Re:Ham Radio Needs to Embrace the Hacker Community Now More ...
by mikewarot on Tuesday November 24, 2020 @08:17PM
(#25204938)
I've been a ham since 1979, and I think this he is right on target. Software defined radio, and DSP in general, is revolutionizing what you can do in a small package. I've never been one to sit and talk for hours, though I do think it is neat on those occasions when you can talk around the world. I was always into the more technical things, like Fox hunting, and building gear.
We need people pushing the limits of technology who aren't just doing it for profit, and that's where the amateur really shines. Doing things just to see if they can be done has a rich and rewarding history, and I'd like to see it continue.
A few months ago, I used a $25 dongle, GNU Radio, and made a VOR receiver, for the heck of it. VOR transmitters are used in aircraft navigation, and I can now firmly establish that I live EastNorthEast of the nearest VOR station to me. ;-)
We need people pushing the limits of technology who aren't just doing it for profit, and that's where the amateur really shines. Doing things just to see if they can be done has a rich and rewarding history, and I'd like to see it continue.
A few months ago, I used a $25 dongle, GNU Radio, and made a VOR receiver, for the heck of it. VOR transmitters are used in aircraft navigation, and I can now firmly establish that I live EastNorthEast of the nearest VOR station to me. ;-)