Comment by 1827163 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by 1827163 | Hacker News Reader

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For playing music 5 years ago, that is still disproportionate, no emergency frequencies were disrupted, in any of his activities.

Did he cause any quantifiable harm here? Did the harm he cause ever justify that degree of punishment? My stance is no in both cases.

What is concerning to me is that some ham had to make the complaint there, maybe fully knowing the FCC would hand out a very large fine, causing him severe disruption to his family and childrens' lives, that far exceeds the nuisance caused by playing music on the radio.

Thus the ham that made the complaint is perhaps morally culpable in the excessive punishment. He acted, in conjunction with the state, to ruin this guy's (and his family's) life there. It doesn't matter if it's legal to do so, it is still morally wrong.

Fining the guy obviously causes him extreme stress, which he might end up taking out on his spouse or children afterwards, which far, far exceeds the harm from playing music on amateur radio bands. So the disproportionate punishment has knock on effects in society.

And these draconian measure are what so many hams find acceptable? I'm sure the general public doesn't though.

> He acted, in conjunction with the state, to ruin this guy's (and his family's) life there.

and yet, all Mr. Beaudet had to do to stop his life being ruined is to stop keying his mic/follow the rules. but he did not. in fact, given that this appears to be his 3rd FCC enforcement action, it appears he has been doing this for many years.

do you consider Mr. Beaudet's actions to be "morally wrong"?

KW6RMT

Of course they are, but fining someone $24,000 for behaving rudely, even repeatedly, on the radio is far far worse. And so many amateur radio enthusiasts support these absolutely draconian punishments, which is damaging the reputation of the hobby.

Some more information on this particular case on Reddit, there is a backstory to it as well: https://old.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/13w384h/fcc_f...

I think we should fine people $24,000 for playing music out loud on bus, never mind broadcasting it on public frequencies intending to jam them.

> which is damaging the reputation of the hobby.

Literally, actually, irrefutably, and unquestionably, it is impossible to attract an enforcement action accidentally. The FCC bends over backwards to accommodate mistakes, if they even deign to notice them.

This was his third strike.

Your comment is inverted.

It isn't fines that are damaging the reputation of the hobby, it is the almost rampant abuse of the rules by actors like Beaudet.

Literally, actually, irrefutably, and unquestionably, a grand total of zero people have ever thought "oh man I want to get into amateur radio but I'm not going to because the jack booted thugs at the FCC will fine me if I play music over nets in order to piss people off."

The vast, overwhelming, majority of people don't even think like that.

For the remaining microscopically-miniscule minority, the thought excites them.

Well, yes because I don't want to be involved in things that are so authoritarian in nature, with draconian punishments enforced by the government for what amounts to being stupid.

I want to be involved with hobbies where you can be more playful and carefree, where the threat of such punishment is not present. Where there's freedom for exploration and experimentation, like the ISM bands, which are what I use instead. Without authorities dictating to you every minor detail of what you're permitted to do or not, under threat of force by the state. And requiring you do identify yourself at all times, or be ratted out by a fellow ham and prosecuted. No thanks.

Also I've been personally threatened by a ham radio operator (in the UK), over me constructing a perfectly legal, non-interfering high voltage power supply. And hearing other people having the same experiences as well, as if hams consider parts of the radio spectrum their "territory". I know myself, and many other people do as well, that the amateur radio community has this authoritarian streak, which is so eager to call out those breaking minor rules. And back that up with threats of prosecution.

http://home.ptd.net/~n3cvj/hamvcb.htm

Yes, from personal experience, so many in the ham community are very rule oriented, which is counter to my personality and philosophy. That's another reason I want nothing to do with it as a hobby.

And no wonder there's a lack of innovation in the field, it's all tied up with rules and the personalities that thrive in such environments.

https://wizehire.com/disc/high-c-personality

Also about overcriminalization in America: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/era-...

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