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I know quite a few people who would rather use free encrypted ham radio (if it existed) than pay a yearly fee for business band. And if it was encrypted, how wo

I know quite a few people who would rather use free encrypted ham radio (if it existed) than pay a yearly fee for business band. And if it was encrypted, how would the FCC ever notice (or get alerted by other noticing hams) that it was getting used for business?

edrxty 5y ago
At least as I propose it and it's implemented in the respective specs, the clear-text ID requirement would still stay. If you weren't ID-ing then it would be just like any other enforcement action. As it stands, there are enough digital modes that one could reasonably operate with encrypted business band radios and nobody would know as one has to assume that any mode they can't receive is yet another one they don't have a radio for yet there isn't widespread abuse. Similarly there are countries where it's legal and it's not a problem. The advantage of business band isn't the encryption, it's being able to have a guaranteed frequency to yourself. On the ham bands you'd have to train all your users how hop around if someone started using the frequency.