5 ms·

Historically these have been quickly shut down without much of an explanation.

illliillll 2mo ago
Do share some more details please
random3 2mo ago
Please elaborate. There are literary step-by-step videos on how to build these. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LT_b6K0Mc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LT_b6K0Mc
- ac29 2mo ago
  Phased array radars are export controlled in the US. It doesnt mean its illegal to build or own, but it might be illegal to sell in some cases
  - Onawa 2mo ago
    I thought I remembered even seeing public Git repos with passive radar code that ended up getting shut down due to export controls?
    - lambda 2mo ago
      Yeah, Kraken SDR removed some functionality due to these concerns, if I remember correctly. Odd, because export controls don't generally apply to published material (like open source software), but maybe they were worried that because they were also selling the hardware they could have issues due to the combo being export controlled. Ah, found discussion of what exactly it was they pulled, it was the passive radar code: https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/yu9rei/krakenrf_pulls_passive_radar_code_from_github_due/ https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/yu9rei/krakenrf_pul... And indeed, they confirmed that they believe the open source software should be OK, but they had concerns because they also sell the compatible hardware: https://nitter.net/rtlsdrblog/status/1591657740229046274 https://nitter.net/rtlsdrblog/status/1591657740229046274
      - dzhiurgis 2mo ago
        Wonder which LLM would be happy to vibe code it back (not sure if it would be able to pull it off tho).
      - 0xffff2 2mo ago
        As someone who works daily with export-control-adjacent hardware and software, my experience is that people tend to aggressively self-censor to a far higher standard than export control regulations actually require. The perceived headache of drawing the ire of whoever it is the enforces this stuff (which as I type this comment I'm just realizing I don't know who specifically is responsible for that) is so scary that people don't want to take any risk at all of being targeted.
      - bluGill 2mo ago
        If you don't self censor in these cases the law will find you somehow. How change so they get you next time. Not always, but pgp wasn't exported that way until not long before there was good demand for for encryption in e-commerce anyway
  - RealityVoid 2mo ago
    This is not a radar, only a receiver.
    - thomashabets2 2mo ago
      It can still be in scope: > Direction finding equipment for determining bearings to specific electromagnetic sources or terrain characteristics specially designed for defense articles in paragraph (a)(1) of USML Category IV or paragraphs (a)(5), (a)(6), or (a) ITAR part 121. The "specifically designed for defense" probably makes this OK, but IANAL.
knorker 2mo ago
The explanation may be spelled ITAR.
jkuli 2mo ago
The covered materials are very broad, though often limited to equipment built "for purposes of", like in this section. Title 22 Chapter I Subchapter M Part 121 - The United States Munitions List - Category XI Paragraph b Electronic systems, equipment or software, not elsewhere enumerated in this subchapter, specially designed for intelligence purposes that collect, survey, monitor, or exploit, or analyze and produce information from, the electromagnetic spectrum (regardless of transmission medium), or for counteracting such activities.
- jkuli 2mo ago
  At what point does a microphone become an intelligence device, when we have so many types of microphones. Is it an arbitrary label I can add or remove to a product? Will it apply equally to large manufacturers?
  - fc417fc802 2mo ago
    It's a matter of intent, which will ultimately be litigated in court and is going to depend on a lot of surrounding factors.
- go_artemis 2mo ago
  > specifically designed to collect or analyze information from the electromagnetic spectrum Wouldn't that apply to every spectrum analyzer?
  - fc417fc802 2mo ago
    Where did your quote come from? The comment you're replying to says "specially designed for intelligence purposes". The word "specifically" doesn't appear.
cucumber3732842 2mo ago
Probably because the people working on them get job offers that come with clauses about not working on this stuff publicly.

Do share some more details please

Please elaborate. There are literary step-by-step videos on how to build these. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LT_b6K0Mc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LT_b6K0Mc

ac29 2mo ago
Phased array radars are export controlled in the US. It doesnt mean its illegal to build or own, but it might be illegal to sell in some cases
- Onawa 2mo ago
  I thought I remembered even seeing public Git repos with passive radar code that ended up getting shut down due to export controls?
  - lambda 2mo ago
    Yeah, Kraken SDR removed some functionality due to these concerns, if I remember correctly. Odd, because export controls don't generally apply to published material (like open source software), but maybe they were worried that because they were also selling the hardware they could have issues due to the combo being export controlled. Ah, found discussion of what exactly it was they pulled, it was the passive radar code: https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/yu9rei/krakenrf_pulls_passive_radar_code_from_github_due/ https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/yu9rei/krakenrf_pul... And indeed, they confirmed that they believe the open source software should be OK, but they had concerns because they also sell the compatible hardware: https://nitter.net/rtlsdrblog/status/1591657740229046274 https://nitter.net/rtlsdrblog/status/1591657740229046274
    - dzhiurgis 2mo ago
      Wonder which LLM would be happy to vibe code it back (not sure if it would be able to pull it off tho).
    - 0xffff2 2mo ago
      As someone who works daily with export-control-adjacent hardware and software, my experience is that people tend to aggressively self-censor to a far higher standard than export control regulations actually require. The perceived headache of drawing the ire of whoever it is the enforces this stuff (which as I type this comment I'm just realizing I don't know who specifically is responsible for that) is so scary that people don't want to take any risk at all of being targeted.
    - bluGill 2mo ago
      If you don't self censor in these cases the law will find you somehow. How change so they get you next time. Not always, but pgp wasn't exported that way until not long before there was good demand for for encryption in e-commerce anyway
- RealityVoid 2mo ago
  This is not a radar, only a receiver.
  - thomashabets2 2mo ago
    It can still be in scope: > Direction finding equipment for determining bearings to specific electromagnetic sources or terrain characteristics specially designed for defense articles in paragraph (a)(1) of USML Category IV or paragraphs (a)(5), (a)(6), or (a) ITAR part 121. The "specifically designed for defense" probably makes this OK, but IANAL.

knorker 2mo ago

The explanation may be spelled ITAR.

jkuli 2mo ago

The covered materials are very broad, though often limited to equipment built "for purposes of", like in this section. Title 22 Chapter I Subchapter M Part 121 - The United States Munitions List - Category XI Paragraph b Electronic systems, equipment or software, not elsewhere enumerated in this subchapter, specially designed for intelligence purposes that collect, survey, monitor, or exploit, or analyze and produce information from, the electromagnetic spectrum (regardless of transmission medium), or for counteracting such activities.

jkuli 2mo ago
At what point does a microphone become an intelligence device, when we have so many types of microphones. Is it an arbitrary label I can add or remove to a product? Will it apply equally to large manufacturers?
- fc417fc802 2mo ago
  It's a matter of intent, which will ultimately be litigated in court and is going to depend on a lot of surrounding factors.
go_artemis 2mo ago
> specifically designed to collect or analyze information from the electromagnetic spectrum Wouldn't that apply to every spectrum analyzer?
- fc417fc802 2mo ago
  Where did your quote come from? The comment you're replying to says "specially designed for intelligence purposes". The word "specifically" doesn't appear.

cucumber3732842 2mo ago

Probably because the people working on them get job offers that come with clauses about not working on this stuff publicly.