#HamRadio needs to embrace the Hacker Community
https://www.kj7nzl.net/blog/ham-radio-needs-to-embrace-the-hacker-community-now-more-than-ever/
@lupyuen
I wholeheartedly agree with the general message here, but is promoting internet-dependent hotspots and proprietary digital modes/codecs really pushing the limits of what *radio* can do either?
I don't need a ham license to talk to some randos over the internet, and the *hacker* in me wants nothing to do with proprietary patent-laden codecs like AMBE that all of the DMR/NXDN/D-Star/C4FM radios depend on.
@abortretryfail
I kinda wish there was less risk in experimenting. Like the fcc can come down hard if they want to so well established tech feels safer somehow. It would be super cool to like design a protocol from the ground up but the chances of inadvertently breaking some laws in that process are high.
@lupyuen
@FoamCactus @lupyuen
Everyone's piled on the AMBE bandwagon not because the FCC hasn't really been stopping amateurs from making their own protocols/codecs (there are lots of them!), it's because radio manufacturers already have a big business in selling that technology to the commercial/public safety sector. It's cheaper and easier for them to just sell the same or similar to amateurs.
It's safe and lazy and it Just Works people who just want to make QSOs, but it's not hacker-friendly at all.
@abortretryfail
That's a good point, someday I'll save up and get one of those fancy receive and transmit sdrs and be the change I want to see in the world.
@lupyuen
There's been other new open source work like Codec2 / OpenDV, and data protocols like FT8 / JS8call, etc. Those can work over a normal SSB rig with an audio interface to a computer.
As far as my understanding goes (from the license exams, etc), the FCC doesn't care about experimenting as long as you don't break the rules about bandwidth, spread spectrum, encryption/obfuscation, and published standards.
Published standards is no problem for hacking on open-source!
The problem with proprietary code like AMBE is now you're stepping on patent law if you try to write a D-Star transceiver for your HackRF without a license from DVSI...
@lupyuen
My uncle used to communicate on HAM with is #Commodore #C64 with morris code and HAM #bbs
#Hacker