K4YZ wrote:
an old friend wrote:
John Smith wrote:
Anyone aware of any court challenges to the FCC banning the use of "codes"
(encryption/decryption) on radio.

No I am not

It seems insane that encrypted data is exchanged freely on the internet and yet
regulations prevent its use on amateur radio, how such can be prevented on one
specific form of communications seems insane.

As I understand the matter it comes in part from concerns that Spies
would use Ham radio to do thier deeds

Today with al queada I can't see the FCC budging on this one


Very sophisticated means are even used to embed text/voice data in video and
binary pictures which is virtually impossible to detect/decrypt with the even
the fastest computers--within practical time periods (like millions of
years--let alone lifetimes.)

I have heard of this never studied it could something like that be used
to embed same in something like SSTV

John

OTOH Your mention PGP I suppose based on the discusions of the USE of
PSK 31 and other modes you could argue the use PGP would be legal is
the non encoded parts of the tranmision in addition to your Call sign
contained the addresses where both of the keys could be found. The
addresses would have to be acesable over say the internet but it should
be legal

You're only problem here, Mark, is that PSK31 is not an encryption
technique. Otherwise I agree with your above assessment (esp
w/reference to Al-Queda)

PSK31 is an encryption/encoding method as is morse encoded cw both
legal becuase they are published (and morse is of course enshined by
name in the rule book) the rules are rather vague on where the line
drwn in these matters esp as technolgy advances so fast to make one
year unbreakable code, todays public key


Alothough the FCC is liable to try to make a fight of it, one that
isn't worth it to me at anyrate

Probably true.

73

Steve, K4YZ