Export of cryptography from the United States - Wikipedia
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The software was classed as munitions and one needed an arms dealer’s license to publish it, including online. The creator of PGP published the full source code as a book, as these are covered under first amendment rights.

  • missfrizzle@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    19·
    1 day ago

    I think FCC still takes it pretty seriously.

    just use Meshtastic/LoRa. you can use encryption and you don’t need a Ham license. your output power is limited but I’ve heard of people getting 50+ miles of range for reception.

    specifically, for ham you’re not allowed to obscure the meaning of your transmissions. this means no:

    • symmetric cryptography
    • numbers stations (one-time pad ciphers)
    • communicating in codewords (“the Falcon has left the nest, over!”

    but you can use:

    • compression
    • commercial telegraph codes (e.g. 22415 = “Partly cloudy with a chance of showers”), as long as you’re using a public codebook
    • message authentication codes (to prevent forging messages)
    • (arguably) asymmetric cryptography for signatures, identity challenge/response
    • encrypted control messages for hobbyist satellites (special exemption)

    so authentication is possible, just not privacy.