awelkie (u/awelkie) - Readit News

awelkie commented on The Miserable State of Modems and Mobile Network Operators blog.golioth.io/the-miser... · Posted by u/hasheddan

awelkie · 6 months ago

I think the miserable state of cellular modems ultimately comes from the power dynamics of private spectrum. The 3GPP protocols are complex because they're not really beholden to the implementers, but rather to the network operators. The operators are fine with additional complexity if it serves their interests, and the cost will just be passed on to the OEMs. The network operators have all the power because they're the ones with the licenses.

WiFi tends to be simpler in part because the protocol authors are working more in the interest of the implementers, since it's really they who decide whether to adopt or not. Obviously a gross simplification but I think it's at the heart of the problem.

awelkie commented on FCC opens entire 6 GHz band to low power device operations docs.fcc.gov/public/attac... · Posted by u/impish9208

ballooney · 9 months ago

Yes, for the same reason that I can look into a 5mW LED but 5mW of laser can blind me. Your neighbour's WiFi routewr might be entirely DoS'd by the Maser of RF coming through the wall at it from your phased array, even thoughh it's only 100mW.

awelkie · 9 months ago

Sure, but the probability would be low-ish of that happening, and the other system could either switch frequencies or beamform a null in the direction of the interferer if they were also a phased array.

Maybe the EIRP shouldn't be unlimited, but I still think it would be beneficial to encourage spatially selective systems.

awelkie commented on FCC opens entire 6 GHz band to low power device operations docs.fcc.gov/public/attac... · Posted by u/impish9208

awelkie · 9 months ago

I feel like limits on EIRP are overly conservative and restrict the usefulness of phased arrays. If the limit were on total radiated power, then your 1 watt WiFi router could have the range of a kilowatt transceiver with a reasonable number of antenna elements, while emitting the same total power as interference. But since the limit is on EIRP, the phased array is limited to the same range, and so there's no point in using a phased array over a single antenna.

Does anyone know if there's a good reason to use EIRP that I'm missing? I figure satellite communication terminals can have huge EIRPs because they're all pointed at the sky, but the FCC can't guarantee that the beams won't cross for other bands, so they limit the EIRP, but I still think we would all be better off of our systems were spatially selective.

awelkie commented on Phased Array en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pha... · Posted by u/downboots

beambot · 9 months ago

Maybe it's the first use of phased arrays for consumer satellite data terminals, but I believe phased arrays were mass-produced (and still are) for radar chips -- e.g. in automotive. Ran across this fascinating article on the history:

https://www.microwavejournal.com/articles/20469-automotive-r...

awelkie · 9 months ago

Good point. To my knowledge most of these radars are MIMO, which are more capable than phased arrays but it's a different architecture. Also these radar systems usually have on the order of 10 antenna elements (although this number is increasing), whereas the starlink terminal has something like 1000 antenna elements, if I remember correctly.

awelkie commented on Phased Array en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pha... · Posted by u/downboots

awelkie · 9 months ago

Starlink doesn't get enough credit for their phased arrays terminals, I think. They've managed to make a performant antenna for 10 to 100 time less cost than the competition. Without that, the whole system wouldn't be such a success. This article goes into some details. It's the first truly mass produced RF phased array, and the fact that they've shown it's possible will have some big impacts on certain fields (SATCOM obviously, mobile networks, etc).

https://lilibots.blogspot.com/2021/01/why-is-starlink-termin...

awelkie commented on My First Impressions of Nix mtlynch.io/notes/nix-firs... · Posted by u/signa11

carlhjerpe · 2 years ago

You don't have to manage your system with NixOS to reap the benefits of Nix. It solves very real problems that very much exist, it might not exist if you're a one-man show deploying WordPress to GoDaddy though.

Barrier to entry:

1. Run the nix installer

2. Enable flakes

3. cd project

4. nix run

This ensures you run the package with every dependency except the kernel pinned to a hashed version. If dependency hell is not a problem for you, be happy!

awelkie · 2 years ago

Step two is not even necessary if you use zero-to-nix's installer. https://zero-to-nix.com/start/install

awelkie commented on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (June 2023) · Posted by u/whoishiring

awelkie · 2 years ago

Founded in 2015 and spun-off from the Langevin Institute (CNRS and ESPCI), Greenerwave is a mission-led GreenTech, specializing in reconfigurable metasurfaces (smart electronic surfaces) and EM wave control (from 1GHz to 77GHz). We create innovative, energy-efficient, and "plug & play" solutions. We develop patented technologies that are recognized worldwide (PACEPilot Award 2022, member of ETSI and 3GPP ...). We work on several projects with large industrial partners as well as the state and military. Our disruptive technology allows us to design solutions in telecommunications, NewSpace (SATCOM, 5G-6G) as well as in detection (RADAR, RFID).

With more than 50 employees, we're still hiring across many projects and many areas of expertise. We're looking for RF Engineers, Embedded Software Developers, Hardware or FPGA Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Physicists, and Signal Processing Engineers.

At Greenerwave, you'll have the opportunity to evolve in a field that will have an impact on the future and work with many passionate experts (PhDs, Engineers) from all over the world on complex solutions.

Please send your resume to jobs@greenerwave.com

awelkie commented on Ask HN: Who is hiring? (April 2023) · Posted by u/whoishiring

awelkie · 2 years ago

Founded in 2015 and spun-off from the Langevin Institute (CNRS and ESPCI), Greenerwave is a mission-led GreenTech, specializing in reconfigurable metasurfaces (smart electronic surfaces) and EM wave control (from 1GHz to 77GHz). We create innovative, energy-efficient, and "plug & play" solutions. We develop patented technologies that are recognized worldwide (PACEPilot Award 2022, member of ETSI and 3GPP ...). We work on several projects with large industrial partners as well as the state and military. Our disruptive technology allows us to design solutions in telecommunications, NewSpace (SATCOM, 5G-6G) as well as in detection (RADAR, RFID).

With more than 50 employees, we're still hiring across many projects and many areas of expertise. We're looking for RF Engineers, Embedded Software Developers, Hardware or FPGA Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Physicists, and Signal Processing Engineers.

At Greenerwave, you'll have the opportunity to evolve in a field that will have an impact on the future and work with many passionate experts (PhDs, Engineers) from all over the world on complex solutions.

Please send your resume to jobs@greenerwave.com

awelkie commented on iPad Pro M2 apple.com/newsroom/2022/1... · Posted by u/doerig

awelkie · 3 years ago

I live pretty far from my parents, and I really want to set them up with a nice video conferencing setup so we can chat as well as in person. I started to spec out a nice setup with open-back headphones, 60 Hz 1080p camera, nice microphone, low latency screen, the works. But this would cost at least $1k, and I'm sure it would be difficult for them to operate. Plus it would be hard to use in certain situations like with children or while eating.

So I've decided to get them the iPad Pro. I'm trusting Apple to focus on things like screen latency and microphone/speaker quality in their products. Plus it should be quite easy for my parents to use. It just seems to me like the iPad Pro is the best product for setting up non-tech people with a decent videoconferencing setup.

Has anyone else solved this problem, or have thoughts on using an iPad for video chatting?