The Hidden Society of Amateur Radio

Alternate Title: Open Source Airwaves
Today I'm going ham.
Thanks very much to today's sponsor Quadratic.
Head to quadratichq.com/ to try it out!
❤️ If you would like to support what I do, I have set up a patreon here: / noboilerplate - Thank you!
📄 All my videos are built in compile-checked markdown, transcript sourcecode available here github.com/0atman/noboilerplate this is also where you'll find links to everything mentioned.
🖊️ Corrections are in the pinned ERRATA comment.
🦀 Start your Rust journey here: doc.rust-lang.org/stable/book/
🙏🏻 CREDITS & PROMO
My name is Tris Oaten and I produce fast, technical videos.
Follow me here / 0atman
Website for the show: noboilerplate.org
Come chat to me on my discord server: / discord
If you like sci-fi, I also produce a hopepunk podcast narrated by a little AI, videos written in Rust! www.lostterminal.com
If urban fantasy is more your thing, I also produce a podcast of wonderful modern folktales www.modemprometheus.com
👏🏻 Special thanks to my patreon sponsor:
- JC Andrever-Wright
And to all my patrons!

[@NoBoilerplate]

ERRATA (I have only been licensed since Feb '22, there's so much more for me to learn!) - If you see people signing their comments with their callsign, look them up on qrz.com - you might have a ham neighbour! - At 7:17 the mountaintop repeater building shown is on top of Bald Mountain in Sun Valley, ID.

[@DavidsKanal]

9:07 Wouldn't "From your speaker, to their microphone" make more sense here? (since you're transmitting, they're receiving)

[@AshtonSnapp]

@@DavidsKanal No, that’s backwards. A microphone takes in sound and sends it to something, speakers get that from something else and play it.

[@daveys]

Time will fly. Before you know it, you’ll have been licensed for years. I’m just short of 5yrs now but I still feel like a noob because the hobby is vast and constantly expanding.

[@ambuj.k]

This guy has such a good voice and scripting that he'd make us watch a video about bread without boring us.

[@lewisoaten2016]

Be careful what you wish for 😂. One of his (many) passions is baking!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you so much! I'd love to know what you think of Lost Terminal, I'm just wrapping up season 11! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmTFdXhvoNitg8U

[@jakob5481]

@@lewisoaten2016 well, id love a Video about baking bread

[@lewisoaten2016]

Tris, you have heard the call!

[@hackerynet]

Possibly a bread-related radio crossover. Efficiency of bread-making using radio energy across different bands. *However*, bread is to some extent Necessarily Salty.

[@MentalSideBeats]

Bouncing the signal off the moon - immediately ignites the idea of creating a feedback loop in me as a modular enthusiast. A true space echo :)

[@NoBoilerplate]

omg yes! I'm more into software than modular, but what a cool idea! There's an example of how the returned signal sounds in this mini documentary - it's almost unintelligible - but could be good for bleeps and bloops?

[@MentalSideBeats]

​@@NoBoilerplate Fun fact: I got into software engineering through modular :) Sampling something like that is fun (if we're speaking about the 1-shot kind of process, just receiving the signal back), but I meant setting up the actual hardware, sending something via transmitter, receiving back (with some delay added), feeding the received signal back into transmitter etc, like a while loop with signal volume control in a feedback path. And watching the signal degrade. It would also be interesting to hear how an overdrive effect would sound on maximum feedback value, when the signal portions stack on top of the previous ones. I'm not quite sure if that kind of thoughts make sense in real world, since my experience with radio is limited only with consumer grade radio receivers. BTW, several months ago, during severe blackouts here in Ukraine, in my area that was the only way to get the news on what's going on (there was even a part of the day when the local radio stations weren't working and we listened to some station from the UK in shortwave band). Going back to the space echo - I've seen a similar implementation on Simon Hutchinson's channel, where he created a feedback loop with SpectralEvolver via Zoom with modular connected. They called that "Zoomscapes", quite entertaining. The real space echo could be the next level :)

[@NoBoilerplate]

​@@MentalSideBeats Sorry for the delay, I missed your reply. That's such a great idea! Use the moon as a delay, like a tape delay XD I'll go watch Hutchinson's channel, thank you! Puts me in mind of "Harder Drive" kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJSthIpth9Wln9E

[@RedStone576]

radio is underrated

[@NoBoilerplate]

I used to think if it didn't have a mac address, I didn't care. There's SO MUCH out there!

[@lorenzo-in3hbb]

@@NoBoilerplate take a look at AX.25, it is a layer2 protocol that uses the callsign + StationID as a mac address! And this is only an example. Thanks for your videos, 73 de IN3HBB

[@martinjakab]

@@gregorywpower ok, we get it, you hate the right.

[@gregorywpower]

@@martinjakabDang, I didn’t say that.

[@N0SSC]

This is a 10/10 ham radio primer. I’d expect to see this from the ARRL or RSGB but you’re miles ahead - right on point, concise, and easy to understand by anyone. Makes me want to get my license, again! 😅 I also love that you mention “…just like driving a car, it **augments any outdoor activity you want to do.**” That’s an understatement - just look at the popularity of SOTA, POTA, IOTA, and field day! One nit on morse code: charts are nifty for the layperson, but real bad for learning morse for on-air proficiency, efficiency, and speed. Same for mnemonics. It’s well researched that audio-only methods of morse code training are the most effective, and others are detrimental. Fortunately there’s tons of free apps, software, guided classes, podcasts, and KZbin playlists that teach morse by audio using scientifically proven *audio-only* techniques (e.g. Koch method, farnsworth spacing, instant character recognition).

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you so much! Maybe I should write a whole series... interesting! I'll check out those methods when I learn CW. The reason I used this graphic is that it presents Morse in a fresh way, many people have said "IS THAT IT?" etc. Gotta get folks keen!

[@fotografm]

I agree with you. Get your license again !

[@miguelguthridge]

This wasn't what I was expecting to see from this channel but wow that's really interesting! Another one to add to the pile of hobbies I wish I had time for I guess

[@NoBoilerplate]

Right! Don't worry, you can just buy a load of radios and never use them, it takes up hardly any time at all! XD

[@miguelguthridge]

@@NoBoilerplate it'll go great with my massive collection of musical instruments, most of which I only play once every year or so 🙃

[@GordonChil]

I live in the Houston area and this has convinced me to get a license before the next catastrophe hits.

[@93davve93]

Oh man, you're so good at nerd sniping me

[@NoBoilerplate]

I reckon every programmer would *love* amateur radio, it's SO cool!

[@93davve93]

Haha yes! What's the overlap between programming and AR? I've heard about software defined radio (SDR), is that where it overlaps the most?

[@93davve93]

@@NoBoilerplate Thoughts? :)

[@rauljosegarcia]

I just went through a programming phase around the holidays and at the time came here to see Rust videos. In the last two months I got the amateur radio bug, studied for the test and got licensed, and I just came from seeing your video on reddit. I thought the name looked familiar and came to the channel only to notice all the previously watched Rust videos LOL. Small world. WM2Q.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Wonderful! It truly is a small world :-)

[@MrSomethingred]

Your enthusiasm for everything you talk about is infectious. Also congrats on having the first KZbin sponsorship that has actually made me check out the product they are promoting

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you so much - it's a GOOD app right? the GPT integration really blew me away.

[@exoZelia]

I bought an SDR and I have so much fun with it. Working on a project that involves it, I had an errant idea while back and then dove into this whole world. It's so amazing

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's WILD how far you can get with an RTL-SDR, and a UV-5R, $20 each! I have far more fancy radios and still most of my time is messing around with handheld radios and decoding stuff with the SDR!

[@bellmar2000]

I've been working on cell tower radio design for almost a decade and this is more about amature radio then I ever learned.

[@NoBoilerplate]

You might be able to pass the basic ham exam with very little study, then! :-)

[@r3dy627]

You sparked my curiosity, and I went down the ham rabbit hole. I just passed my exam today. I should get my call sign in a few days. Thank you for the inspiration!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Fantastic! Welcome to the hobby! My recommendation is to play with VHF first, I went down the rabbit hole of expensive HF gear and couldn't get anywhere - antennas are COMPLEX for HF. Buy the digital mode that your local repeaters use, YSF/DSTAR/DMR, no point buying the one you think is "best" then having no-one to use it with! A little internet-connected digi hotspot is a GOOD thing, no matter what the purists say! Have fun! 73!

[@du64]

Thanks for introducing me to Quadratic, I use it every day now since they first sponsored you. I hate spreadsheets like Excel, but Quadratic is amazing, it lets me automate and visualize my work.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Wonderful! Yes they're my goto number cruncher now.

[@alexplosion_ITA]

Wow! I came here from lost terminal and I'm amazed, i have recently bought an SDR(so no transmitting for now) and was dipping my toes in this amazing hidden world, mainly receiving weather images from NOAA satellites and similar. But also hearing and going trough the radio spectrum searching for interesting transmissions and number stations, and now that I've found this I've even more inspired. Amazing video.

[@NoBoilerplate]

oh fantastic! I learned so much about radio to make Lost Terminal as accurate as possible, I realised last year that I had learned enough to take the amateur radio exam! What a lovely piece of symmetry!

[@aenesturan]

thank you for making a video about this, I hope that more people will get their ham licence, it is a brilliant hobby. 73 TA2EHB from Turkey

[@NoBoilerplate]

Greetings from London! Yes I am persuading my friends to get licenced too :-)

[@asaoa91]

I've watched your plain text videos, loved it, and now i'm surprised to learn you are an amateur radio operator. Here, no licence yet, but part of LU8YE radioclub, in Pataognia. Cheers!

[@ShinigamiZone]

Maybe interesting coincidence, but I just wanted to tell you that I, one of your viewer, is one of the core maintainer of FakerJS 😅 So I'm happy you made an ad for the python version of Faker 😊

[@NoBoilerplate]

oh hi! How wonderful! You should thank quadratichq.com for including faker in their tutorial :-D

[@b4ux1t3-tech]

Darn it, I watch your channel for rust content, not _my other major hobby_. In all seriousness, great, short explainer to give to folks on what ham radio is! Hope to see you on the air! Edit: you don't happen to frequent any YSF rooms, do you? I'm looking for more to join that have a bit of traffic.

[@NoBoilerplate]

I'm actually thing about getting back into YSF - I've switched my HH to an ID-52, which is great, but the hotspot is incomprehensible for me to connect to - Fusion was a delight! When I get it set up again, I'll probably hang out in the OARC uk online club room.

[@m0zah]

Hi Chris, been watching your videos for a while. Congrats to you on passing your license, from M0ZAH

[@NoBoilerplate]

Cheers Jim! How are you finding 4m? I don't know much about it. (btw It's "Tris", not "Chris" easy to mishear, no worries!)

[@m0zah]

@@NoBoilerplate ​ @NoBoilerplate Tris, please accept my apologies as you can see I can't hear too well. 4M is great fun it helps if you have local activity. Some places it's dead, up here in Norfolk we have a fair amount of activity. If you're ever up this way feel free reach out and we can try 4M.

[@wabteytv]

The Lost terminal will be delighted to hear many people broadcasting from now on

[@NoBoilerplate]

The wild thing is, I did so much research on radio to make sure Lost Terminal was accurate to the science I eventually realised I'd learned enough to become qualified as an Amateur Radio operator! XD

[@geckoram6286]

Between this and lost terminal you're going to make me get a radio license, you make it look so cool (and it probably is)...

[@NoBoilerplate]

IT FREAKIN IS DUDE

[@gSys1337]

I think you unlocked a new hobby inside of me.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Search your feelings, you know it to be true!

[@Netist_]

I've thought about getting into amateur radio a couple times. Even bought a book. The technology fascinates me. I think it's incredibly interesting. But the thing that always stops me is that I have no idea what I would do with a radio. I'm not a particularly social person. I don't have any interest in talking to or listening to strangers. I'm also not terribly interested in the more academic side of seeing how far I can receive/transmit. So while I think it's neat, I don't really see any personal practical use, for me at least.

[@NoBoilerplate]

I also struggle with this, my immediate friend group are being FRUSTRATINGLY SLOW to get licenced! The hobby augments any outdoor activity you do, so consider how you could integrate it into hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, sports etc etc

[@florinbaciu2325]

Thanks for making this video, i watched it when you posted it, and reminded that i wanted to be a radio amateur when i was highscool kid. And now i submitted my exam application :) hope that all will go well and ill pass it

[@NoBoilerplate]

Fantastic! Good luck with the exam, study well and maybe I'll see you on the air! Come tell us about it on my discord (link in the description) in #amateur-radio!

[@spacecoyote6646]

At 7:17 the mountaintop repeater building shown is on top of Bald Mountain in Sun Valley, ID. I have been in it many times. I may have taken that picture.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Incredible! I couldn't find the source for it, I'll add this info to the ERRATA. And if you can confirm you took that photo, I'll credit you too! It looks like an incredible place, I hope to visit such places one day.

[@garageagle]

Congratulations and welcome to the hobby!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! :-)

[@stephennelson-smith3312]

I discovered your channel because I'm interested in Rust, but I am also a radio amateur, and have some plans to write a CLI tool for logging and exporting in ADIF, in Rust. Best 73, 2E0IHM

[@NoBoilerplate]

Ahoy! Thanks for commenting, I made this video to try to get more folks into the hobby, maybe a different kind of video than people usually make. 73! 2E1OAT

[@cccccc864]

Damn! I understand all the science behind and new it for years now, but I don't understand how I didn't know about amateur radios before!!!!! I'm in!!! 💯%!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Talk to you on the air!

[@MrMediator24]

Oh my, just started SDR recently, what a coincidence. Might get license in the future

[@NoBoilerplate]

Keep looking into it - APRS was what got me super interested, there's SO MUCH around! aprs.fi/

[@MrMediator24]

@@NoBoilerplate looked up my both areas, not much there. Though my main goal so far is of... interesting domain. Intelligence kind

[@darktorrent_]

was not expecting this. got my baofeng a few weeks back

[@NoBoilerplate]

YES! That's the gateway drug! Try an RTL-SDR, too - also incredible value for money!

[@cc.jsullivan]

Liked for the description, great evangelism for the commons!

[@NoBoilerplate]

What a wonderful gift we have!

[@0xDEAD_Inside]

This was one interesting watch!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! It's a huge, interesting hobby!

[@KingJellyfishII]

I've always been meaning to get my ham license, I think this might be a good time to go ahead with it. Last time I looked there wasn't an option to take the exam online (in the UK), I assume that's changed now? I can't seem to find much information on it.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Yep, it's still online afaik - they started during 2020 for obvious reasons - take advantage of that while they still do it! Waitlist is about 10 days I think rsgb.org/main/rsgb-examination-booking/ Come talk to me about it in #amateur-radio on my discord, I'll give you some tips!

[@KingJellyfishII]

@@NoBoilerplate Thanks! I'll head on to discord.

[@KadenCartwright]

Barista: how can I help you Tris: can I get 2E1 oat lattes Barista: you mean 2? Tris: yes that’s what I said

[@NoBoilerplate]

Oat tea for me please!

[@chrissaltmarsh6777]

As a kid, I had an R1155 out of an plane - ex-RAF. And 1154 for transmit. Morse was required. I also had a long cable stretched out of the window as an aeriel. Sometimes a bird would perch on it, and fall off. How things have changed! Don't do that anymore. Anthough Rust is in my reach.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Very fun! I will learn Morse soon, I can tell!

[@chrissaltmarsh6777]

@@NoBoilerplate I can't remember my callsign. Probably run out now. I certainly can't do the morse accuratdely any more.

[@JayKnight]

I didn't think I could like this channel more, but you proved me wrong :) Now do an overview of the ham software written in rust :) -KN4HT

[@NoBoilerplate]

I wrote an automated scanner using hamlib a while back - hamlib is great!

[@StewartMcGinnis]

KF7MXY I got a technician license back in 7th grade but have been shy to broadcast. I've been picking it back up though, so it's fun to see you talk about HAM!

[@NoBoilerplate]

I remember being shy at first - keep monitoring, and you'll get there :-) 73

[@rivques4516]

This looks really cool, and I’ve been considering getting into amateur radio for a while. How do I start?

[@NoBoilerplate]

Depends where you live, UK it's RSGB, US it's ARRL? Search for "amateur radio" in your country :-)

[@crashniels]

Very cool. While I do not have a license my dad has and I sometimes help him with radio stuff and the software side of things. Congrats from DL1OM and hopefully I'll get my own license soon.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! Best regards to you and your Dad. I heard it's not as easy to get a licence in Germany as it is in the UK?

[@crashniels]

@@NoBoilerplate it has gotten easier these days. It used to be a bit harder.

[@blackphidora]

Highly recommend adding GMRS to your tool bag as well.

[@NoBoilerplate]

LOVE gmrs - 50W on a license that covers the whole family? COOL! It's US-only, sadly. For everyone else, we'll have to get a ham license :-D

[@blackphidora]

@@NoBoilerplate Whoops, Didn't consider that. That would be unfortunate if there is not a similar equivalent radio service. Happy Hamming!

[@kc0itf]

There's no encryption with at least one exception: Winlink! Some of the Winlink modes are actually encrypted and has been the source of some debate in ham circles...

[@NoBoilerplate]

Oh interesting! Is that because they have to interface with the secure email network?

[@kc0itf]

@@NoBoilerplate that was part of it I think, there was a petition before the FCC about removing encryption from the ham bands and the Winlink people made a big stink about it... I'm sure you can Google for more details

[@JirkaBalhar]

Great video, thank you! A small off-topic nitpick: at 7:56 you say that the repeater map approximates population map. I would say that is not true - look at Africa, India and China, populous regions with comparatively fewer repeaters.

[@NoBoilerplate]

you're right! I should have said something about electricity, but I did say "wherever there are town and cities" which implies industrialisation, kinda. China is a special case, sadly, though there's somehow 1 or two repeaters registered there!

[@JirkaBalhar]

@@NoBoilerplate yeah, I understand. I think the "population map approximation" works more on country-level than on global one where there is much more variation in wealth and industrialization and so on. Anyways, your video is really nice. My dad is a radio amateur and I was always intrigued but never went deeper into it. I think I might give it a try again in the future 🙂

[@NoBoilerplate]

@@JirkaBalhar how super!

[@Marcosilva0000]

Where did you do your online license in the UK?

[@NoBoilerplate]

the only place you can do it: the RSGB!

[@Marcosilva0000]

@@NoBoilerplate booked. Sadly I could only get it for the 20th, so I'll see you on the waves after that, 73.

[@liammhodonohue]

I always liked the idea of amateur radio, especially the technical aspect. However it just seems a bit long winded if all I'm going to do is talk about how big my aerial is. What do you end up talking about? I'm more interested in intercepting weather satellite images. I bumped into a video on here that i have since struggled to find again - a guy in Australia was intercepting POCSAG encoded pager messages from his local hospital. Another curio was the same guy intercepting short messages broadcast from airliners. Not just ADSB vectors, but stuff like toilet not working or fume event (i might have misremembered the fume event). I follow Lewis - ManchesterRingway on here - i like his stuff

[@NoBoilerplate]

Big fan of Lewis too, he's a great no-nonsense chap. Yes, you certainly don't need a license to experiment with just receiving! APRS is another popular protocol you might have flying around your house - try aprs.fi/ to see. The trick is to get a few friends licensed, then go outside. The rest of the plan writes itself!

[@philipnelson5]

You're inspiring me to dust off my license, thank you - KI7PAH

[@NoBoilerplate]

YES! check out the digital modes, they're fun!

[@tomaszkarwik6357]

My life got intertwined with amateur radio when one of my it teachers (great guy, btw) said that he was the coordinator of PZK for ARISS school contacts and invited me to our school's radio club.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Wonderful! I bet most kids would LOVE ham radio!

[@tomaszkarwik6357]

@No Boilerplate some of them. One guy in my class has a licence ( just passed the exam 2 weeks ago, so no callsign yet). I needed to drop out of the club for life reasons, but there is a great community at our school

[@thejeeder3333]

Radio Bloemfontein!

[@thepaulcraft957]

7:43 hiermit erklaere ich diese kommentarsektion zu eigentum der bundesrepublik deutschland

[@NoBoilerplate]

THERE'S SO MANY REPEATERS IN GERMANY :-D

[@thepaulcraft957]

@@NoBoilerplate I'd rather have good radio (programs) than many radio repeaters 😅

[@dinophage]

I had absolutely 0 interest in HAM outside the kitchen until today. Will be looking into this.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Right! Such an interesting hobby! Come chat about it on #amateur-radio on my discord, if you like!

[@JeffCowan]

I wanna know where you got that Elecraft T1!!! Unobtaineum! 🤣

[@SEOTADEO]

I've never even thought about how this world works!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Same! That was me a year ago!

[@RenderingUser]

I wonder what radio rules/licensing would be like in a tiny country in the middle of nowhere

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's nice to get licensed to participate in this lovely community, but you can start off just listening. I recommend an RTL-SDR receiver - super cheap!

[@RenderingUser]

@@NoBoilerplate also, this video has lead me discover, that the newer mobile phones don't come with a radio app Which was quite a shock

[@fredbcruz]

Nice hat and goggles!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! I was at a Venetian ball :-D

[@bvf8611]

Talking about apocalypse: wouldn't it be useful to create some GPS based clever app for offline rendered smartphones, that would help PMR radio owners in adjusting their 16 channels so somehow to enable a location cells based communication. Like you are communicating on channel 12 and also receiving channel 8, and in case you wanted to propagate your or someone else's message to a neighbouring cell in a specific direction, you knew their respective frequencies...

[@NoBoilerplate]

You've got the ham attitude! Break free of the limitations of pmr/frs/gmrs. You've just kinda described digipeaters for APRS aprs.fi/

[@bvf8611]

Yeah but i want to empower those ppl. who do take preventive countermeasures yet don't know or feel like owning or making their own radio, or participating in the HAM movement. Because PMRs are out there in plenty and are fairly usr friendly. I check the link immediately, and try to apply it to PMRs. At least in theory. Thanx!

[@paulplack490]

If the apocalypse includes nukes or anything that generates significant electromagnetic pulse, (including natural causes,) I'm afraid you won't want a system reliant on GPS, or any other satellite network.

[@deepsea313]

Nice! Hope to have a QSO one day! K8SEA!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! That would be fun :-)

[@saf.aiinc.3478]

love quadratic ❤❤❤

[@NoBoilerplate]

Me too! such a nice app

[@local.interloper]

When are you releasing a vid on the new Rust mark controversy? I'm interested in your take on it.

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's too soon to judge. Something I learned while working in the UK Government's digital department was not to worry too much what the lawyers and politicians are doing, they do and say insane things every single day. And guess what: It doesn't really affect us very much down here, on a long enough timescale. In a year they'll be long gone, and we'll still be here, building the future. My attention is finite, I choose to use it on more interesting things 😄

[@local.interloper]

@@NoBoilerplate Solid take. After thinking about it from my point of view, I figured as much, but it might affect content creators that are vital to technologies growth and I'd hate honest chaps like you having to worry about a bunch of criteria in order to talk about the things you love. It hinders the growth of the first revolutionary language in a long while. Apparently it caused enough havoc to earn itself a pin on top of r/rust. In any case, thnx for the calming words and I hope ur right. Stay awesome!

[@TheJayman213]

fascinating

[@NoBoilerplate]

it *is* a fascinating hobby! The biggest surprise is that we don't know how radio waves work. Like, NO ONE does.

[@michaelschnell5633]

I sent a link to this to a friend wo very intensively does AR. -Michael

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you, I hope they like it!

[@notafbihoneypot8487]

Based Also question. I wanna get my License. Where did you get your study information from.

[@NoBoilerplate]

In the UK, the RSGB, in the US, ARRL. Where do you live?

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

the price of admission includes studying for the exam

[@NoBoilerplate]

Fair, though I just did 30 minutes of studying for the Foundation exam, it's pretty straight-forward!

[@AliBaba-vw7mo]

How did you get your intermediate?

[@NoBoilerplate]

studied the RSGB book and had a bit of luck in the exam! Did it all online, as usual. They require 2 camera angles to prevent cheating when you do it!

[@AliBaba-vw7mo]

@@NoBoilerplate Nice! I've always been interested in telecommunications and am seriously considering getting a ham license. I think I'll get my foundation first, then work up from there if I like the hobby.

[@NoBoilerplate]

honestly foundation gives you most of the hobby - 10W gives you access to all handheld devices, and that's what 99% of my use is! Receiving is always free, and if you build a good enough antenna, that 10W gets you just as far as my 50W! also THE FOUNDATION EXAM IS EASY!

[@JamesStegemeyer]

This was a great introduction to Amateur Radio, 73 de ab8ra

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! :-)

[@fojico1234]

Rust ❤

[@NoBoilerplate]

Next video, friend :-)

[@barelmishal9668]

What do you think about the rust foundation proposal

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's too soon to judge. Something I learned while working in the UK Government's digital department was not to worry too much what the lawyers and politicians are doing, they do and say insane things every single day. And guess what: It doesn't really affect us very much down here, on a long enough timescale. In a year they'll be long gone, and we'll still be here, building the future. My attention is finite, I choose to use it on more interesting things 😄

[@barelmishal9668]

@@NoBoilerplate but this is actually will cause you harm too. is it not? I love to hear you voice speaking about rust, and this is not fair for the community sometimes you want to hear other people opening and view

[@kevinbatdorf]

How can i learn more? Like step by step lol

[@NoBoilerplate]

Florida, right Kevin? It's super easy to get the Technician License in the US, that's the one to go for. Check out this guy kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZSZinRvpMmbitU

[@Tannerlegasse]

KF7HHA here, I got my license in high school, but have never transmitted, maybe I should :)

[@NoBoilerplate]

Try out the digital modes! aprs.fi/ and FT8!

[@rainyafternoons7003]

hope to see you on the air!

[@NoBoilerplate]

you too! 73!

[@user-wg3fe3ij2o]

And yet, most conversations are about technical details, the weather and health problems

[@tajo48]

Nice SQ9PIO

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! I'm hoping to get new folks interested in this wonderful hobby :-)

[@corymacd]

73s!

[@NoBoilerplate]

:-)

[@LetrixAR]

Where's the cargo pacakge?

[@NoBoilerplate]

coming next video :-D

[@nerdy_dav]

I've been wanting to do this for so long .. this might just pip me over the edge... ( I have to do some more of my website first..) I do wish I didn't have to sleep. I'd like a 3rd of my life back. I won't live long enough to do all the things I want to do! .. Life is so very very short.

[@NoBoilerplate]

Look into polyphasic sleep - I'm going to do a video on this soon! www.0atman.com/articles/20/sleep-experiment

[@nerdy_dav]

@@NoBoilerplate Will check it out thank you!

[@remiwi2399]

can i use this the moon to voice chat with my friends while playing valorant when discord inevitably ditches the free tier

[@NoBoilerplate]

Hehe! You can hear how distorted the sound is when they do it in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/raWYqI2eeJqWqKs BTW I have a discord, come chat!

[@bfolkens]

Welcome - de AB9OC 👋🏻

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! :-)

[@aris_spnl6090]

Wait, so transmiting isn't illegal as long as you have an amateur licence and transmit in AM waves?

[@NoBoilerplate]

The default state of the law in most countries is: no transmitting. There are exceptions to that if you buy a license: - Big media companies buy a license to broadcast FM radio (music, news etc) - Smaller companies buy a license to use walkie-talkies in their factories and sites - The Coastguard operate 'marine band' and you can get an inexpensive license to use these frequencies if you use a boat. etc etc The common part of all the above is that they are very specific or have one small restricted use, or both. With one Amateur Radio license, you can get access to small sections RIGHT ACROSS the frequency spectrum that are reserved JUST for us to do what we want with, so long as it's non-commercial.

[@StingSting844]

Is this your real voice or JARVIS's voice from the Iron man?!

[@NoBoilerplate]

Ha! it's me - I use a nice microphone and carefully edit my voice. (see description for my gear) I have had 11 seasons of practice producing my audiofiction podcast, Lost Terminal: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmTFdXhvoNitg8U

[@StingSting844]

@@NoBoilerplate oh that makes sense! Just beautiful dude

[@sreedev]

Congratulations and Welcome to the hobby! Hope to catch you on the air sometime. 73s. KD2ZWB (US) / VU2JWE (IN)

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! What a lovely community :-)

[@jaimebernate6593]

Greetings from KA3NXN

[@NoBoilerplate]

Greetings! Hope you liked the video, 73 2E1OAT :-)

[@edgeeffect]

I didn't know the morse code test was dead.

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's still required for the full licenses, but there's newer, lower grades of license that are much easier to get going with, it's a really clever idea!

[@edgeeffect]

@@NoBoilerplate I looked into it long long ago in the 80s and it was just too expensive... 25 quid for a license and 25 quid for a little radio sounds nice.

[@Perspectologist]

I was excited about amateur radio when I got my license a few years ago. I even joined an amateur radio club. Unfortunately some members of the community kept interjecting their (bad, in my opinion) political beliefs and that really turned me off. Beyond the issues in the club I got tired of hearing, “bad takes”, on the air expressed with the implication that we all agreed with them. Good operators didn’t get political on the air so the fact that things went unchallenged emboldened the indelicate operators. I got tired of hearing this garbage so I quit the club and took down my antennas. I’m in the USA FYI. I don’t know if I will let my license expire or wait and see if the community improves in a few years.

[@NoBoilerplate]

I can well understand this. The typical amateur radio operator trends old, white, and male. It's easy to imagine that the whole community is like you have experienced. While there's certainly some old-timers with bad ideas, for the most part, if you find hams that work internationally, you will have found someone who is so excited to talk to other cultures, they put up a 20m antenna :-)

[@paulplack490]

It's not always like that with politics. Sometimes we talk about problems with our prostates! Seriously though, if you're listening and don't like what you hear, find a different frequency, pick an area of interest, and start a different conversation. Don't be afraid of the PTT button!

[@wizpig64]

I should have oats for breakfast

[@NoBoilerplate]

So you should, they're delicious!

[@michaelhoefler5118]

Awesome!! - KE8QAG

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! 73!

[@beetledjuice3062]

I'm looking up how to get my incense now. I'm not sure I should thank you or curse you yet.

[@NoBoilerplate]

WELCOME TO THE HOBBY! Come chat in #amateur-radio on my discord!

[@RicRod]

Guys what do you think about the trademark issues of rust, I don't know if I have to stop learn rust or keeps going

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's too soon to judge. Something I learned while working in the UK Government's digital department was not to worry too much what the lawyers and politicians are doing, they do and say insane things every single day. And guess what: It doesn't really affect us very much down here, on a long enough timescale. In a year they'll be long gone, and we'll still be here, building the future. My attention is finite, I choose to use it on more interesting things 😄

I'm going to be sorely disappointed if the rest of this video doesn't reference the Smoking GNU

[@NoBoilerplate]

I would invite you to look at the section of the html for noboilerplate.org ;-)

@@NoBoilerplate I don't have to check to know exactly what it says! GNU Terry

@@NoBoilerplate btw I just listened to the new audiobook for Going Postal a few weeks ago. It's well worth a listen, even if (like me) you've already read the book.

[@jonathanwilson8809]

So what happens if you just transmit illegally?

[@jonathanwilson8809]

I mean how is this policeable at all?

[@NoBoilerplate]

It's self-organising, all people on the ham bands must use a callsign. If you don't use one, and just talk, no-one will want to talk to you. We amateurs are very protective of our bands, and self-police them because we know that if the rules are ignored, then soon, we won't have any bands at all, and they'll all be used by pirates or commercial companies, or the governments will make them illegal. We can have nice things because we choose to :-)

[@jerbear7952]

I want ONE good reason why Chris Hadfield isn't the most famous person in the world. He's even handsome since that kind of stuff matters.

[@homeape.]

oopsie, wasnt expecting germany to be second

[@J0R1AN]

TU

[@Rostgnom]

Hmm, I didn't and still don't get the point. Why would I wanna get into this?

[@stephanpierre5996]

So....what this got to do with Rust and how great Rust is?

[@NoBoilerplate]

Oh sorry, let me clarify with one of my other videos ;-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKuxnJJnrbF8gas

[@tolson-vkn]

@@NoBoilerplate This was a great and refreshing video. Which may help my friends efforts to get me to become a HAMer. Thanks!

[@mmdts]

None in North Africa smh

[@NoBoilerplate]

I regret describing it as "a population distribution". That was very eurocentric of me - what it is really is a population AND ELECTRICITY distribution!

[@mmdts]

​@@NoBoilerplate I'm not blaming you, I'm blaming North Africa :') If you're interested in an explanation, In many parts of North Africa, we have electricity and 4g coverage of levels similar to Europe, but we also have strict archaic governments, stupid regulations, and high levels of poverty and ignorance usually accompanied by a lack of interest in education or technology. Basically, all of the circumstances that enable amateur radio don't exist here, so while technically some amateur radio / amateur satellite bandwidths are preserved (examples: www.tra.gov.eg/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/EGY-NTRA-June21-NFAT-1.pdf and www.anrt.gov.ma/sites/default/files/ANRT-Maroc-Plan-national-frequences-2013.pdf), in most cases, the lack of interest from the poor uneducated general public and from the governments means that there is no infrastructure to support any of this. Not to mention, importing any electronics with telecommunication capabilities is subject to very strict regulations, so most people interested in radio applications here have to repurpose existing hardware or build their own.

[@K5RTO]

k5rto, 73

[@NoBoilerplate]

greetings!

[@cynical5062]

You say it's like the difference between closed and open source software, but I think it sounds more like the difference between free and nonfree software.

[@NoBoilerplate]

I once attended a lecture where rms screamed at someone who said "open source" instead of "free software" in the Q&A. We just left. Don't meet your heroes :-(

[@cynical5062]

​@@NoBoilerplate Yeah. RMS has a lot of nice ideals, but he can be really intense and takes stuff too seriously/goes too far. I do think there is a difference between free software and open source, from an ideological standpoint, but I'm certainly not going to yell at anyone because of it. I just thought the parallels between Amateur Radio and Free Software were interesting, so I figured I'd point them out. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my comment, I appreciate it! Cheers from Canada, be sure to say warm, and I hope you have a nice day!

[@NoBoilerplate]

@@cynical5062 right! Gotta be nice to folks, that's what I'm learning on KZbin (genuinely!) So many friendly people 🙂

[@trejohnson7677]

ban fcc.

[@NoBoilerplate]

What do you mean?

[@trejohnson7677]

@@NoBoilerplate read “technologies of freedom”

[@giganetom]

73 de HA5FTL, great vid ad always ;)

[@NoBoilerplate]

Thank you! Cool-looking shack!

[@Aksuloid]

Well this was a pleasant surprise! OH2FTS

[@NoBoilerplate]

hi! Finland? You're not on qrz, wise idea! We might be in 2m SSB range, with a bit of tropo ducting! (a man can dream) :-)

[@Aksuloid]

@@NoBoilerplate Yeah, I got into HAM stuff super young (9 years old, as most of my family had the license aswell.) so I didnt set up qrz back then, and the hobby fell by the wayside with school and then eventually work life. Probably should set it up, now that I actually have time to QSO again.

[@billy-boobs]

Why do you place a line of blue pixels at bottom of every video to indicate time?

[@NoBoilerplate]

I build my videos with Obsidian.md's presentation mode, which is based on reveal.js. The default behaviour is to put the progress bar there, and I actually quite like it, so I left it!

[@nxesr]

Ok lovely video but there is no ISS and no 🛰️.

[@NoBoilerplate]

what do you mean?

[@NathanHedglin]

??? I suppose you think the earth is flat too