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Linux allows individuals to override tx frequencies and power on many devices, but at least that’s done in software. I could understand if the dips were for set

Linux allows individuals to override tx frequencies and power on many devices, but at least that’s done in software. I could understand if the dips were for setting bits on a frequency divider and could allow selecting any frequency, but having them directly correlate to reserved frequencies is beyond the pale.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago
>but having them directly correlate to reserved frequencies is beyond the pale. The whole point of this cheapo hardware is that it can be used for whatever just by setting switches and therefore achieves massive economies of scale. They sell the same hardware to the drone makers and the radio makers and so on. IIRC these switches were not user accessible. The manufacturer set them in the right position.
- tonyarkles 5y ago
  Possibly, although I’ve definitely got some old Hobbyking video kit where the DIP switches are totally user accessible and can definitely go into bands they aught not. Likely not the same kit (it’s about 10 years old now) but… there’s very likely still super sketchy stuff available there.
- duskwuff 5y ago
  > IIRC these switches were not user accessible. They were definitely user accessible in at least some of the products. Here are a couple of the devices named in the FCC complaint which obviously had exposed DIP switches: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/aomway-700tvl-cmos-hd-camera-ntsc-version-plus-5-8g-200mw-transmitter.html https://hobbyking.com/en_us/aomway-700tvl-cmos-hd-camera-nts... https://hobbyking.com/en_us/1-2ghz-mg-500mw-8ch-a-v-wireless-transmitter-module.html https://hobbyking.com/en_us/1-2ghz-mg-500mw-8ch-a-v-wireless... https://hobbyking.com/en_us/x40-l-25mw-tx-cnc-alloy-cas.html https://hobbyking.com/en_us/x40-l-25mw-tx-cnc-alloy-cas.html There were undoubtedly a number of others which could be switched between frequencies in other ways, like with a pushbutton.
  - R0b0t1 5y ago
    I still don't feel great about this. It should be up to the end user to not break the law.
    - briandear 5y ago
      I’m not going to trust aircraft safety to one jackass who might not care about the law — or might not even be aware of the consequences of what they are messing with.
    - homero 5y ago
      Then people would buy phone jammers if they could easily be sold
      - R0b0t1 5y ago
        Kits are already easy to buy. People don't bother buying the kits because if you use the jammer generally you are found. Occasionally pops up in the news.
        djmips 5y ago
        " if you use the jammer generally you are found. Occasionally pops up in the news." - only people who are found pop up in the news. Your logic looks faulty.
        Johnythree 5y ago
        The thing with phone jammers is that they actively flag "I am here" and are easy to locate. Because phone jammers cause serious problems to the phone companies, they have teams in the field actively tracking them down. And the phone base stations run software which automatically flag that they are present and log the co-ordinates. The FCC doesn't even need to get involved.
        homero 5y ago
        Easily like preassembled on amazon prime and many more would try it
- triactual 5y ago
  No, dip switches are for end user configuration. Radio modules use firmware or other semipermanent and non-user accessible configuration to set frequency bands which is usually for regionalization. There isn’t really a use case for transmitting in global navigation bands outside of malicious jamming or spoofing.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - tdeck 5y ago
    This. They could easily have just masked out some different jumpers with zero-ohm resistors to set the frequency band. In fact, it would have been cheaper to build that way. The only reason to use DIP switches is to let people mess around with the frequency themselves.
- repiret 5y ago
  One of the requirements of radio equipment is that it must not be easily user modifiable to operate on the wrong frequencies. In the past, that has been construed to include where a user could use a soldering iron to replace a resistor. So certainly changing some DIP switches counts too.
- rthomas6 5y ago
  It's cheap and easy for a manufacturer to just solder the settings they want and leave the dip switch off.
deleted 5y ago
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throwaway0a5e 5y ago

>but having them directly correlate to reserved frequencies is beyond the pale. The whole point of this cheapo hardware is that it can be used for whatever just by setting switches and therefore achieves massive economies of scale. They sell the same hardware to the drone makers and the radio makers and so on. IIRC these switches were not user accessible. The manufacturer set them in the right position.

tonyarkles 5y ago
Possibly, although I’ve definitely got some old Hobbyking video kit where the DIP switches are totally user accessible and can definitely go into bands they aught not. Likely not the same kit (it’s about 10 years old now) but… there’s very likely still super sketchy stuff available there.
duskwuff 5y ago
> IIRC these switches were not user accessible. They were definitely user accessible in at least some of the products. Here are a couple of the devices named in the FCC complaint which obviously had exposed DIP switches: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/aomway-700tvl-cmos-hd-camera-ntsc-version-plus-5-8g-200mw-transmitter.html https://hobbyking.com/en_us/aomway-700tvl-cmos-hd-camera-nts... https://hobbyking.com/en_us/1-2ghz-mg-500mw-8ch-a-v-wireless-transmitter-module.html https://hobbyking.com/en_us/1-2ghz-mg-500mw-8ch-a-v-wireless... https://hobbyking.com/en_us/x40-l-25mw-tx-cnc-alloy-cas.html https://hobbyking.com/en_us/x40-l-25mw-tx-cnc-alloy-cas.html There were undoubtedly a number of others which could be switched between frequencies in other ways, like with a pushbutton.
- R0b0t1 5y ago
  I still don't feel great about this. It should be up to the end user to not break the law.
  - briandear 5y ago
    I’m not going to trust aircraft safety to one jackass who might not care about the law — or might not even be aware of the consequences of what they are messing with.
  - homero 5y ago
    Then people would buy phone jammers if they could easily be sold
    - R0b0t1 5y ago
      Kits are already easy to buy. People don't bother buying the kits because if you use the jammer generally you are found. Occasionally pops up in the news.
      - djmips 5y ago
        " if you use the jammer generally you are found. Occasionally pops up in the news." - only people who are found pop up in the news. Your logic looks faulty.
        Johnythree 5y ago
        The thing with phone jammers is that they actively flag "I am here" and are easy to locate. Because phone jammers cause serious problems to the phone companies, they have teams in the field actively tracking them down. And the phone base stations run software which automatically flag that they are present and log the co-ordinates. The FCC doesn't even need to get involved.
      - homero 5y ago
        Easily like preassembled on amazon prime and many more would try it
triactual 5y ago
No, dip switches are for end user configuration. Radio modules use firmware or other semipermanent and non-user accessible configuration to set frequency bands which is usually for regionalization. There isn’t really a use case for transmitting in global navigation bands outside of malicious jamming or spoofing.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- tdeck 5y ago
  This. They could easily have just masked out some different jumpers with zero-ohm resistors to set the frequency band. In fact, it would have been cheaper to build that way. The only reason to use DIP switches is to let people mess around with the frequency themselves.
repiret 5y ago
One of the requirements of radio equipment is that it must not be easily user modifiable to operate on the wrong frequencies. In the past, that has been construed to include where a user could use a soldering iron to replace a resistor. So certainly changing some DIP switches counts too.
rthomas6 5y ago
It's cheap and easy for a manufacturer to just solder the settings they want and leave the dip switch off.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]