On Tue, 1 Jul 2003 01:53:22 -0400, Ryan, KC8PMX wrote:

Data transmitted over Amateur Packet Radio is not permitted to be
encrypted.

Larry.... it is "encrypted" in a sense. Otherwise my scanner should be able
to recieve it no different than the voice comm's I already hear there. It
is "encrypted" (or maybe a better choice of words being "encoded") in the
sense that it needs to be encoded before sending over the air and decoded at
the other end.

The same way that messages sent in Morse Code are "encoded".
Perfectly legal.

When was the last time you listened to a packet signal being transmitted and
could tell what was being sent as far as the content of the message, merely
by listening by ear? If you are that good, you have my respect, as it
merely sounds like a digital "blurb" to me.

The old-time RTTY techs could read certain combos by ear, having
heard them so often, just as many of the international point-to-point
radiotelephone techs could "read" inverted speech after being exposed
to it long enough.

Just like high-speed Morse.....

Now do you understand what I meant by "encrypted?" The average "public" in
"scannerland" does not have the capability to monitor that traffic as we do.

They sure do. TNCs are cheap, and an awful lot of "scannerists"
have them if they have any interest in HF reception. Some of those
TNCs can decode protocols that the average ham TNC can't. Of
course, when the material is decoded, it usually turns out to be
"spook" quality encrypted.

--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane