Comments on: Video: Walk For Liberty Day 51 - Government Stifles Innovation http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/ Freedom for All Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:49:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Will Buchanan http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10368 Will Buchanan Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:06:22 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10368 From my understanding, the proposed cell phone "weather" balloons would actually be free floating, and not tethered. From my understanding, the proposed cell phone “weather” balloons would actually be free floating, and not tethered.

]]> By: Ernie http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10228 Ernie Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:11:51 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10228 I forgot to say that you could use the satellite radio as a completely portable ( hand Carried) unit as well as in a car. I forgot to say that you could use the satellite radio as a completely portable ( hand Carried) unit as well as in a car.

]]> By: Ernie http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10227 Ernie Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:09:07 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10227 If you are talking about a free flying weather radiosonde balloon, the chance of collision is much smaller as it is also a moving aircraft, the balloon changing altitude rapidly and the airplane moving mostly in the horizontal plane. A fixed balloon near enough to settled areas to be useful would also put in an area that an airplane would most likely to be flying in. It could be worked out as with radio towers to have strobe lights on the balloon and on the the tether cable also, to provide the visibility necessary. Then you would get into a trade off between safety and how useful the service would be and to how many people. There are already aviation data links that use satellite radio XM and Sirius to provide real time weather maps to a display in the aircraft. I would think this would be a much better system to develop as a portable anywhere internet connection. The antenna used is a small compact form that is streamlined and applied to the outside surface of aircraft. The only problem might be power consumption. If you are talking about a free flying weather radiosonde balloon, the chance of collision is much smaller as it is also a moving aircraft, the balloon changing altitude rapidly and the airplane moving mostly in the horizontal plane. A fixed balloon near enough to settled areas to be useful would also put in an area that an airplane would most likely to be flying in.

It could be worked out as with radio towers to have strobe lights on the balloon and on the the tether cable also, to provide the visibility necessary. Then you would get into a trade off between safety and how useful the service would be and to how many people.

There are already aviation data links that use satellite radio XM and Sirius to provide real time weather maps to a display in the aircraft. I would think this would be a much better system to develop as a portable anywhere internet connection. The antenna used is a small compact form that is streamlined and applied to the outside surface of aircraft. The only problem might be power consumption.

]]> By: Will Buchanan http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10161 Will Buchanan Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:53:41 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10161 What about government weather balloons? What about government weather balloons?

]]> By: Slim http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10036 Slim Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:45:41 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-10036 Maybe your shins wouldn't hurt if you ate some chicken. Chicken is tasty it tastes just like woodchuck. :) Maybe your shins wouldn’t hurt if you ate some chicken. Chicken is tasty it tastes just like woodchuck. :)

]]> By: Ernie http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-9964 Ernie Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:31:31 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-9964 I am a pilot and sometimes it is very hard to see other aircraft, which is what a balloon would be. It is much easier to see towers. The primary mode for navigation is vfr visual flight rules , the pilot is responsible to see and avoid other aircraft. So there is a good reason to disallow a tethered balloon, a safety of flight issue. I am a pilot and sometimes it is very hard to see other aircraft, which is what a balloon would be. It is much easier to see towers. The primary mode for navigation is vfr visual flight rules , the pilot is responsible to see and avoid other aircraft.

So there is a good reason to disallow a tethered balloon, a safety of flight issue.

]]> By: Scott http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-9901 Scott Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:14:03 +0000 http://willbuchanan.com/blog/2008/06/video-walk-for-liberty-day-51-government-stifles-innovation/#comment-9901 I saw recently an episode of 'dirty jobs' where the host of the show had to help clean the inside of one of those windmills. Quite a view on the top, but not much room to move around ;) I saw recently an episode of ‘dirty jobs’ where the host of the show had to help clean the inside of one of those windmills. Quite a view on the top, but not much room to move around ;)

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