>I've always wondered why the FCC is regulating the content of amateur radio transmissions as opposed to merely the spectrum used. Spectrum is allocated for sp

>I've always wondered why the FCC is regulating the content of amateur radio transmissions as opposed to merely the spectrum used. Spectrum is allocated for specific purposes. We have spectrum allocations for aviation, for public safety, for business use, for broadcast and so on. Each of those services has specific regulations to ensure that it functions effectively and is not detrimental to users of other radio services. Amateur radio has a broad but specific range of purposes with some kind of social benefit - education, experimentation, public safety, international goodwill etc. The amateur radio service is regulated to ensure that it remains useful for those purposes. Encryption removes the ability of the FCC and the amateur radio community as a whole to see whether you're using the service legitimately, or illegally encroaching on amateur frequencies.