Radio Communication at Defcon

[skroo]

Originally posted by astcell
What is the big deal about using a radio at Defcon anyway? Yes you are giving out personal information with your callsign but it's not like your SS# or a credit card. And what value does MY callsign have, when one can easily search the FCC and get all the free callsigns you want?

Someone may use it to come by and key your Element some night ;P

Seriously, though... Identity fraud is the main one. Grab someone's callsign, hit up ARRL's website and search on it, and you've got 90% of the info you need to start ruining their life.

[astcell]

Well if they wanna ruin someone's life it's best to pick a person at random, preferably someone you have never met. If my numbers were abused I'd of course think of all those who would do that to me.

[Neural]

I wouldn't have a problem letting someone like blackwave or someone else I've at least met once before in person, know my callsign. Then if I got tired of listening in on FRS I could tell those who know my callsign what legit frequency I'll be monitoring and then just be careful not to associate my nick with my callsign on the legit frequency. Then it would sorta just mix in with all the other ham traffic. Anyone monitoring would just hear 'KF6xxx, this is W6xxx calling. Where are you at? Where do you feel like going out to eat tonight? blah blah blah'. Most likely anyone abusive would still be stuck in kiddie FRS land and there's so many frequencies you can be on that it would be tough to monitor unless you got a frequency counter like the Optoelectronics Scout on ya. I only know of a handful of people who actually show up with a frequency counter.

[skroo]

Originally posted by astcell
Well if they wanna ruin someone's life it's best to pick a person at random, preferably someone you have never met. If my numbers were abused I'd of course think of all those who would do that to me.

Point taken. However, I seem to remember that around 1996-8 or so there was actually a fraud ring bust where the members were scanning the Ham bands, grabbing callsigns, doing lookups, and using that info to obtain credit in their victims' names. Not totally random, granted, but not entirely targeted either.

[blackwave]

Originally posted by Neural
I only know of a handful of people who actually show up with a frequency counter.

I always bring mine along in my radio bag:
http://support.tandy.com/support_meters/38449.htm
http://support.tandy.com/support_meters/doc62/62270.pdf

just looking that url, makes me cringe... :)

[froggy]

Hey all,

I don't have too much of a problem giving my call. I operated on my vx-5 a bit last year with Vegas locals as well as my girlfriend. It was nice to move off of FRS and avoid the usual bullshit associated with it. The problem is that a lot of non-Hams bring out their fancy ass radios and start operating on bands they have no business being on.

For what it's worth, though, I think it would be valuable and fun to have a DefCon simplex calling frequency. .52 might not be the best choice (Heck, I don't want to mess with the locals), but there's plenty of space that I'm sure we could find something useful.

[Neural]

I have a radio shack 22-305 which was probably the older one. Heh

22-305

[erehwon]

Originally posted by KidE
Is there a repeater near the AP that con attendees gravitate to?

Ahh the good ol days when you used to have one stashed in an idle hotel room...

[urban]

As I'd planned, today I passed my Technician license exam with a perfect score. I'm hoping to get the code ticket and General out of the way by Con time as well.

Those of you who are considering going for a ham ticket, but are undecided: Go for it. It's simple (35 multiple choice questions, for which every question and answer is known and published by the FCC verbatim), cheap (cost me $12), and fun (I never did really grok antennas until I started studying this stuff).

But, if you're going to do it, do it soon: The question pool for the Technician test (which you MUST take and pass first, regardless of your desire for a General or Extra-class ticket) changes July 1, thereby invalidating most of the study materials (at least, making them non-verbatim).

Now, back to learning Morse at 13wpm. :D

[astcell]

$12? I paid $10, then ran out and got my VX-7. I was going to go for Extra but what I found says Extra is an UPGRADE from General, so I gotta go the long route.

[blackwave]

10$? I paid 6$ and ran out to get my HTX-202... got a few years left on the license before I need to renew or upgrade :)... and the vx7 is in the mail :D

[astcell]

Yours was $6 because you got it back when a ham radio was two paper cups with a string between them. :D

I see you finally got home from the Block, I knew those magazines you bought weighed you down....

[blackwave]

Originally posted by astcell
I see you finally got home from the Block, I knew those magazines you bought weighed you down....

yeah those linux format mags aren't cheap :( they had two that weren't in my collection... in total I bought a total of 9 mags for 75 bux... I usually pick them up at B&N with my frequent buyer card... but borders doesn't use it :( ... alas.

[urban]

Originally posted by astcell
$12? I paid $10, then ran out and got my VX-7. I was going to go for Extra but what I found says Extra is an UPGRADE from General, so I gotta go the long route.

Heh. I had my vx5 and vx7 before taking the tests.

Extra is the last in the series: Technician, Tech + code, General, Extra. Each license requires successful completion of all previous exams (tech+code is just the code ticket).

You can go in and take tech, code, general and extra all at once if you want. But they're still cumulative. Flunk General or Code, and you'll only have the highest license in the series of consecutive successful completions, even if you pass extra.

In fact, you can take and pass extra now, and get the credit for it. You just won't have an Extra license or privileges until you complete the previous tests in the series.

I didn't know the fees varied by region. According to the ARRL and FCC, the fee is supposed to be $12 regardless of region. You must have taken your test a while ago.

(I'm certain i'm explaining things you already know, so consider it for the benefit of others who might want to jump right to Extra. ;) )

[astcell]

You may have HAD your radios before testing, but I know you never transmitted on them, that would be ILLEGAL....

I tink one ought to get the VX-7 about 2 months before testing, dang it'll take that long to figure out the commands.

BW, you said you had mod info in the 7, can you send me the link?