"fits and starts" "There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible. But in the end they always fall. Think of it. Always." --  Mahatma Gandhi  police-brutality-civil-rights2b.jpg                             I review this photo for empathy. [Do you really believe that the 20" solid steal beams of  WTC7  really melted causing it to collapse?] http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%5BDo+you+really+believe+that+the+20%22solid+steal+beams+of+WTC%27s+building+%237 +really+melted+causing+it+to+collapse%3F%5D+&btnG=Google+Search                           http://www.bollyn.com/index/?id=10797 http://nextbigfuture.com/2007_11_01_archive.html http://www.allelectronics.com/index.html?iorb=4764&0    Hionsolar  http://www.hionsolar.com/n-heq1.html   http://www.hionsolar.com/n-about.htm    http://www.hionsolar.com/index.html    http://www.hionsolar.com/n-hion96.htm  http://www.hionsolar.com/n-heq1.html ------------------------------------------------------ Hionsolar@aol.com ©Copyright 1998-2007 H-ION Solar Inc. This utility will assist you in referencing Hydrogen equivalents at standard temperature and pressure.  To use this table, substitute the numeric value in the table to quantify the energy source listed on the left.  The result is the eqivalent hydrogen fuel,in units of hydrogen shown on the top. For example, to get the  same energy as 1 Kilogram (mass) of Hydrogen,substitute the equivalent, 3.93 Liters of Gasoline (liquid), or 50.1 Cubic Feet of Propane (gaseous), or 423 Cubic Feet of Hydrogen (gaseous). Equivalent Energy Source Cubic Meter H2 Gas Cubic Foot H2 Gas Liter Liquid H2 Gallon Liquid H2 Kilogram H2 Pound H2 Gasoline Liters 0.352 0.00929 0.279 1.06 3.93 1.78 Methanol Liters 0.676 0.0178 0.536 2.03 7.55 3.41 Diesel Liters 0.279 0.00737 0.221 0.837 3.12 1.41 Jet Fuel Liters 0.287 0.00757 0.227 0.860 3.20 1.45 Methane (scf) 11.4 0.301 9.05 34.2 128 57.6 Propane (scf) 4.48 0.118 3.55 13.4 50.1 22.6 Butane (scf) 3.45 0.091 2.73 10.3 38.5 17.4 Coal Anthracite (Tons) 0.000397 0.0000105 0.000315 0.00119 0.00444 0.0020 Coal Bituminous (Tons) 0.000392 0.0000104 0.000311 0.00118 0.00438 0.00198 Coal Lignite (Tons) 0.000731 0.0000193 0.000579 0.00219 0.00816 0.00369 Barrels of Crude 0.00176 0.0000466 0.00140 0.00529 0.0197 0.00890 Gasoline Gallons 0.0930 0.00246 0.0737 0.279 1.04 0.469 Methanol Gallons 0.179 0.00471 0.142 0.535 1.99 0.901 Diesel Gallons 0.0738 0.00195 0.0584 0.221 0.824 0.372 Jet Fuel Gallons 0.076 0.00200 0.0600 0.227 0.846 0.382 H2 Gas Cubic Meters (STP) 1.0 0.0264 0.792 3.0 11.2 5.04 H2 Gas Cubic Feet (NTP) 37.9 1.0 30.0 114 423 191 H2 Liquid Liters (nbp) 1.26 0.0333 1.0 3.78 14.1 6.40 H2 Liquid Gallons (nbp) 0.334 0.00880 0.264 1.0 3.72 1.69 H2 Kilograms 0.0896 0.00236 0.0709 0.268 1.0 0.454 H2 Pounds 0.198 0.00521 0.156 0.592 2.20 1.0 H2 Tons 0.0000987 0.0000026 0.0000782 0.000296 0.0011 0.00050 Electricity KW-hours 3.00 0.0791 2.38 8.99 33.5 15.1 Electricity MW-hours 0.003 0.0000791 0.00238 0.00899 0.0335 0.0151 H2 High HV gigajoules 0.0128 0.00034 0.0101 0.0383 0.143 0.0644 H2 High HV million Btus 0.0121 0.000319 0.0096 0.0363 0.135 0.0610 H2 High HV Btu 12,100 319 9,600 36,300 135,000 61,000 H2 High HV kilocalories 3,100 80.5 2,400 9,100 34,100 15,400 H2 Low HV gigajoules 0.0108 0.000285 0.0086 0.0324 0.121 0.0544 H2 Low HV million Btus 0.0102 0.000270 0.0081 0.0307 0.114 0.0516 H2 Low HV Btu 10,200 270 8,100 30,700 114,000 51,600 H2 Low HV kilocalories 2,600 68 2,040 7,700 28,800 13,000 Equivalent Energy Source Cubic Meter H2 Gas Cubic Foot H2 Gas Liter Liquid H2 Gallon Liquid H2 Kilogram H2 Pound H2 Data sources from : The Hydrogen World View by Roger Billings - American Academy of Science 1991 Diesel Fuels Technical Review (FTR-2) by Chevron Products Company a division of Chevron USA Inc 1998 Motor Gasolines Technical Review (FTR-1) by Chevron Products Company a division of Chevron USA Inc 1996 H-Ion Solar Incorporated 6095 Monterey Avenue, Richmond, California, 94805 USA Tel: (510) 237-7877 FAX: (510) 232-5251 Hionsolar@aol.com ©Copyright 1998-2007 H-ION Solar Inc. http://www.hionsolar.com/n-heq1.html  http://www.hionsolar.com/n-about.htm   http://www.hionsolar.com/index.html   http://www.hionsolar.com/n-hion96.htm -------------------------- http://www.hionsolar.com/n-heq1.html ------------------------------------------------------ Hionsolar@aol.com ©Copyright 1998-2007 H-ION Solar Inc. IECEC96535 DIRECT SOLAR-THERMAL HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM WATER USING NOZZLE/SKIMMER AND GLOW DISCHARGE W.R. Pyle, M.H. Hayes, A.L. Spivak H-Ion Solar Company 6095 Monterey Avenue Richmond, California, 94805 Tel: (510) 237-7877 FAX: (510) 232-5251 Info@hionsolar.com Hionsolar@aol.com ABSTRACT An investigation of direct solar-thermal hydrogen and oxygen production from water is described. Nozzle jets and skimmers have been used for separation of the products and suppression of recombination. The dissociation of water vapor and the separation of its products was conducted in plasma-enhanced, non-equilibrium glow discharges.   @1998-2007 H-Ion Solar Inc.® H-Ion Solar, Hydro-que and Double-Bubbler are registered trademarks and the H-Ion logo is a trademark of H-Ion Solar, Inc.. http://www.hionsolar.com/index.html Double-Bubbler® model DB-3     Double-Bubbler® model DB-3   for use with Water Electrolyzer for H2 or O2 flow indication, scrubbing of caustic residuals in gas from alkaline electrolyzer, and reverse water/electrolyte flow prevention at night, when solar photo-voltaic power is used to power electrolyzer. Also functions as reverse-flow gas leak detector when there is no gas production. Holds water in clear see-through Acrylic tubes. Maximum pressure rating: 4 bar gauge [58 psig]. Max.temp 52 C[125 F]. Min.temp 1deg.C [34 deg.F] with H2O scrub. Rated for up to 1 Normal Cubic Meter [35.5 scf] gas production/day. Normally, two of these DB-3 units are used to make a complete electrolyzer system, one for H2 and one for O2. For outdoor use only. Assembled and tested DB-3... $455 DB-3 Parts kit $380 +$15 (S/H)=$395 Plans and parts list for making your own DB-3. $35  +  $3 Shipping/Handling=$38 Option DBV adds valve kit with two stainless steel 1/4" NPT valves and street tee for drain/fill/vent operations. (recommended for Double-Bubblers®). $245 + $15 S/H = $260  http://www.hionsolar.com/n-db-3.htm http://www.hionsolar.com/hyque.htm Hydro-que ®Hydrogen Powered Grill  Hydro-que ® Model HQ-6 Hydrogen gas fueled table-top barbeque. For outdoor use only. Comes with top cover, handles, and heat diffuser. Does not use lava rock Not equipped with low Nox burner. Includes stainless steel temperature gauge. Includes high quality stainless flow control valve, brass flashback arrestor and stainless steel bar-burner laser-drilled for use with hydrogen. $495 + $30 Shipping and Handling = $525 Hydrogen Consumption (Temperature) Graph Hydro-que with lid open With grill removed, see heat diffuser With heat diffuser removed, see burner bar View of flash-back-arrestor & flow control valve View of piezo-ignitor ©Copyright 1998-2007 H-ION Solar Inc. Home  Products   About H-Ion  Calculator   Basic System   Links   contact Us http://www.hionsolar.com/hyque.htm http://www.hionsolar.com/n-table.htm Product and Price List For More Info: hionsolar@aol.com Model (click for details) Product Description Price Pub-1996C IECEC96535  Our white paper on DIRECT SOLAR-THERMAL HYDROGEN PRODUCTION Free Download "Solar Hydrogen Chronicles"E-Books  "Solar Hydrogen Chronicles"  a compendium of our small scale hydrogen technology writings. Featuring some of our favorite projects and articles. E-Book access. E-book $12.95 Hydro-que® Model HQ-6  Hydro-que®  a Table-Top Hydrogen Gas Grill. Enjoy cook-outs using non-polluting hydrogen. $525 Double-Bubbler® Model DB-3  Double-Bubbler®   Hydrogen or Oxygen gas scrubber, flow visualization and leak detection device. Uses water to scrub residual caustic from gases produced in alkaline electrolyzers.  $455 Option DBV(DB-3 Valve Option)  Double-Bubbler® Valve Kit Option   Pair of NPT valves and street tee for drain/fill/vent operations. Recommended. $260 Plan DB-3P (Plans to build your own)  Double-Bubbler® Plans only  Plans and parts list for making your own Double-Bubbler®. $38 FB-3CV, RCV,and more  System Components  Pressure Guages, Flashback Arrestors, Relief Check Valves, and other components for your custom systems. Don't forget - Safety First! see detail or inquire Terms and Conditions:Products shipped within 60 days or less after receipt of your order accompanied by check or money order. Please be sure to include shipping and handling charges with your check.We do not currently accept credit cards. Shipping by US Post Office or UPS in USA.Shipments outside USA (Europe, Japan, Canada, Mexico, etc.) will be made following receipt of bank-certified check or inter-bank transfer of funds. There is a transfer charge of US$20 for inter-bank transfers, so please add this charge to your order in addition to shipping fees and cost of product. California sales subject to 8.25% sales tax. Prices subject to change without notice.Net 30 days F.O.B. Richmond California on established accounts, -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------                                                               this one nailes it                         "the future whitehouse" Ask any scientist (even your High school science teacher) all of the real questions about the American goals in space. Many of us never question the most basic of the so called space mission issues like fuel wasted for ethnic ego. Question: #1. What is the total absolute number of human beings that will ever be able to live in "space or off this planet ? #2 What is the total amount in money, fuel, food what ever of the Innumerable materials required to maintain that life . #3 How much time will it take to place our resources wherever? Based on Fuel and Weight costs what is the total cost of the maximum number of humans that can ever be deployed ( in any possible future ) in permanent habitat in living quarters off earth in outer space or on a moon or a " better planet " ? #4 What does that mean to majority of human beings left on earth with less resources and no means of "escape"?  What & why indeed? -------------------------   Solar Hydrogen 32 Home Power #39 • February / March 1994 Solar Hydrogen Production by Electrolysis Walt Pyle, Jim Healy, Reynaldo Cortez ©1994 Walt Pyle, Jim Healy, Reynaldo Cortez Why would anyone want to produce hydrogen at home? Hydrogen can be used as a non-toxic energy storage and transport medium. Hydrogen that is made from water using solar energy is a sustainable and renewable home energy supply. Make hay (or hydrogen) while the sun shines. Then use the stored hydrogen to produce heat and electricity on demand, day or night! We got excited about solar hydrogen production during the seventies and the first oil shocks. What happened between the seventies and nineties? For the most part we worked with thermolysis (splitting water with concentrated solar heat) and photoelectrolysis (splitting water in a liquid solar cell). We also followed the work of other hydrogen pioneers, such as Roger Billings and his associates, who produced and used hydrogen in home appliances and vehicles. The article by Richard Perez about the Schatz PV Hydrogen Project ( HP #22, pp. 26–30) and a subsequent visit to Humboldt State University’s Trinidad Marine Laboratory launched us into designing and making a “home-sized” system based on electrolysis of water. Electrolysis is the competition for thermolysis and photoelectrolysis at this juncture. Hydrogen and oxygen can be produced from water using electricity with an electrolyzer. This article describes the installation and operation of a 12 cell Hydrogen Wind Inc. 1000 Watt electrolyzer. This electrolyzer can produce 170 liters/hour (6 cubic feet/hour) of hydrogen and 85 liters/hour (3 cubic feet/hour) of oxygen (at standard temperature and pressure). In addition, we describe a homebrew purification and storage system for the hydrogen and oxygen produced by the electrolyzer. With proper after-treatment, the gases produced can be stored safely. The purified hydrogen and oxygen can be used in fuel cells (to produce direct current electricity) and catalytic burners (for heating and cooking) without poisoning or damaging the noble metal catalyst materials. The gases can also be used for welding and cutting, as well as for motor vehicle fuel. !!!!Safety First!!!! Making and storing hydrogen and oxygen is not kid’s stuff — this is “rocket fuel”! Use flashback flame arrestors on the hydrogen and oxygen outlets from the electrolyzer. Secure dangerous caustic from small prying hands. Make sure your gases are pure before storing them. More on safety follows. How Much Hydrogen Do I Need? This varies tremendously from household to household, depending on how well the Demand Side Management job has been done. We can run our Platinum Cat space heater for about three hours on a cubic meter of hydrogen. The amount of gas needed can be estimated from the energy consumption of any appliance. Amanda Potter and Mark Newell’s article in HP#32 (pp. 42–45) describes the operation of an electrolyzer and shows how to calculate the amount of gas needed to run appliances. See articles on hydrogen space heating in HP #34, hydrogen cooking in HP #33, and making electricity from hydrogen with a fuel cell in HP#35. How Much Power Does It Take? A cubic meter (35.3 cubic feet) of hydrogen gas takes about 5.9 hours to produce in this electrolyzer, when operated at its rated input power of 1000 Watts. This means the energy required to produce a cubic meter of hydrogen and 0.5 cubic meter of oxygen is about 5.9 kW-hr. This translates to an efficiency of 51%, where 3 kW-hr/m 3 equals 100% efficiency at 20°C. Typical industrial scale plants operate at about 4.5 kW-hr/m 3 or 67% efficiency at high current density. The efficiency is better at lower current density. What Is Needed to Produce Hydrogen at Home? Our system includes the following components and sub-systems (see the block diagram next page): • Solar electric power and/or utility grid power • Power Controller • Electrolyzer • Hydrogen Purifier • Oxygen Purifier • Hydrogen and Oxygen Storage Tanks • Electrolyte Storage Tank and Transfer Pump • Makeup-water Purifier http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20080222&Category=BUSINESS&ArtNo=802220378&Ref=AR&MaxW=180&Border=0 Space Data executives Eric Frische, left, and Jerry Knoblach hold one of their weather balloons,  equipped with disposable technology, to support a wireless network over rural areas. (FILE / GANNETT NEWS SERVICE) February 22, 2008 Firm launches balloons to provide rural wireless communications Devices serve as mini-cell phone towers across Southwest By AMOL SHARMA The Wall Street Journal CHANDLER, Ariz. — Jerry Knoblach wants to bring wireless service to millions of rural Americans. His plan: Beam it down from balloons hovering at the edge of space. This isn't just hot air. His company, Space Data Corp., already launches 10 balloons a day across the Southwestern U.S., providing specialized telecom services to truckers and oil companies. His balloons soar 20 miles into the stratosphere, each carrying a shoebox-size payload of electronics that acts like a mini-cell phone "tower" covering thousands of square miles below. His idea has caught the eye of Google Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. The Internet giant — which is now pushing into wireless services — has considered contracting with Space Data or  even buying the firm, according to one person.Knoblach, Space Data's chief executive, declined to comment on specific partners. Google declined to comment.Expanding rural telecom services is a priority for regulators. About 36 percent of rural Americans don't have Internet connections, but it's expensive to string cable or build cellphone towers in areas with so few customers. Space Data said a balloon can serve an area otherwise requiring 40 cell towers. Maintaining a telecom system based on gas-filled bladders floating in the sky requires some creativity.  The balloons are good for 24 hours or so before bursting in the thin air of the upper atmosphere. The gear they carry, encased in Styrofoam, then drifts to earth on parachutes.This means Space Data must constantly send up  new balloons. To do that, it hires mechanics employed at small airports across the South. It also hires farmers — particularly, dairy farmers.They're "very reliable people," Knoblach said. They have to "milk the cows 24-7, 365  days a year, so they're great people to use as a launch crew." Space Data pays them $50 per launch.Farmer likes the cash Sharon Hodges, 60, a farmer in Piedmont, Okla., and balloon  launcher, said she doesn't know about technology but liked the extra pocket money.Every day just before sunset, she unfolds a balloon, attaches it to a hydrogen tank and inflates it. Then she hitches the electronic payload to the balloon, walks it through the barn doors, and lets go of it.Knoblach dismisses a potential hazard: Airplanes crashing into balloons. He points out that Space Data's balloons are similar to weather balloons, about 1,800 of which are  launched worldwide every day without problems.At Space Data's command center in Chandler, engineers track their 10 balloons on a wall-mounted electronic map.When a balloon nears the end of its useful life, technicians send a signal to separate it from its electronic payload, which parachutes to earth. http://www.spacedata.net/management.html  Article Title: Firm launches balloons to provide rural wireless communications To view the contents on www.tennessean.com, go to: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200802220210/BUSINESS/802220378  Caveat emptor. A fantastic post on Hooked summarizes the most recent study in PLoS Medicine that estimates drug marketing expenditures at roughly $57.5 billion annually. It is also discussed nicely on Pharmalot. Here's my two cents. We've all heard that high drug costs are secretly a blessing because these costs support the development of newer, better drugs. Here's one example, from the Cato Institute: It's easy to believe that drugs cost too much. At least it is if you aren't the member of my church who just died of stomach cancer; my next-door neighbor and running partner who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; my friend who endured experimental chemotherapy to fight breast cancer; and my journalistic colleague killed by liver cancer last year. For all of them, drugs don't cost nearly enough, since a higher cost would bring forth more and better means of fighting cancer, multiple sclerosis and other diseases. Yet legislators seem dedicated to restricting the availability of such pharmaceuticals. Other scare stories are not uncommon. Even respected psychiatrists hold similar views about the kind, loving drug industry. I recall sitting in an auditorium, chowing down on lunch with a colleague as we listened to the sales pitch for Abilify. The lunch was fairly tasty and kept me mostly distracted from the slides that claimed to show that Abilify was a new drug that offered terrific benefits and little risk. To be honest, I remember little of what was actually said in the slides, as I attended many such activities, from which the information blurred into a haze which presented the basic message that incredible progress was constantly being made in psychopharmacology. At the end of the videoconferenced presentation, I was http://clinpsyc.blogspot.com/ (18 of 25) [1/25/2008 11:41:46 PM]ഊgetting ready for the remainder of my  day when I noticed a very high ranking official take the podium with a highly concerned expression. This official, who was supposedly an objective, highly regarded clinical scientist, then let loose with a brief speech. He said something to the effect of: "You know, it's important to remember that it costs -- did you know that it costs 800 million dollars to make a drug like this? 800 million dollars. These companies are taking a big risk to bring us these drugs and we really need to appreciate all the effort, risk, and cost that they put into developing these great medications..." He might have uttered a sentence or two afterward but I was stuck in a state of shock and would not have noticed what he said. Now, if this highly reputed independent psychiatrist had bothered to do a little bit of research, he would have known that this figure was bogus. And this does not even count as part of the $57.5 billion that drug companies spent on marketing. What's my point? When drug companies stump about how they channel much more money into research and development than into marketing, they are lying. Badly. I give drug companies credit for doing an excellent job at marketing. When so many of their newer products offer little to no benefit versus generic medications, it is indeed impressive that they can constantly generate blockbuster after blockbuster. The only explanation for this phenomenon is that drug companies do an amazing job of marketing. In the form of direct to consumer ads, having allegedly independent academics stump for their products based on bogus "science" (1, 2, 3, 4), disease mongering (1, 2), inaccurate medical journal ads, sexy drug reps, or just good old-fashioned payola, there is no doubt that drug companies do a fantastic job of selling their wares. The drug company beancounters state that the best way to make money in the short-term is to spend a lot of cash on marketing. Works out just fine in the short term, but it looks like the model falls apart in the long-term. Might I suggest funneling a bit more cash into science and less into marketing if you want to thrive in the long-term? Thanks to a couple of anonymous readers for digging up some of the research cited in this post and for the terrific Dilbert cartoon. Posted by CL Psych at 1/07/2008 06:04:00 AM 2 comments Links to this post Labels: marketing, off-label marketing, stealth marketing Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look ഊInaccurate Advertising Hurts I'm late to the game on this post, and this material has been covered well on other sites. In case you've missed it, a recent meta-analysis indicated that the effect of Cymbalta on pain in depression relative to placebo was somewhere between nothing and minimal. This was noted on Furious Seasons, the WSJ Health Blog, and Pharmalot. According to the Pharmalot post, it also appears that Lilly has not fully disclosed all relevant data in Cymbalta's clinical trials, which contradicts Lilly's pledge to share all data openly. This is apparently another example of how we cannot trust that pharmaceutical advertising is any more accurate than advertising for quick weight-loss programs, exercise equipment, or get-rich-quick schemes. Caveat emptor. Props to John Mack for noting many months ago that the Depression Hurts campaign reeked of off-label marketing. Posted by CL Psych at 1/07/2008 05:59:00 AM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: Cymbalta, marketing, off-label marketing Friday, January 04, 2008 Drug Company Marketing Expenditures How about $57 billion or so annually? More coming in a few days. In the meantime, read this and see what you think. Posted by CL Psych at 1/04/2008 08:50:00 AM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: marketing Older Posts Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look http://clinpsyc.blogspot.com/ (19 of 25) [1/25/2008 11:41:46 PM] -------- Original Message -------- fits and starts  TheEarlyWormCatchesTheBird Battery Alternative for Electric Cars It sounds incredible, but a Texas-based startup may have a replacement for the  electromechanical battery that could enable motorists to plug in a car for five minutes and drive 500 miles without gasoline. Read More Never-Ending Potency: Battery Replacement Could Charge Electric ...Never-Ending  Potency: Battery Replacement Could Charge Electric-Car Industry. zenn_car.jpg. Something covert's going on in Austin,  TX that could have EV-car ... http://www.jalopnik.com/.../neverending-potency-battery-replacement-could- charge-electriccar-industry-202564.php  Company tests robotic blimp for wireless communications - USATODAY.com http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2006-08-20-wireless-blimp_x.htm?csp=34 Company tests robotic blimp for wireless communications Updated 8/21/2006 11:45 AM ET By Ric Francis, AP By Alicia Chang, Associated Press PALMDALE, Calif. — Bob Jones has a lofty idea for improving communications around the world: Strategically float robotic airships above the Earth as an alternative to unsightly telecom towers on the ground and expensive satellites in space. Jones, a former NASA manager, envisions a fleet of unmanned "Stratellites" hovering in the atmosphere and blanketing large swaths of territory with wireless access for high-speed data and voice communications. KEVIN MANEY:Blimp idea has failed to get off the ground numerous times   http://blogs.usatoday.com/maney/2006/08/how_many_times_.html The idea of using blimps, dirigibles and balloons as communications platforms isn't new — it was widely floated during the dot-com boom. It didn't really fly then, and Jones is the first to  admit the latest venture is a gamble. Tethered flights of a prototype — which cost about $3 million to build and is about one-fifth scale model of the planned commercial airships — are scheduled later this month in this Mojave Desert city, about an hour's drive north of Los Angeles. Jones says it will be a critical test of the technology. "I don't want to see it fall on someone's backyard or have it float away to Las Vegas," said Jones, president  of Stratellite developer Sanswire Networks. If everything goes as planned, remote-controlled flights would launch later this year from nearby Edwards Air Force Base. During the tests, the airship is expected to float to 45,000 feet for several hours. He envisions the commercial airships will rise to 65,000 feet — or about 13 miles — and stay aloft for 18 months at a time. For now, Jones' focus is on testing how well the parts of the airship work. He hopes to build a commercial vehicle in the next several years. Unlike the cylindrical shape of a traditional blimp, a Stratellite has a broad, tapered nose like a shark. The solar-powered dirigible will carry a payload of radio and digital devices. Interest in airships is on the rise. The U.S. military is exploring the deployment of dirigibles, balloons and  blimps for airborne reconnaissance and homeland security. Corporations also are increasingly eyeing them for civilian communication use. At the height of the dot-com boom, several companies toyed with providing Internet and phone service from floating communications platforms. Many of those ideas foundered when the Internet bubble popped — and broadband delivered over phone and cable lines proliferated. Still, airships might prove most useful in niche markets — rural dead zones, for example, or during natural disasters when terrestrial towers fail. After Hurricane Katrina, satellite-connected wireless phone providers saw a dramatic spike in usage in storm-ravaged Gulf Coast areas. That limited market may not be enough for dirigible makers to survive, said Robert Rosenberg, president of Insight Research, a New Jersey-based telecommunications market research company. "It's an example of a technology that's looking for a market," he said. Jones believes his solar-powered, helium-filled Stratellites — so named because they would hang in the stratosphere — could replace unsightly cell towers and cost less than satellites. Because of the airship's altitude according to Jones, its radio equipment can cover an area the size of Texas. Cell towers are hampered by line-of-sight limitations and limited range. Geostationary satellites suffer from the  quarter-second it takes a signal to travel out 22,300 miles and back — insignificant in one-way TV transmissions, but terrible for two-way Internet computer communications. Jones said his floating platforms will carry radio equipment that uses both licensed and unlicensed airwaves. The company will license spectrum if required and also work with companies that already have licenses, he said. While Jones dreams of covering whole states with wireless services, Arizona-based Space Data thinks it can fill a cellular void by floating weather balloons in the stratosphere that would bring coverage to remote regions. Space Data plans to test fly a balloon next month over a remote part of North Dakota to demonstrate the technology.  The company, which is negotiating with several unidentified cellphone providers, could launch its first commercial balloon as early as next year over west Texas. "Someday, you can just get a plan from your cellphone provider and you won't even know if you're on the balloon or  if you're on the tower," said Chief Executive Jerry Knoblach. "You'll just talk but you'll have coverage even from the bottom of the Grand Canyon." But questions abound about the durability of dirigibles. No vehicle has ever stayed in the stratosphere — located  above the jet stream where clouds rarely form and where temperatures hover around freezing — for months at a time. It's unclear how the environment would affect a dirigible. At Sanswire's guarded hangar, the 125-foot-long prototype named Sanswire 2 is held down by orange sandbags and  cordoned off with yellow tape. About 10 employees scurried around to put the finishing touches on the airship before its maiden flight. Jones' prototype weighs just 750 pounds and contains five separate helium chambers in case one leaks. It is made of tough carbon composite material that gives it a rigid structure like the zeppelins of the early 20th century. Jones recently returned from a trip to Colombia, saying he spoke with government officials about the potential of deploying Stratellites in the Andes nation. Other countries also expressed interest, but no contracts have been signed. Some telecommunication analysts contend builders of high-altitude airships and blimps face a double whammy: The wireless market is already saturated and the technology is relatively new and unproven. "More power to the entrepreneurs who are doing this," said Steven Titch, a telecommunications expert at the Heartland Institute in Chicago. "But it's a question of convincing venture capitalists that you can make it work." Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

From: Engadget URL: http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/extend-america-prepping-balloon-based-cell-service-for-north-dak/ Comments: another company doing it Extend America prepping balloon-based cell service  for North Dakota 01-31-2006   It's  no"Stratellite", http://www.engadget.com/2004/12/18/florida-company-readies-communications-stratellite/ but Ed Schafer, former Governor of North Dakota, is betting on some hot air balloons to provide cellphone service to the vast wasteland expanse of his state, instead of the 1,100 cell towers it would take otherwise. The system only takes three balloons, 20 miles up, to provide coverage for the entire area, but since the balloons drift, it takes around 9 balloons total to keep service aloft at all times. Once a balloon floats out of state, it will eject its parachute-equipped communications pod, to be recovered for a bounty (similar to the SkySite program      http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/31/cash-in-on-your-geocaching-skillz/  we just brought you) and sent back into service over the state. Extend America is about to start testing the tech, and if successful they plan to license their bandwidth to existing wireless carriers.