Image via WikipediaI wrote about amprnet (ampr.org) a while back - here. It's a relatively unknown fact that ham radio has its very own Class A IP network -- 44.0.0.0/8. This is quite a huge chunk of Internet IP v. 4 address space -- 16 million addresses, give or take. As best I can determine, it was established in 1987 to support future TCP/IP networks that might be implemented either on radio links or as some combination of radio and alternative commercial or other links. (The latter makes a lot of sense now, given the widespread availability of consumer Internet connections.) The allocation is best documented in this ARIN WHOIS link. I have not been able to find on-line documentation or other material relating to amprnet, beyond a number of blog and email postings. (I'd be happy to get pointers!)This whole subject came up once again for me, when I was reading how ARIN is trying to "capture" (contractually speaking) the legacy owners of IPv4 address space. These are people, presumably including amprnet, who received their allocations well before the current Internet bureaucracy was established. An interesting look at the issues is available in ComputerWorld. (Thanks slashdot!)
The amprnet allocation usage must be tiny in percentage terms, and hard to justify in a world of address scarcity. Standalone radio networks based on TCP/IP (if there really are any!) are likely based on VHF if not 2.4 GHz (HSMM), and they are fundamentally local or regional and are not likely to be routable from the Internet. They could probably equally well use a network address like 10.0.0.0/8.
In recent years, various other network-based amateur systems have developed, including EchoLink, IRLP, D-Star, winLink, etc. These make effective use of Internet links, but have no particular need for the amprnet addresses.
I don't want to argue the pros and cons so much as to point to the odd situation of our hobby holding such a valuable resource, with no visible institutional support.
What are the chances to get a little more RF spectrum, if we hand back the IP addresses?
3 comments:
What are the chances to get a little more RF spectrum, if we hand back the IP addresses?
No chance; IP allocations are administrated by ARIN which is not a government agency, nor is it under the jurisdiction of the FCC.
Technically no one actually owns IP address space, so ARIN could take it back with no recourse or renumeration. Ownership of an IP block is a bit of a mirage; you're able to use assigned IP blocks if your upstream providers honor your routing announcements and pass them on to other network providers. If no one honors your route announcements, you don't "own" the block.
While having a Class A allocation is a good thing, it's not necessary for what we do today. Most everyone just gets a /24 from their provider and uses that. The AMPR block does have the benefit of portability, but with IPv6 coming, its value is going to diminish significantly in a few years.
It's great that someone had the foresight to reserve the 44 block for amateur radio. Unfortunately we totally missed the boat with IP networking.
73
Goody
K3NG
http://k3ng.wordpress.com
My question was tongue in cheek. However, the ComputerWorld article suggests there is an emerging market in IP4 addresses. (black market, if you prefer.) In other words, that Class A network could be turned into cash, one way or another. But it doesn't make much sense if there's no institution behind it. The individuals involved shouldn't profit, in my view.
73
Martin
Those IP addresses are legacy space, they are not under a contract of any sort with ARIN, nor does ARIN have any control over them, per the testimony of ARIN management.
Those addresses are worth a mint. Your organization can sell a chunk and fund itself in perpetuity.
And then you can just buy more spectrum!
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