Keep proprietary digital modes off ham radio!

 

I firmly contend that digital communications protocols containing proprietary closed-source components such as VARA, ROS, DMR, YSF, etc. are not ham radio proper: a ham cannot build from scratch a complete system supporting them without resorting to a closed component. If you want to use ROS, you need to use EA5HVK's software, but you cannot examine the source code. It's effectively a proprietary mode. VARA has a 'freemium' model, where the high-speed version requires you to buy a modem. Both they use quite a lot of bandwidth. How about DMR, YSF, etc.? The protocols are partially specified (as is VARA, by the way) but rely on a proprietary voice codec (AMBE-style) that you have to buy (or buy a licence to build one). The AMBE-style voice codec was cleverly reverse-engineered (look for mbelib) and can be used in your mobile or computer (it is a bit harder now that Doug AD8DP requires his programs Droidstar and Dudestar to use an external codec). To sum up, I am starting to be more and more convinced that closed/proprietary modes like VARA, ROS, DMR, YSF, etc., should not be allowed on the ham bands and should be abandoned by hams. There is a plethora of free/open-source, well documented digital modes out there: FT8, JS9, WSPR, PSK, Olivia, RTTY, and the oldest-ever digital mode, CW, and recent digital voice modes

such as FreeDV, and the M17 Project. M17 is working hard to displace proprietary modes from our VHF and UHF frequencies. Let's use open/free digital modes that anyone can use and build rigs to use. Please support ways of operation everyone can inspect, modify, or build a radio around.

 

 

Postscriptum: Apparently ham radio didn't have enough proprietary (closed-source, non-reproducible) protocols. Now, we see the rise of LoRa-APRS on 433.475 MHz. A cancer that spreads.