Hams are authorized to send digital data such as RTTY, PSK31 and others
Is this what you heard??

Also by gentle persons agreement and tradition - Hams operate Upper Side
Band on the 20M phone band, BUT they are allowed to operate Lower Sideband
as well -- few do. You may have heard a LSB signal

USA Amateur Extra class hams can operate phone from 14.150-14.350 MHz:
So I suspect you heard a LSB signal -- just switch to LSB when you can't
"unscramble" a signal.

RE Encrypted messages -- see
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...s/news/part97/
FCC Part 97.113 Prohibited transmissions.
(4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere
in this section; communications intended to facilitate a criminal act;

messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning,

except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or indecent words or language;
or false or deceptive messages, signals or identification;


--
CL -- I doubt, therefore I might be !






"HankG" wrote in message
...
While tuning through 20 meters, I came across a transmission on 14.1730 at
17:50 UTC. As I tried to bring in the station, I realized that it was
encrypted.

It ended abruptly at 17:53 and started again at 17:57. Not your typical
ham
QSO.

Is encryption allowed by hams?

HankG