Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> It's not just some operators, it's a large part of the ham community that's bent on policing "intruders" like that.

I understand that your argument is "some hams are jerks, therefore all hams deserve to be punished." It's not the "some hams are jerks" part that I'm doubting, nor the intensity and unfairness of their jerkiness. It's the "therefore..." part. No amount of anecdotes proving the former is going to make the logic work in the latter.

And no amount of secret jamming is going to change any laws or influence anyone's attitudes. If you want to protest, stand up in public and protest. If you want to get petty revenge on a stranger for sharing a hobby with some obnoxious assholes, you can do that instead. But don't tell yourself that you're just like sit-in protestors. It's embarrassing.



I don't really care if it's embarrassing or not. As long as my actions are entirely legal, anything pretty much goes. Encouraging people to install regulatory approved powerline networking adapters is completely legal. As it's likely I'm not the only one outraged about this here, the idea to do that might spread. If that happens it won't be secret anymore.

And we have the right to freedom of speech, to get emotional, angry, and even irrational when we see outrageous punishments being dished out by the government, for people being persistently rude on the radio. Especially so when we hear of other people supporting such draconian punishment.

And even more so when large parts of the amateur radio community agree with these punishments and also behave like they are the radio police and have the right to threaten those who might break the rules. When I see other people threatened in that manner it really strikes a nerve with me, and I vent publicly on the forums in response, as I'm doing here.

And if I want to think it's like a sit in protest then it's my right to do so. Under human rights, freedom of conscience and freedom of thought. I might be wrong about thinking that way, but I have the right to be wrong, to be incorrect. As long as I don't break the law.

It's like sit in protesting climate change, or a particularly bad corporation who pollutes the environment, the blockades are going to cause a nuisance for other people not involved in it, but again these protests are legal. This is how change happens.

Many of these amateur radio stations might pose a health and safety hazard to nearby homes. Having thousand watt power levels in residential neighborhoods, while legal, might not be safe for people, especially children. And the amateur community in general turns a blind eye to that. So yet another reason for protesting. Actually, in that case I feel lobbying to get that prohibited might have a better chance of success.

And if it does become prohibited, we don't need to fine offenders $24,000, the FCC can get a warrant, and come in and seize their equipment instead, if they don't stop when requested.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: