4 ms·

Poll: Do you have a ham radio license?

7 points by mindcrime 2y ago

Given the recent discussion about ham radio, just curious to know where HN'er stand vis-a-vis ham radio licensing?

mindcrime 2y ago
For context: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41839697 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41839697
Locutus_ 2y ago
I had one in the early 00's. Especially liked packet radio stuff back then, but due to regulatory restrictions in practice the networks built are not really all that useful other then for contacts. So in a way, loved the tech but it's really a hobby just for the tech itself rarely applications there-of.
h2odragon 2y ago
complicated "hard no". I refuse to ask anyone for permission to speak, regardless of the technological means of encoding and transmitting that speech. It's polite not to paper neighborhoods with posters, not to smash spectrum with noise. The proposition that the risk of impolite behavior requires prior permission to participate contradicts the principles our government operates under. Amateur radio is great. Licensing sucks. History may someday record that the biggest effect of Helene was causing the schism in the amateur radio community between the fudds and the hackers to finally crack open public and hard. I expect that to be as epochal as the AT&T breakup was to computer networking.
- scblock 2y ago
  What a long winded way to tell us you're insufferable. You say it's polite to not paper neighbordhoods with posters? Well this is a pretty impolite country. Drive around phoenix near an election some time. It's posters everywhere. Every corner, every median, every parking strip. Licensing is why Amateur radio works, otherwise it would be nothing but bullshit, blowhards, and commercial interests taking over the entire space.
mr_anderson_ 2y ago
Let it lapse but now experimenting with other radio gadgetry. I think you still need your 1st Class ticket to get a job in avionics.
aurizon 2y ago
licensed in 1958, advanced in 1962, past my most active years by now, but play around with DM R with a few old turkeys... Internet and the dogged insistence of Morse Code did a lot to make AR decline over the years. The days of 25,000 people at the Dayton Hamfest - trademarked 'Hamvention', by some goofs, are over, but there are still a fair number - almost all graybeards BTW.
xen2xen1 2y ago
Will soon?
LinuxBender 2y ago
Always had the equipment, never had a license. I prefer the culture just above, below and in 11 meters. Unallocated space.
drweevil 2y ago
Yes.

7 points by mindcrime 2y ago

Given the recent discussion about ham radio, just curious to know where HN'er stand vis-a-vis ham radio licensing?

mindcrime 2y ago

For context: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41839697 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41839697

Locutus_ 2y ago

I had one in the early 00's. Especially liked packet radio stuff back then, but due to regulatory restrictions in practice the networks built are not really all that useful other then for contacts. So in a way, loved the tech but it's really a hobby just for the tech itself rarely applications there-of.

h2odragon 2y ago

complicated "hard no". I refuse to ask anyone for permission to speak, regardless of the technological means of encoding and transmitting that speech. It's polite not to paper neighborhoods with posters, not to smash spectrum with noise. The proposition that the risk of impolite behavior requires prior permission to participate contradicts the principles our government operates under. Amateur radio is great. Licensing sucks. History may someday record that the biggest effect of Helene was causing the schism in the amateur radio community between the fudds and the hackers to finally crack open public and hard. I expect that to be as epochal as the AT&T breakup was to computer networking.

scblock 2y ago
What a long winded way to tell us you're insufferable. You say it's polite to not paper neighbordhoods with posters? Well this is a pretty impolite country. Drive around phoenix near an election some time. It's posters everywhere. Every corner, every median, every parking strip. Licensing is why Amateur radio works, otherwise it would be nothing but bullshit, blowhards, and commercial interests taking over the entire space.

mr_anderson_ 2y ago

Let it lapse but now experimenting with other radio gadgetry. I think you still need your 1st Class ticket to get a job in avionics.

aurizon 2y ago

licensed in 1958, advanced in 1962, past my most active years by now, but play around with DM R with a few old turkeys... Internet and the dogged insistence of Morse Code did a lot to make AR decline over the years. The days of 25,000 people at the Dayton Hamfest - trademarked 'Hamvention', by some goofs, are over, but there are still a fair number - almost all graybeards BTW.

xen2xen1 2y ago

Will soon?

LinuxBender 2y ago

Always had the equipment, never had a license. I prefer the culture just above, below and in 11 meters. Unallocated space.

drweevil 2y ago

Yes.