Mastodawn

I never applied for an amateur radio license because I didn't like the idea of appearing on an official list of "skilled" people. Until now that was a theoretical fear. One I wasn't even sure if it was warranted or just me being overly cautious.

In Belarus things escalated quickly. Radio amateurs - usually recognized as men of goodwill - have been declared enemies of the state and publicly shamed and indicted for high treason.

https://steanlab.medium.com/mayday-389f5713fee4

💾 grumpers:443 Jan 20

@nblr uff ☹️

Dan Bocain Jan 20

@nblr Good, chilling, read. Terrible situation.

contrasocial Jan 20

Fascists are so insane and paranoid, the lengths to which they go in order to cling to what almost always ends up being fleeting power is just so incomprehensible.

I imagine their internal state is just a constant turmoil of screeching chimp noises.

@contrasocial @nblr Not always fleeting unfortunately - Franco Spain ~40 years

@nblr I think modern ad-hoc mesh networks such as Meshtastic would be a great alternative today. They are dirt cheap, anyone can have them and encryption is decent.

Ozzie D, NP-hard

@cos @nblr Ad-hoc mesh networks are growing by leaps and bounds. In my area (Boston) #meshcore has proven stable, and capable of forwarding messages long distances. But I fear the moment it starts to be used for emergency comms, the fascists will criminalize use of the unlicensed bands. Not as easy to ID the owner of any radio, it's true!

@ozdreaming @nblr it's not effective to criminalize something that is already in wide use. LoRa band can be easily jammed, but so can HAM bands.

F4GRX SÃ©bastien Jan 20

@ozdreaming @cos @nblr not easy to ID? It is MANDATORY for hams to transmit their ID every 5-10 min

Identifying the location of a transmitter is trivial with triangulation and such locations could be used as missile/drone target, of course.

Ozzie D, NP-hard

@f4grx your point about triangulating any transmitter is a good one. But this is a tangent about ad-hoc LoRa mesh networks using unregulated bands, where registration and ID transmission are not mandated (unlike ham radio). At least not yet, in the US.
@cos @nblr

F4GRX SÃ©bastien Jan 20

@ozdreaming @cos @nblr meshtastic packets are not e2e encrypted of course, so listening to a node is almost equivalent to identification, even if indirect via a pseudonym. The actual band changes nothing, if you transmit, you cant hide.

Ozzie D, NP-hard

@f4grx @cos @nblr Meshcore supports encrypted direct messages, FYI. But I don't have a lot of trust in its encryption implementation, encryption doesn't apply to group channel chat, and leaky metadata is always a problem. This is all just for fun. Right? Until it's not.

@f4grx @ozdreaming @nblr actually Meshtastic messages and channels can be E2EE with AES256-CTR. Key management is manual, but if you got keys setup correctly it should be quite safe. I'm not an encryption expert bug I've understood AES256-CTR is considered good.

F4GRX SÃ©bastien Jan 21

@cos @ozdreaming @nblr I picked up a wio e5 mini but it's not supported by meshtastic. I'm waiting for a sx1262 module to use on a pi pico.

@f4grx
I have been wondering if that means we should be looking into laser comms or something.

But also you can transmit in the move - it's just a burst from a device in your pocket. It's not the bulk of older radio gear. And you can leave a relay node somewhere you don't own.

@ozdreaming @cos @nblr

@cos I've been looking at that. I'm wondering if any anyone can tell me what are the operational / practical differences between Meshtastic and Meshcore? I understand the latter has slightly better security, but at the cost of slightly shorter range, but that's a bit vague, and I'm wondering what other considerations might be relevant.

@wesdym Meshtastic is more pure ad-hoc local meshing.
Everyone relays everyone's packets.

Meshcore requires some infrastructure nodes that route the traffic and regular nodes don't relay. Meshcore allows longer distances. Meshcore's official app is also closed source, but there is a open source alternative being developed.

(Correct any mistakes - I've only used Meshtastic)

MattChippytea Jan 20

@wesdym @cos I think it also depends what has gained some traction locally.

F4GRX SÃ©bastien Jan 20

@Wifiwits @wesdym @cos such mesh network, if closed source, is utterly useless. It's made to be operated by citizens, closing it is just a very suspicious power grab.

MattChippytea Jan 20

@wesdym @f4grx @cos yeah I’d agree. Meshtastic seems to be what has users around me.

@Wifiwits @wesdym @f4grx @cos

Such networks are the easiest prey for any adversary. Arrest a single operator and the entire network is yours. Networks that depend on technical authentication of the nodes are useless for resistance and dangerous for all operators.
73 de OE3EMB

F4GRX SÃ©bastien Jan 20

@cos @nblr many lora modules with an antenna connector are now export restricted from the US. Probably for FCC certification reasons. But one can imagine, even if this is dubious. Free communication is considered more and more dangerous.

@nblr I've also though about getting into that.. horrifying.

wetterfrosch Jan 20

@nblr in germany; a public listing of you address in kind of a phonebook, included: https://data.bundesnetzagentur.de/Bundesnetzagentur/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Telekommunikation/Unternehmen_Institutionen/Frequenzen/Amateurfunk/Rufzeichenliste/rufzeichenliste_afu.pdf

bundesnetzagentur

@wetter @nblr Okay, this just changed my mind on aquiring that license.

wetterfrosch Jan 20

@vger @nblr to be fair: quiet a few addresses seem to be business-addresses.

M Schommer Jan 20

@vger @wetter @nblr
You can opt out of having your address published.

@vger @wetter @nblr
Here in Finland the only public thing is a list of call signs with the information if it is valid or withdrawn.
So you can check if the call you heard on air is legit and not some rando inventing theirs.
And that's all that is there.

@wetter @nblr The pdf really is so neat and readable. Thus, I don't see the purpose of this: https://github.com/joergschultzelutter/bundesnetzagentur-rufzeichenliste-parser

GitHub - joergschultzelutter/bundesnetzagentur-rufzeichenliste-parser: Downloads the latest ham radio call sign (pdf) file from the Bundesnetzagentur web site and transposes its content to a CSV format

Downloads the latest ham radio call sign (pdf) file from the Bundesnetzagentur web site and transposes its content to a CSV format - joergschultzelutter/bundesnetzagentur-rufzeichenliste-parser

GitHub

Ray McCarthy Jan 20

@nblr
In Crimea and other parts of Ukraine illegally occupied by the Russian they are removing satellite gear and replacing it with stuff that only can receive Russian channels.

Iranians and others have tried to jam uplinks from Cuba and have jammers on high sites facing cities.

Justin Macleod Jan 20

@nblr that's one of the things that makes me hesitant about becoming a ham operator as well. I don't like the idea of the rigid, tight regulations and appearing on a list.

prokyonid Jan 20

@JustinMac84 @nblr big same. Why would I want to put myself on a list knowing that I violate FCC regs just for fun?

Justin Macleod Jan 20

@prokyonid @nblr Does ameture radio violate FCC regs?

prokyonid Jan 20

@JustinMac84 @nblr Not necessarily but I do things that would get me instantly stripped of a HAM license

⿻ yoshemitzu 吉 Jan 20

@prokyonid @JustinMac84 @nblr Well, and the part that worries me is not even being *aware* of this or that local ordinance...

prokyonid Jan 20

@yoshemitzu @JustinMac84 @nblr it's definitely not legal to broadcast pirate TV on frequencies now allocated to cell phones

Armin Hanisch Jan 20

@JustinMac84 @nblr Guys, you are already on a list people operating a UHF radio device with your address and even payment details — it’s called smartphone. 😎

Justin Macleod Jan 20

@Linkshaender @nblr It's true, but if a regime is going to be suspicious of those with greater technical curiosity, that's a much smaller list and you stick out further.

Armin Hanisch Jan 20

@JustinMac84 @nblr You’re right. Don’t know your location, so this might be more important for you than for me at the moment. At least my flat doesn’t allow for an antenna, so I don’t „stick out“ in the literal sense. Although I have to admit I miss shortwave.

Supermoosie Jan 20

But does it allow plants?

https://www.hamuniverse.com/kl7jrantennawire.html

What Antenna Wire? Disguise Your Antenna Wire with Flowers! by HI3/KL7JR

Armin Hanisch Jan 20

@SuperMoosie Haha, that’s a great idea!

Supermoosie Jan 20

Whip as the trunk of a type Xmas tree

@SuperMoosie @Linkshaender
A J-pole inside the top section of a disused chimney (in a shared occupancy office or residential building) was used by a few pirate FM broadcasters in a city near me.

Zeke 🇨🇦Jan 20

@nblr “Free speech” is paramount to the fascist state to spread their message. Except when it’s a message they can’t control like radios. Long live radio and their operators! ✊🏼

DoomsdaysCW Jan 20

Yikes, @nblr ! Tagging @ai6yr !

AI6YR Ben Jan 20

@DoomsdaysCW @nblr Yikes

⛰🌲Randy Walters🌲⛰ has moved!Jan 20

@nblr Absolutely blood chilling. The things that can be weaponized to use against us …

All right, fascist bastards … I remain your lifelong dedicated adversary, licensed radio operator K2OOI.

(And a Stanley Kubrick fan too, heaven forfend!)

For the record, here in the States, call signs have to end in characters, not numbers. So despite appearances, my call sign is actually

Kilo two oscar oscar india.

@randywalters RI represent!

DragonBard Jan 20

@randywalters @nblr that is a great call. Is it a vanity call, or did you luck out in the draw?

⛰🌲Randy Walters🌲⛰ has moved!Jan 20

@DragonBard @nblr Thanks! I definitely lucked out (in the sense that it was available) but it was no accident … I applied for it as a vanity call.

The records show that someone used to have it, but they either passed away or let it expire a while back, so I snapped it up.

I could have taken either K2OOI or W2OOI … in fact, here on the east coast, the convention is that you take a W call …

but I grew up by Seattle where all the stations were K … it also saves me 2 syllables!

GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)Jan 20

@nblr holy shit

The Penguin of Evil Jan 20

@nblr The UK always kept the amateur radio licence scheme and list with a fairly open knowledge that in the event of war they would all be called up as radio operators

Lars Marowsky-Brée 😷Jan 20

@etchedpixels @nblr Upcoming: "Open Source Developers Drafted as Cyber Soldiers"?!

M Schommer Jan 20

@larsmb
But not in Germany. Thanks to §202c cyber warfare related knowledge is Verboten!

@etchedpixels @nblr

@nblr
Threat model updated

F4GRX SÃ©bastien Jan 20

@magnetic_tape @nblr holy crap

M.S. Bellows, Jr.Jan 20

@nblr Ping @ai6yr

concretedog Jan 20

@nblr absolute Stalin playbook. This is awful.

Robin Barton Jan 20

@nblr That says more about the government that it does about amateur radio operators

Francis Mangion (M)Jan 20

@nblr @amnesty @britishcomputersociety @ACM @Westminster #Belarus