5 ms·

There’s limited bandwidth available. I definitely think it’s worth experimenting, but my expectation would be that any bands that allow for encryption would qu

by jcims 5y ago

There’s limited bandwidth available. I definitely think it’s worth experimenting, but my expectation would be that any bands that allow for encryption would quickly be saturated with traffic.

generalizations 5y ago
I imagine there might be other mechanisms for limiting abuse - e.g., limit the traffic that any given call sign can generate. The call signs can help ensure it's non-commercial. Plus, don't people like doing fox hunts?
- jcims 5y ago
  We would learn a lot, that's for sure. I wonder if they could time box an experiment for 5 years and see what happens.
  - Johnythree 5y ago
    Once the Commercial users get their foot in the door, you'll never be able to close it.
blitzar 5y ago
People do experiment - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6cm1rNDLM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6cm1rNDLM
- jcims 5y ago
  Of course, packet radio, APRS, etc have been around for decades. It's just not encrypted.
  - blitzar 5y ago
    You could build out an entire POC test net without encryption, but it feels like something is missing or it would have been done already. Lack of bandwidth / capacity to reach any meaningful speed, scale, reliability etc? Or just no demand given how effective copper / wifi / 5g is? Or perhaps the 'hobby' really is dead and there just are not the tinkerers there once were.
    - generalizations 5y ago
      > Or perhaps the 'hobby' really is dead and there just are not the tinkerers there once were. The tinkerers are there, but encryption is a must-have. If HAM can't make that work, it's likely to die.
      - jcims 5y ago
        All this fear mongering is just setting the stage for sale of the spectrum. The hobby is still growing and has been continuously for decades. https://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/stats/index.html https://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/stats/index.html It’s not growing like the Internet, but there isn’t space like the Internet. It’s fixed real estate that can only have so many people on at one time. If you cruise the HF bands in the evening there’s lots of chatter going on, there’s no room for 1000 times as many people. Yes it could grow faster, yes it could be much much much more welcoming to new people. The industry could support it with cheaper hardware and technology that allows for more tinkering. But if we want make wholesale changes to the regulations, like allowing encryption, it’s going to have to be very well thought out.
        generalizations 5y ago
        > But if we want make wholesale changes to the regulations, like allowing encryption, it’s going to have to be very well thought out. I'm all for working out a really good way to allow encryption. But it sure seems like the pervasive reaction to encryption is just resistance; and that makes me pessimistic.
        jcims 5y ago
        Sure there's resistance. Imagine being a ranger that's been tending the same national park location for the past 30 years. One day some people come in from the DNR and say they are hearing complaints about no cell signal so they are going to build a road and clear out two acres of land to drop in a tower. Sure it will help the park appeal to a broader community and drive up visibility and maybe increase overall revenue...but...ugh.

by jcims 5y ago

There’s limited bandwidth available. I definitely think it’s worth experimenting, but my expectation would be that any bands that allow for encryption would quickly be saturated with traffic.

generalizations 5y ago

I imagine there might be other mechanisms for limiting abuse - e.g., limit the traffic that any given call sign can generate. The call signs can help ensure it's non-commercial. Plus, don't people like doing fox hunts?

jcims 5y ago
We would learn a lot, that's for sure. I wonder if they could time box an experiment for 5 years and see what happens.
- Johnythree 5y ago
  Once the Commercial users get their foot in the door, you'll never be able to close it.

blitzar 5y ago

People do experiment - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6cm1rNDLM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6cm1rNDLM

jcims 5y ago
Of course, packet radio, APRS, etc have been around for decades. It's just not encrypted.
- blitzar 5y ago
  You could build out an entire POC test net without encryption, but it feels like something is missing or it would have been done already. Lack of bandwidth / capacity to reach any meaningful speed, scale, reliability etc? Or just no demand given how effective copper / wifi / 5g is? Or perhaps the 'hobby' really is dead and there just are not the tinkerers there once were.
  - generalizations 5y ago
    > Or perhaps the 'hobby' really is dead and there just are not the tinkerers there once were. The tinkerers are there, but encryption is a must-have. If HAM can't make that work, it's likely to die.
    - jcims 5y ago
      All this fear mongering is just setting the stage for sale of the spectrum. The hobby is still growing and has been continuously for decades. https://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/stats/index.html https://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/stats/index.html It’s not growing like the Internet, but there isn’t space like the Internet. It’s fixed real estate that can only have so many people on at one time. If you cruise the HF bands in the evening there’s lots of chatter going on, there’s no room for 1000 times as many people. Yes it could grow faster, yes it could be much much much more welcoming to new people. The industry could support it with cheaper hardware and technology that allows for more tinkering. But if we want make wholesale changes to the regulations, like allowing encryption, it’s going to have to be very well thought out.
      - generalizations 5y ago
        > But if we want make wholesale changes to the regulations, like allowing encryption, it’s going to have to be very well thought out. I'm all for working out a really good way to allow encryption. But it sure seems like the pervasive reaction to encryption is just resistance; and that makes me pessimistic.
        jcims 5y ago
        Sure there's resistance. Imagine being a ranger that's been tending the same national park location for the past 30 years. One day some people come in from the DNR and say they are hearing complaints about no cell signal so they are going to build a road and clear out two acres of land to drop in a tower. Sure it will help the park appeal to a broader community and drive up visibility and maybe increase overall revenue...but...ugh.