Progress inevitable. More enforcement vs. abuse better than luddite paranoia.

Progress inevitable. More enforcement vs. abuse better than luddite paranoia.

Posted Jul 15, 2007 15:42 UTC (Sun) by InnateTech (guest, #44362)
Parent article: A green light for free-software defined radio?

The fact of the matter is that SDR will eventually become a reality, and there will be an implementation (developed outside the US if neccessary) that will not be crippled or closed.

I'm a FCC licensed amateur radio operator, and the fact of the matter is that it has been possible to modify more traditional equipment to operate outside of the intended freqs for -- well, pretty much forever. Same thing with amplification and regulation on peak emitted power. For instance, many ham band 6m/2m/70cm etc. radios also have AM aircraft band receive and can be modified to transmit in that band illegally--often through flashing the radio's firmware, or cutting a trace that goes to a chip that exists only to perform checks associated w/allowable frequencies. Similarly, there are simple modifications to allow amateur equipment to operate on military frequencies--legally made under the MARS program (if it's still going, not sure.) So radios have been partially "firmware defined" for some time, either by embedded logic on chips or actual code held in flash.

The eventual evolution to more software and less hardware is simply following the developmental path well marked by other sectors of the overall electronics and communications industries. It is The Right Thing, and therefore is/should be inevitable.

The answer is to allow SDR to proceed at full speed, completely open, and to amp up enforcement against those who would abuse the freedom it offers in ways that might compromise public safety or cause a denial of other services.

---

to post comments