Digital networking on the HF and VHF ham bands has been around since the early '80. The ban on encryption isn't to stop hams communicating, but to stop the com

Digital networking on the HF and VHF ham bands has been around since the early '80. The ban on encryption isn't to stop hams communicating, but to stop the commercial users taking over. The licensing authorities allow Ham radio to exist only because it is self regulating. And self regulation can only exist if there is no encryption. And FWIW there is an enormous amount of slow speed digital traffic on HF now. Mesh networking is also popular.