"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Dave Stadt writes:

Why screw around with FM. It is old technology, not much beter than AM,
and there are much better technologies that would cure the communication
problems and lack of frequency availibility.

Such as?

Such as VOIP actually, or other digital technologies that are now quite
common, cheap, and "off the shelf". In police and fire communications, FM is
quickly giving away to digital modes. My bad for previously talking about FM as
if it were the only possibility.

A digital-capable radio does not care if it is transmitting voice or data, so it
could someday allow truly automated flight control. For example, you might be
able to get clearance into controlled airspace automatically and have it show up
as a green dotted line on your MFD, to be acknowledged with the mere push of a
button.