Comment by savetz

4 years ago

Internet Archive has begun gathering content for the Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications (DLARC), which will be a massive online library of materials and collections related to amateur radio and early digital communications.

The DLARC project is looking for contributors with troves of ham radio, amateur radio, and early digital communications related books, magazines, documents, catalogs, manuals, videos, software, personal archives, and other historical records collections, no matter how big or small. In addition to physical material to digitize, we are looking for podcasts, newsletters, video channels, and other digital content that can enrich the DLARC collections.

22 comments

savetz

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curiousfab  4 years ago

This is a mammoth task but an important one. I wonder if there's a way to collaborate with existing collections of historical Amateur radio data, such as the famous "QSL Collection" from Vienna: https://www.dokufunk.org/index.php?lang=EN

I think they have more material than probably anyone else in the world, but much of it is "offline" (partly digitized but not web accessible).

Another huge collection of historic QSL cards, bios of deceased radio amateurs and other stuff: http://hamgallery.com/

jimnotgym  4 years ago

> software

Amatuer radio seems full of little software tools to do calculations that are closed source. I hope the authors can be encouraged to publish source, or it will die with them.

  • anilakar  4 years ago

    Not just closed source but a completely black box, like the ROS and Pactor 4 digimodes. (To be fair, the latter is a commercial product so the blame is on ham radio operators, not the company who designed it.)

  • PM_me_your_math  4 years ago

    Maybe they want it that way? Why do you always need access to someone else's work. Many of them build these apps to fund their hobbies or put a little food on the table.

    • ianpenney  4 years ago

      amateur radio service means a radiocommunication service in which radio apparatus are used for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication or technical investigation by individuals who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and *without pecuniary interest;* (service de radioamateur)

      - https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-96-484/F...

      So … you just wouldn’t be able to talk about the tools you build and charge money for… on the hobby you built them for?

      Seems kind of ironic. And, imho - missing the point of the hobby.

      2 replies →

    • BoxOfRain  4 years ago

      Not an amateur radio guy myself but from what I understand it's supposed to be a strictly non-commercial undertaking which means it's a bit churlish to keep your code closed-source.

    • jimnotgym  4 years ago

      Many of these tools are free to download, nothing to do with putting food on the table. When the old man that wrote them dies the tools are lost.

      1 reply →

bityard  4 years ago

They are in luck, then, because hams are famous for never throwing anything out, ask me how I know.

nidnogg  4 years ago

Does it have to be strictly historical radio content? I have a radio app I used to showcase some of my compositions but I'm not sure it'd qualify.

  • ale42  4 years ago

    It should be related to amateur radio, so if it is about broadcast radio probably not.

bretbernhoft  4 years ago

Outstanding context, thank you!

This is a wonderful partnership to learn about. I hope that Internet Archive is successful here.