GhostNet 1.5, page 20

20 Malign Actors Despite our best efforts to create a wholesome project, various issues have become problematic since the launch of this Net. Below are some of the concerns to be aware of. Cliques, Bullying, and Deception In the absence of a highly organized Net Control, power vacuums are inevitable. Be mindful of anyone who claims to be operating as Net Control. Most hams strive to improve efficiency, but sometimes these efforts are really just attempts to control other people. More often than not, this results in hams bullying users into following their arbitrary rules, or using their airwaves as their own fiefdom. GhostNet was created with the good intentions of working alongside preexisting groups, and have gone above and beyond to ensure our work has not interfered with any other network. Despite this, other groups have attempted to take over GhostNet comm windows, using their own software, reporting procedures, infrastructure, etc. Do not let oth- er radio amateurs bully you into you into joining their own network if you don’t want to. If you are a member of another ham radio group or club, that’s great, but please keep your own procedures on your own network and respect the work that has been done here. Nothing will be officially supported by the S2 Underground beyond what is published in this guide. Also be mindful of people who want you to join a network, or use their reporting format. Someone might say to you “hey, try this report format, or this software, it’s really efficient and cool!”. That may be true, and we applaud attempts to grow and improve network efficiency. However, in many cases these claims of “efficiency” are less about improving a network, and more about getting users to use a common format, which is intercepted over the airwaves and published on a closed network behind a paywall. You may think you’re using a neat tool which improves efficiency, but in reality you are jamming the airwaves with a proprietary tool/format that is nothing more than a way to generate paid content for other people. Don’t end up the unwitting writer/content creator for another group that steals your work, and secretly charges other people money for it. Not everyone in the ham radio world has good intentions, which is a fact not often repeated aloud but is nonetheless true. Cultural Problems Though somewhat perplexing to new radio amateurs, cultural problems comprise nearly 100% of the issues on ham radio, and are by far the Number One reason new operators feel uncomfortable fitting in. The fact that this much text has been dedicated to addressing this problem (in a pocket-able field guide) should confirm the seriousness of the cultural problems within the world of radio. Though it is uncomfortable to discuss, these problems need to be addressed in the interest of moving forward and improving the GhostNet. NICE NETWORK YOU’VE GOT THERE WOULD BE A SHAME IF SOMEONE USED IT TO RECRUIT PEOPLE INTO A CLOSED, PAID RADIO CLUB These Issues Are Real Understandably, reading these somewhat harsh words might be discouraging to new users who are not aware of the cultural problems we face. Most radio hams are also highly likely to be offended by discussing these topics. More drama within the community is annoying, but we need to talk about these topics in the open, because they have caused real world problems: The user who is afraid to transmit in a life or death emergency because some Elmer chastises them for using “their” repeater. The user who wants to receive the news regarding serious world events, but can’t because someone is describing their entire shack over the radio. Or the radio amateur that joins a club, and over time slowly begins to enjoy radio less and less, because of hams creating barriers to growth. The GhostNet is intended to refresh the world of radio, and really challenge users to think outside the box when it comes to preparedness, as well as the daily use of radio. So let’s move forward despite the hate, and do the best we can to improve the world around us. Poaching The ham radio world is full of clubs and groups, and there tends to be a lot of over- lap among users who may be members of multiple groups. However, the GhostNet was not intended to be a free advertising service for other networks. While we want to allow users to feel comfortable in creating their own GhostNets, we also want to remind everyone that the farther you get from the GhostNet’s main freqs, TTPs, and operating schedule, the farther you get from the intended purpose of the GhostNet. Feel free to mimic our work on your own, but be mindful of mission-creep that might pull your attention from the main GhostNet plan. Be extremely wary of users that want you to change frequency to their own net, especially if that network belongs to a group that places radio communications behind a paywall. Multiple users have reported hams intentionally jamming GhostNet comm windows with SNR requests, then saying “hmm, this band sure is busy. Come join me on my own freq!”...which turns out to be a paid, members-only radio club.