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prometheus1992 • yesterday at 7:32 PM • 7 replies • view on HN

not trying to be controversial here; but isn't it weird that you can buy semi automatic guns and there's restrictions on radio equipments bc these equipments can mess with the bandwidth used by public services - but similar arguments hold for guns as well.


Replies

briHass • yesterday at 11:25 PM

What are the similar arguments?

Firearms are capable of being used for legal purposes, as they are in the overwhelming number of cases. A radio that transmits on a restricted frequency is illegal. The ruling doesn't say legal frequency transmitters can't be sold, just that the broker (ebay) is responsible for ensuring it's not facilitating the sale of illegal radio equipment. Ebay is the one choosing not to sell most radio equipment (even if legal), because they don't want to deal with it.

Firearms used to be widely available at big-box stores, as they were legal (and still are), provided the store prevented illegal purchases. Most box stores/locations no longer sell firearms, because they don't want to deal with it.

the_interloper • today at 1:42 PM

Short answer is that guns are in the constitution, but radios are not.

Longer answer would be that there are already systems in place to prevent transfers of firearms to and from parties that should not possess them in the US. Purchasing a gun at a sporting goods store involves filling out paperwork that can take a long time.

Buying a ham radio is as simple as going to a store that sells them and giving your call sign.

You could (depending on where you live) shoot off a gun in your backyard as long as it doesn't disrupt your neighbors. You can't key up a radio in your backyard on an band you don't have a license for without potentially disrupting someone in some other part of the world.

zardo • yesterday at 7:53 PM

Radio didn't make the date cutoff to be a right in the US.

numpad0 • today at 9:25 AM

tangential but "military firearms" type of classification makes little sense from technical standpoints. WWI and WWII were fought with what are now considered "classical hunting style" guns, which simply was the military style at that time. The distinction came to existence in the late 40s to 60s when military rifles had their own iMac or iPhone moment and completely switched to the style of StG44 overnight.

pixl97 • yesterday at 10:51 PM

When the US constitution was written guns were a thing, but communication was done in person or on paper. The idea of radio waves didn't even exist therefore we did not get any protections on it.

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someguydave • yesterday at 10:23 PM

unfortunately the US decided a century ago that electronics should be regulated federally

MBCook • yesterday at 7:50 PM

So we have decided as a society, it seems. No one ever said policy had to be coherent.