Issue #44: Copycats Stomp on Ham Radio Innovation

Dave's latest column on Ham Radio innovation in Trials and Errors -- Ham Life with an Amateur . . . an interview with Dmitry Panin (UA3REO), the developer of the WOLF open source ham transceiver. With a host of features and a creative team from all over the world, this young ham and his colleagues put together a radio design that shocked with its promise. Despite that potential, Dmitry's dreams were trashed by Chinese "businessmen" who took the design and substituted cheap or non-existent parts and put it on the market prematurely. This is the story of how Dmitry and his team are coming back, with the new WOLF-2 and WOLF-2 PRO designs.

 

Some additional quotes that I could not fit into the column, from Dmitry the initial developer of the WOLF radio project.

“My first inspiration came from my father, Igor (UA3RGQ). With him, I passed my first entry into radio communication. He helped me move beyond using a mess of wires and a handful of boards. I had designed the "UA3REO receiver" but after my father’s involvement, it became a "Transceiver.”

“When my friends Anton (R7KBI) and Nadir (R6WAM) appeared on the horizon, we created a community in Telegram, gave the transceiver the name "Wolf", and began active development. I am in software development professionally, and both Anton and Nadir became actively involved in the hardware itself. Our joint work was the 7-inch screen version of the Wolf transceiver. This version became the most popular; it was also the one taken from us by Chinese developers as a basis of their RS-998.”

“Significant players were RA9UCN, the author of main board modifications, DB5AT who authored the FT8 built into the transceiver, and BD6MM who authored many changes in our user interface. Konstantin (RU4PN) joined us as well and has been critical for latest versions of RF boards and new hardware in the Wolf-2. Also, if you open the list of software version changes you will see a huge number of call signs from all over the world. These people did not take direct part in the modifications but they sent their ideas on how to make the transceiver even better. I should also mention Alexander (RA3RBE) who has joined to help with the program code, and Vladimir (DL9VS) who is currently developing a new project "Wolf-2-Pro" with all our latest improvements.”

 

Met the CEO of one of the biggest pump companies back in the day. We had many conversations but one was his search for foundries as most were under pressure here in the US. The Chinese made him and offer and as he says like a fool he fell for it and ended up sending the molds and drawings to them. They never shipped and soon after they were actually selling under his brand. Almost destroyed the company. This has been know about in industry for decades now. We let it happen worldwide and we sowed the seeds for our own destruction. Their is no joy in their courts for foreign entities and our governments could have stopped it yet did nothing, in fact they encouraged it.
Look where we are now.
Dmitry can only hope for discerning customers as there is always a willing bunch to go cheap and care less about other hard work.

 

Hi Mark, that's a sad story, unfortunately repeated often over the years. Dave

 

The number of crap ChiCom clones is almost too long to list. The (tr)uSDX is a case study in the art of Intellectual Property (IP) theft.

The one that still angers me the rip-off of the NEU-PSK software for a clone PSK modem - and now both the clone and the NEU-PSK are no longer available.

As noted, this cloning is one of the more egregious 'dangers' of Open-Source projects. As long as cheap hams are willing to buy this junk, it will never end.

/.

 

Hi Don,

I get very hot under the collar thinking about these clones and how they can damage good ideas/innovation. Your examples are good. The problem is that they clone but add their own cheapskate decisions that cut back on the potential of the innovation. In Dmitry's case, for example, the filters being made of a cheap material that just plain doesn't work, or the switch to different transistors for the finals. Doing this just damages the reputation of the original designs published, and can actually take the steam out of continued development.

The thing I liked most about my interview with Dmitry was that he's not giving up, and neither is his team. They've found a way to protect their future radios, and they're excited about those. If you know something about I.P., maybe you can tell me why a company like ICOM or Yaesu doesn't work out a deal with guys like this and incorporate some of their designs into a new model. Is it just because "it is public" that they don't give those ideas consideration? Dave

 

Frankly,

I get tired of hearing that'business' is the enemy.

The fact that a PRC Chinese enterprise--which by definition and law provides a sizeable fraction of its 'income' to the People's Liberation Army--copied an open source transceiver and sold it is to be EXPECTED. State Capitalism is business hidden as a shroud for state communism in this case. IMO, stealing the design and selling it-- what make anyone think that communism 'admires and respects' open source over free market IP??

Its not 'sharing'. IMO its 'stealing'.

Don't blame free enterprise.

Go look at DJI --a PRC state backed company--and their ban on selling drones in the US. Ask why that happened.

 

Hence the fatal flaw of open-source.

There is truly no REASON to do 'open-source'--that is, no restriction on copying, making derivative works, etc.

In the context of a PATENT SYSTEM, for example, the patent HOLDER can allow any and all in a group to make, use, offer, sell, the invention. As such, that group is 'OPEN SOURCE' but enjoys the legal ability of protection of stopping outside copying (read: infringement) . Patent licenses can be granted for free to those in the group. The group can be anyone with a bona fide interest. The patent holder has CONTROL and DECIDES.

Clearly the inventors in this case have NO CONTROL because they did not use the protection afforded by PATENTS.

 

Chip, the group was on their 20’s when the project began. Clearly, to a 20-something, lawyers are not an option due to expense. Plus the project grew as hams were added and all with new, innovative concepts over time.

Hard (for me) to imagine it going differently. Your thoughts (for future young groups of innovators?) ?Dave

 

I knew about patents when I was 13. Yes, finding funds to do that can be challenging, but frankly these days, with Go Fund Me , and the USPTO offering free legal services(!) I am not sympathetic. I cannot speak for Russia, and frankly have nothing to do with Russia. Also, groups certainly can pool funds and get patents.

I've been ripped off and DO have patents! But without patents, this conversation wouldn't be occurring: I would have been totally erased, with no impact--family, colleagues, the world in genersl-- on anyone.

There are STILL people who think Veselago 'invented' metamaterials--Marconi and Franklin did it with a patent in 1919(!) and that metasurfaces were 'invented' by Roger Walser in 1999--he didn't, a team at Lockheed Martin did that with 'wallpaper' on the U2 in 1960 (source: AREA 51, the Disney Channel). That patent apparently was not made public, and the limited angular response of the 'wallpaper' led to pursuing the SR-71 as an alternative.

See? Ya learned something;-) Thank Uncle Walt and National Geo...

 

NOTE FIG 11.... this is called an 'I' beam metamaterial cell.

 

..and first METASURFACE...Project RAINBOW 1960, placed on U2. From:" AREA 51", National Geographic, on Youtube and Disney Plus...it is believed Ed Purcell at Harvard ame up with this.

 

To further the discussion here about Dmitry and his team, here's a photo of one of the first WOLF transceiver builds, back in about 2019 or so. Dave Jensen, W7DGJ

 

I have looked at the Github page and don't see any reference as to where one could obtain the boards or anything to build a Wolf.
James
WD5GWY

 

James, I put a link in the article for that Github link. I think this is the right one. Let's hope Dmitry will correct me if I'm wrong. Dave Jensen, W7DGJ