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France Says D-Star Ham Radio Mode Is Illegal

gyrogeerloose writes "Citing 'national security concerns,' the French Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP, France's equivalent of the US's FCC) has ruled that D-Star, an amateur radio digital signal mode used world-wide, is illegal because it could allow operators to connect to the Internet.The ARCEP also cites alleged concerns regarding cryptography and national security as well as the use of a proprietary codec. While it's true that the D-Star codec is proprietary, its owner has openly licensed it (for a fee, of course) to any manufacturer who wants to build it into their equipment. Any licensed amateur radio operator who lives within the EU can sign an online petition protesting this decision."

6 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. Re:every modulation method can be 'net-connected by bsDaemon · · Score: 5, Funny

    The French are afraid their net-connected hams will offend Pakistan.

  2. simple solution by sunking2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tell them it is being used to fix their football program.

  3. Acronyms by Silentknyght · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...the French Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes...

    They had to add in the regular mail, you see, else the acronym could have been "FARCE"...

  4. Re:Wait, What? by Minwee · · Score: 5, Funny

    He doesn't understand the issue, so he asked a question. Sorry that offends your sensibilities.

    Clearly he doesn't understand the way we do things here. If you don't understand the issue, pretend that you do. If you do understand the issue, read the other comments, hold your head in your hands and rock back and forth hoping that the pain will stop.

  5. Re:every modulation method can be 'net-connected by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where do you draw the line?

    Along the eastern border with Germany, but not extending all of the way to Belgium.

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  6. Re:every modulation method can be 'net-connected by Isaac-1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The better question is where does Germany want to draw its eastern border?