[Hackrf-dev] Air relay ADS-B to BTLE via single HACKRF in realtime

[Andrew Payne]

>
> Actually I gree with Xianjun that he is absolutely right by not
> disseminating source code. Since Chinese law [...]
>

Obviously, authors need to respect and follow the laws in their respective
home countries and this is no exception.

With that said, one of the key design principles of HackRF is to have a
totally open platform (e.g. no NDAs). Therefore, authors sharing
proprietary components with the HackRF community should expect source code
requests.  If the author is unable or unwilling to share, they might
consider explaining that up front.

> Therefore I think code shouldn't be necessarily given around. In the West
> we are more ot less accustomed to misdemeanors or felonies.
>

In the West, and certainly in the US, this sort of code and application is
most likely entirely legal.

First, source code is almost always protected by the First Amendment as
free speech (big exceptions:  code that has individual private information,
a trade secret, etc.)  The RF protocols are already public info and widely
documented, so unless the code has something else in it, it should be legal
to publish, possess and modify.

In terms of *running* the code with HackRF (in the US), you have to
consider the legality of (a) receiving and (b) transmitting (BTLE).  The
transmit part is easier:  BTLE runs in a "Part 15" band which is unlicensed
as long as you follow the rules (power, spurious emissions, FCC
certification of design, if applicable).

The receive part is more nuanced and the complete legal issues are
(probably) not fully resolved.  In general (in the US), you it's legal to
receive most anything, but you may be restricted in divulging what you
receive to others, using it for profit, etc.  IANAL, but if I were, I would
argue these signals fall into the same category as police scanners.

-andy
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