DAREDX

One of the most often asked questions regarding this project, is “Why not just use the Internet?” I usually contend first that amateur radio is the one and only truly free worldwide communications medium.  Then I go on to talk about infrastructure issues, radio still works in disaster or places where the infrastructure has otherwise been destroyed. And then there’s the surveillance issue too.  Today’s news of Vice President runner Sarah Palin’s yahoo account getting hacked highlights the issue from both sides.  One you are not safe no matter what you think when you data is trafficked over the internet.  End of story.  And secondly, when information wants to be set free - such as the hacker who decided to do this, and then speared the account all over the internet, eventually ending up in places like wikileaks, is now offline.  Coincidence?  I highly doubt it.  I’m sure things are pretty shaky over there now (wherever there is). EDIT: ok, so my conspiracy theory has gotten the better of me -  you can still catch it all here: http://88.80.13.160/ and read a bit and you can have a look at Palin’s inbox if you so desire…but I think more interesting would be most of the other information online there.

The internet is controlled, dear readers, it is not an open, wild-west-like frontier has it has been understood by many of you that have spoken to me in person and asking about the internet vs radio.  The air is open.  The spectrum can be utilized for your utopian dreams.  A project by friend and collaborator, Marko Peljhan, Insular Technologies [2] [3] is specifically about these issues.  It was first presented, I believe, in 1999 at V2 Institute for Unstable Media in Rotterdam.

Another thing that just occurred to me which highlights these issues, is the appeal that Comcast is making to the ruling on their wireless throttling practices.  Again, we are not in control - but could be through the use of HF radio.  DAREDX is in part an appeal to all of you cultural media worker and theoreticians to go out and get your license, the more of us there are, the better prepared we’ll be in the future…

Radio is not just ‘CQ’ calls and ’73’s, there are a plethora of digital modes out there, including yes, email.  In fact, take a look at x.25 protocol - its pretty much the precursor to the internet, ie: packets over a network (this time over a radio network) The first amateur radio application of the X.25 protocol (called AX.25) took place in 1978 in, yes, Montreal.  (thanks to Francois D. for that little tidbit)

All this to say that HF radio could more than sufficiently sever the needs of cultural workers in need of remaining off the grad either by choice, or location.