough for applications such as video and streaming media. In terms of performance, it can be as good or better than Ethernet.

But 802.11a operates at radio frequencies between 5 GHz and 6 GHz, and therein lies a problem. Such wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) transmitters can cause significant interference with military strategic and tactical radar systems that also operate between 5 GHz and 6 GHz, unless appropriate interference protection mechanisms are in place. As many as 10 types of Department of Defense-run radar systems could be affected, such as systems used for missile guidance, aircraft monitoring and storm tracking.

"Every reallocation of spectrum essential to military capability from DoD reduces flexibility, requires that replacement equipment be purchased or a work-around developed and erodes our realistic training." The official continued, "While we recognize that there are many competing needs for spectrum, including needs for commerce, important national defense needs must be a top priority.

Patrick Chisholm Military Information Technology

link path from the irrepressible Bruce Sterling{see him in top hat and tails at some near-future venue, maybe a little Wehrmacht whiteface, patter 10 or 15 bps up from cultural standard, galactic approval-rating redlining...}

{these things seem so godawfully simple I feel embarrassed to be concerned with them. hardware nitwits talking about the absolute inconsequentiality of 'civilian' needs and interests. as though of course it goes without saying that 'military' needs come first (with a grudging admission of the concurrent demands of 'commerce', the 'people' seemingly having no real standing.)
except hey, fellas. that's who you're supposed to be protecting? that's what and who. without that you're a set of wind-up teeth, chattering on an empty sidewalk. unless of course the reality is you actually work for somebody else? hmmm? the idea of sacrificing freedom so that we can be free, giving up basic rights so that we can win? it doesn't hold much water.}