Amatuer radio at Defcon

[nak]

I think it would be cool if there was a small ham-net on a local repeater at a set time. A set simplex frequency so ham hackers could listen for others could also work to unite hackers with licenses. Never attended DC before, it's just a thought.

[noid]

Ah, you're a HAM. Maybe you could add your input on this thread:

http://forum.defcon.org/showthread.php?t=5626

[nak]

Yeah I saw that thread when I did a search for HAM radio, but seeing that I don't own a car yet I use a magnet-mount antenna when I want to ham on road trips.
I plan on getting a car before DC13 though.

Is there much HAM radio activity in LV (during defcon in particular)? Where I live its pretty much limited to older folks and obnoxious middle aged men on 2M, therefore I am not very active :doubt:

[bascule]

There's usually a repeater up. However, be aware of a few variances in the typical ham rules at Defcon:

1. Use of profanity is compulsory

2. IDing is expressly forbidden. You should only ID with a special handle of your choice that meets the requirements of rule #1, such as 'cockgoblin' or 'cumchugger'

3. NEVER wait for the courtesy tone/squelch drop when using the repeater. If the repeater times out while you're transmitting, you win a prize

4. Transmitting music is still taboo. If you want to transmit music, use the police band

[A]

bascule missed a few:

5. License, ummm, you need a license for this thing?

6. The band for 90% of users goes from 108-221.950 MHz & 303-580 MHz.

7. If hams in southern Utah arn't complaining about you, you need a bigger amp.

8. Stay off of the pirate FM frequency used by Defcon Radio.

[Cowthief]

Hello.

The most common area for DefCon seems to be a tossup of MURS and GMRS/FRS.
The hotel uses the color-dot type of thing for housekeeping.
There is a "hospitality network" for both the shuttle bus and security.
None of this is digital or trunking, so a dual band ham talkie with freeband mods will work just fine.
The thing to remember, the feds are at DefCon, so, if you do something really dumb, you stand a really good chance of getting busted.
Remember, anyone at DefCon is the carrot on the end of the stick.

[nak]

Heh, thanks for the information guys, sorta :-P
I have been fortunate enough to get my hands on a optoelectronics scout, so that will be interesting (frequency counter and recorder) and my ICOM handi-talkie has been modded for sometime now :-)
Defcon will be fun, I can hardly wait :-D

[russ]

You know, there must be a dozen ways we could bring a HAM contest into all this, but I can't think of any that would be even SOMEWHAT legal.

haha

[bascule]

You know, there must be a dozen ways we could bring a HAM contest into all this, but I can't think of any that would be even SOMEWHAT legal.

You could always do a foxhunt. Or better yet, combine a foxhunt with Spot the Fed and plant a transmitter on a fed, then try to find him...

[astcell]

You could always do a foxhunt. Or better yet, combine a foxhunt with Spot the Fed and plant a transmitter on a fed, then try to find him...

Sounds like a Scavenger Hunt item.

[nak]

A fox hunt would be really fun, and it would force me to learn about directional antennas.
For a beacon that can be picked up on "normal" tuneable FM radios, information unlimited sells kits (http://www.amazing1.com/fm-transmitters-receivers.htm) so people wouldnt really have to look far or spend lots of $$... if there would be a hidden transmitter on a person (besides the running man) for some reason, like the scav hunt :-P

[LosT]

Speaking of HAMs, I couldn't sleep tonight, so while laying there trying to sleep I came up with a basic design for a device that takes Morse and translates it to spoken English text....and from there it would be trivial to send it to the net, an email ,etc....

LosT

[theprez98]

Speaking of Morse code:

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/29/0550256&threshold=-1&tid=215&tid=137

[nak]

LosT, for your design, here is how morse code is transmitted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_wave) most efficiently (and most commonly). We should both learn morse code, get general licenses and rigs, we can keep in contact that way. :-P

*edit*
Speaking of Morse code:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/articl...tid=215&tid=137
That article is interesting, but then everyone would have to learn to send morse code (harder than copying it!) but with a little practice it could be a more efficient way of sending messages, and it would reduce the amount of buttons on cellphones.
I was thinking of this for a desgin:
http://www.hackingisfun.com/imglib/gif/morsevssms.gif

[skroo]

1. Use of profanity is compulsory

And make it *good* profanity... Saying 'boobies' followed by schoolboy giggling is not profanity.

2. IDing is expressly forbidden. You should only ID with a special handle of your choice that meets the requirements of rule #1, such as 'cockgoblin' or 'cumchugger'

Or ID with the call of someone you really, really don't like.

3. NEVER wait for the courtesy tone/squelch drop when using the repeater. If the repeater times out while you're transmitting, you win a prize

If you can lock the repeater, the repeater is the prize. Now go find it.

4. Transmitting music is still taboo. If you want to transmit music, use the police band

Or FRS. Seriously, I hate FRS and maintain that the best thing to come over the air on it was three solid hours of Oingo Bongo on (IIRC) channel 13 at DC9. Well, that and 'blueberry clitoris'.

5. License, ummm, you need a license for this thing?

See addendum to 2. above.

6. The band for 90% of users goes from 108-221.950 MHz & 303-580 MHz.

Correction: the band for 90% of users goes from the audible range to infrared. The other 10% are somewhere either side of those.

7. If hams in southern Utah arn't complaining about you, you need a bigger amp.

Utah? Feh. Guatemala. Utah's a piss across the puddle from Vegas.

8. Stay off of the pirate FM frequency used by Defcon Radio.

Indeed.

[alklloyd]

Skroo, was wondering if you knew about this:
http://forum.defcon.org/showthread.php?t=5748&page=2
Mods, sorry about the OTP...Skroo's messages are blocked and I did not want to bother Nulltone.

Al

[skroo]

Skroo, was wondering if you knew about this:
http://forum.defcon.org/showthread.php?t=5748&page=2
Mods, sorry about the OTP...Skroo's messages are blocked and I did not want to bother Nulltone.

Al

Yep, got it, thanks - cotman sent it to me a while back. It looks really damned nifty and I'm going to try to make it over there, but seeing as how I'm still struggling with work over my time off to actually *go* to Vegas (they're being difficult largely because they can) it may be a bit difficult. Definitely do want to see it, though, even if that means driving out to Vegas some weekend just to visit it...

[telemonster]

151.900 has been (since 1995?) the "unofficial" CON frequency. Sometimes (Like Beyond HOPE) there was a Taxi cab on the frequency. Philly was always quiet (Pumpcons) , as was DC (Summercons). If it becomes too much of an issue everyone moved to CTCSS. It seems to have died off mostly, as everyone moved to FRS radios and no longer pimp the modded Alincos of the past.

Last year there wasn't too much activity on the local HAM freqs. There is an AES in town, and they sold an unbelivable about gear. And didn't question the lack of callsigns. I'm not sure how active the HAM hobby is, so the older guys might be happy to see younger kids interested at all in radio.

The goons use Motorola radios with encryption. No chance of cracking it, already been thru the Motorola securenet white papers.

Last year the wireless PA was gone. Hopefully it will return this year.

Generally a good idea to leave the hotel/housekeeping people alone.

[skroo]

151.900 has been (since 1995?) the "unofficial" CON frequency. Sometimes (Like Beyond HOPE) there was a Taxi cab on the frequency.

Hey! I remember you! You're 'that guy (http://forum.defcon.org/showthread.php?t=4343)'! How's that whole 'pissing and moaning about how unfairly I was treated on the forums' thing working out for you these days?

The goons use Motorola radios with encryption. No chance of cracking it, already been thru the Motorola securenet white papers.

OMGWTFONOESNOHAX0RING4U!!!inspanishthefirstoneisup sidedown!@!

Last year the wireless PA was gone. Hopefully it will return this year.

Yeah, because nothing screams 'I ARE TEH HAX0R!!booleantrue!#!' like fucking over the freq. some poor damn speaker is trying to talk to several hundred people on. Thanks for screwing everyone else who paid to see the talk over so you could be a wireless radio terrorist marconi ninja. You must be so proud to be a role model for autistic 12-year-olds everywhere.

Generally a good idea to leave the hotel/housekeeping people alone.

Awwww, why? I mean, if you're gonna screw with the people presenting the talks, why not go the whole hog and send room 2600 nine thousand rolls of toilet paper? That would be so 1337, because, like, it'd be room 2600 and 2600 is a magazine, and this one time, 13*200 made 2600!!onoesones!@! LOLZ, HARHARHARTEHFUNNAY!

Not. FOAD.

[telemonster]

Hey! I remember you! You're 'that guy (http://forum.defcon.org/showthread.php?t=4343)'! How's that whole 'pissing and moaning about how unfairly I was treated on the forums' thing working out for you these days?


Working great? It's kind of funny that you still remember me. Heh. You've been reloading ever since that day, waiting I'm sure.


OMGWTFONOESNOHAX0RING4U!!!inspanishthefirstoneisup sidedown!@!


Sorry, don't follow the spanish part.



Yeah, because nothing screams 'I ARE TEH HAX0R!!booleantrue!#!' like fucking over the freq. some poor damn speaker is trying to talk to several hundred people on. Thanks for screwing everyone else who paid to see the talk over so you could be a wireless radio terrorist marconi ninja. You must be so proud to be a role model for autistic 12-year-olds everywhere.



I've never seen that happen at Defcon.



Awwww, why? I mean, if you're gonna screw with the people presenting the talks, why not go the whole hog and send room 2600 nine thousand rolls of toilet paper? That would be so 1337, because, like, it'd be room 2600 and 2600 is a magazine, and this one time, 13*200 made 2600!!onoesones!@! LOLZ, HARHARHARTEHFUNNAY!

Not. FOAD.

So your reply carried nothing useful to add to the conversation. So if I go back thru all 1,700 (JESUS FUCKING CHRIST MAN DO YOU HAVE A DC FORUMS "NEW POST" LED SIGNBOARD IN YOUR BEDROOM OR WHAT) posts of yours, do any of them have meaningful content?

I'm guessing...

no.

G'day.

[skroo]

Working great? It's kind of funny that you still remember me. Heh. You've been reloading ever since that day, waiting I'm sure.

Yes, I have nothing better to do with my time than obsess over you.

FWIW, you're still a tool. Nice try at being clever, though. Didn't work out very well for you, but them's the breaks.

Have a nice day.

[TheCotMan]

do any of them have meaningful content?

I'm guessing...

No need to guess. I'll tell you that skroo does have posts with useful and meaningful content.

[noid]

Ignore this clown. I remember him. He went crying to DT over his rough treatment on the forums. Remind me to bring him some Vagasil at Defcon.

Heh, I think I even still have his email in an archived inbox, I'll see if I can dig it up.

[pinguino]

Sounds like a Scavenger Hunt item.

ive almost put ham radio stuff into the scavenger hunt so many times, but it never seemed like there were enough people with radios who were playing to be able to make it fun (and you'd have to do it in front of a scavenger hunt person.) we had a whole sub-contest written out one year where we were going to do a foxhunt-type-thing but didn't think anyone would actually play. I know one year we did give out a page that had a bunch of frequencies written out on it that you had to match up or something, but nobody did it..

i did foxhunts when i was a kid.. they were fun =) one year they had me be the bait and walk around a mall with a radio in my backpack. i didnt realize all these old retired guys were listening into me and my friend talking, i assumed it was broadcasting a beep or something.

[astcell]

I have contributed to many of the scav hunt lists an would love to continue to do so if a list of ideas is desired.

And if I make it to Defcon I may not have a Yaesu, but I should have an MBITR. :>

[FormatSee]

Why not set up an Echolink node, which might present some possibilities. You may or may not use voice which might settle some of the legalities. eQSO could be another possibility, because it permits the presence of non-hams in a SWL mode.