4 ms·

Isn't that what wireless phones are?

omgwtfbyobbq 7y ago
I thought they were transceivers as opposed to just transmitters.
close04 7y ago
That is just one component of a phone. A phone implies a few more functions, the main ones being the ability to transmit 2-way voice communication, and to dial any other phone. And even modern 2-way radios used today on ships, planes, CB, etc. are still not called phones.
- kube-system 7y ago
  Voice communication on modern 2-way radios is often denoted as being in a "phone" mode of operation, as opposed to CW, Data, RTTY, etc.
  - close04 7y ago
    > Voice communication on modern 2-way radios Then why didn't you (or the FAA for example) just call them "phones" but "2-way radios"? That undermines the rest of your point. The concept of a modern phone* implies simultaneous 2 way voice and also dialing functionality. A "phone mode of operation" just mimics some of that functionality. Otherwise every 2-way voice radio ever used would be called "phone". But they're not because they aren't. Defending such a clickbaity definition of "a phone" is surprising especially in a community like HN where I expect people to be more precise with terminology. *and that's the concept that matters. Today using a 100 year old definition of a phone is just as inappropriate as a 20 year old definition of broadband.
    - kube-system 7y ago
      "phone", as you are asserting, is a colloquialism for "telephone". Radios don't have a "phone" mode of operation because they mimic telephones. "Phone" does, and always has meant "audio". We don't call radios "phones" for the same reason we don't call them "audio". Likewise, phonographs aren't named after telephones, either.
      - close04 7y ago
        But you brought the argument that radios have "a phone mode of operation". The "voice" mode [0] is colloquially called "phone" because of the telephone-like functionality. This is why it's also called radiotelephony and not just telephony. To highlight the similarity to telephony but still make it clear that it's a radio and not a telephone. Now the article is written in 2020, when "wireless phone" means only "wireless telephone", something different from the radio presented in the article. And clickbaity titles are all the rage. Which was my point. [0] http://www.arrl.org/voice-modes http://www.arrl.org/voice-modes
wl 7y ago
Wireless phones transmit speech. These only transmitted CW which was used to send Morse code.
- PeterisP 7y ago
  This article is very much about speech communication from these biplanes.

I thought they were transceivers as opposed to just transmitters.

That is just one component of a phone. A phone implies a few more functions, the main ones being the ability to transmit 2-way voice communication, and to dial any other phone. And even modern 2-way radios used today on ships, planes, CB, etc. are still not called phones.

kube-system 7y ago
Voice communication on modern 2-way radios is often denoted as being in a "phone" mode of operation, as opposed to CW, Data, RTTY, etc.
- close04 7y ago
  > Voice communication on modern 2-way radios Then why didn't you (or the FAA for example) just call them "phones" but "2-way radios"? That undermines the rest of your point. The concept of a modern phone* implies simultaneous 2 way voice and also dialing functionality. A "phone mode of operation" just mimics some of that functionality. Otherwise every 2-way voice radio ever used would be called "phone". But they're not because they aren't. Defending such a clickbaity definition of "a phone" is surprising especially in a community like HN where I expect people to be more precise with terminology. *and that's the concept that matters. Today using a 100 year old definition of a phone is just as inappropriate as a 20 year old definition of broadband.
  - kube-system 7y ago
    "phone", as you are asserting, is a colloquialism for "telephone". Radios don't have a "phone" mode of operation because they mimic telephones. "Phone" does, and always has meant "audio". We don't call radios "phones" for the same reason we don't call them "audio". Likewise, phonographs aren't named after telephones, either.
    - close04 7y ago
      But you brought the argument that radios have "a phone mode of operation". The "voice" mode [0] is colloquially called "phone" because of the telephone-like functionality. This is why it's also called radiotelephony and not just telephony. To highlight the similarity to telephony but still make it clear that it's a radio and not a telephone. Now the article is written in 2020, when "wireless phone" means only "wireless telephone", something different from the radio presented in the article. And clickbaity titles are all the rage. Which was my point. [0] http://www.arrl.org/voice-modes http://www.arrl.org/voice-modes

wl 7y ago

Wireless phones transmit speech. These only transmitted CW which was used to send Morse code.

PeterisP 7y ago
This article is very much about speech communication from these biplanes.