Digital Ham Comms and COMMSEC/OPSEC

Hey all,
I was browsing around and saw some people briefly mention their Digital Ham Radios. This got me thinking, I have a TYT Digital HT and as I understand it you can program in an encryption key into these radios (choice of 16 or 128 bit, I think). I haven't looked into it yet as I only have the 1 radio to hit my local digital repeater, but would this be an option similar to the iDEN/i335 phone setup that some people have done here?
Seems like you could pick a 2m simplex frequency and just go for it. With the digital setup you could do call groups and multiple "channels" with different keys.
You could also integrate this into your mobile rig and/or base station with some of the higher power digital radios.
Anyone do any testing with this, I am going to have to see what I can come up with.
Of course I will note that it is illegal to operate encrypted on the ham radio bands.
I also wonder about using this technique on FRS/GMRS, although I suspect it would be illegal there as well.

So what do you all think? In SHTF (where legality is not a concern) you think this would work and be a decent method of secure communications?

J-Woodsman

 

It is better than no encryption.

 

BACK IN THE DAY, I used to literally wire miniature, analog, voice scrambling modules into two-way radios, (Canyon State was a popular manufacturer at that time), which would simply invert the modulation but was effective in scrambling the transmit audio to thwart the eves dropping scanner crowd, at least for awhile.
As time when on, rolling code keys and digital methods of modulating our beloved sinusoidal RF waves became the rule and not the exception. Is there anything scrambled by human beans that cannot be de scrambled by human beans you're asking? Highly doubt it.
GMRS, last I checked there was only one 25 watt VHF frequency, because it was only one channel it could not be part of a repeater pair, bummer. The rest of the GMRS channels are really low power, therefore, not much fun!
What's FRS again?
Happy Modulating, Peace. OG

 

Family Radio Service
Family Radio Service (FRS)
I don't think that digital comms is allowed.

 

Thank you.

 

if you monitor Military freqs now you will hear One Time used messages, all alpha/numeric code, most/much comes out of Andrews. You will also hear other Numbers Stations still in use, these are very often Cuban stations or the like - big thing during the cold war, hey guess what still a thing, why because as noted it is un-crackable without the corresponding pad . Still a violation of ham rules if you want to follow them to the letter of the law part 97. Now assuming the SHTF situation you may not be concerned with Part 97 or anything else related to rules at that point, but I;ll always side on following the rules ;-)

 

There was a great article about this very topic on my favorite blog: Communications Security (as good as it gets). - Off Grid Ham

The bottom line is that true comms security is impossible on the amateur bands without breaking the law. However, there is a lot you can legally do to reduce your exposure.

For example, the article suggests using obsolete data modes like AMTOR that hardly anyone would think to use and may not even have the equipment to decode.

 

GMRS is UHF, has multiple repeater pairs, and power up to 40 watts mobile or repeater and 5 watts handie-talkie. MURS is vhf low power but pretty discrete. Then again in a WROL situation, one should have scouted out empty freqs such as closed businesses.

 

I see, thank you. Back in the day, I used to file for many, many FCC licenses for frequencies in the commercial two-way radio bands between 30mhz and 960 MHz. Recently I attempted to find out from the FCC how to file on my own for a single VHF channel but came up empty handed. Seems like the FCC doesn't provide any service to the small fry, maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. ALSO, What is WROL? Anyway, here's a pretty good gmrs/frs chart, I can't seem to identiy any reoeater pairs and like you said, no Vhf. FRS and GMRS Frequencies

 

Excellent info thanks.

 

Cool article, it talks about creating one time use pads and distributing them amongst a group!

 

Try mygmrs.com to find repeaters in your area. There is nothing in the rules (FCC part 95) that does not allow scrambling or encryption that I can find.

 

§ 95.181 Permissible communications. (a) A station operator for an individual who is licensed in the GMRS (other than an employee of that individual) may communicate two-way voice messages concerning the licensee’s personal or business activities (see §95.179).
(b) [Reserved]
(c) A station operator for any entity other than an individual licensed in the GMRS may communicate two-way VerDate Nov<24>2008 11:39 Dec 09, 2009 Jkt 217204 PO 00000 Frm 00544 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:\SGML\217204.XXX 217204 rmajette on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with CFR 535 Federal Communications Commission Pt. 95, Subpt. A, App. A voice messages concerning the licensee’s business activities (see §95.179). An employee for an entity other than an individual licensed in the GMRS may, as a station operator, communicate two-way voice messages while acting within the scope of his/her employment.
(d) A station operator for any GMRS licensee may communicate two-way voice messages concerning: (1) Emergencies (see §95.143); (2) Rendering assistance to a motorist; and (3) Civil defense drills, if the responsible agency requests assistance.
(e) All messages must be in plain language (without codes or hidden meanings). They may be in a foreign language, except for call signs (see §95.119).
(f) A station operator may communicate tone messages for purposes of identification or transmitter control in a control link.

 

Ok I see the non scrambling caveat, and now that I think about it, I have often communicated on the radio in a way that did not give specific identifiers of things like names, locations or activity, but the people that mattered knew what I meant. I suppose this was also a form of coding too, therefore, illegal! ~ Also, I read the legalese in your response, I believe that it says that employees of and other users authorized by the licensed station operator can talk on the channel and anyone can in an emergency, right?

 

WROL = without rule of law

 

Yes, I read the above piece of legalese and fed it through my plain language decoder and I think it says that employees and other people authorized by the license holder can operate on the licensees frequency as well as anyone needing to operate for the purposes of a valid emergency can too. Agree or ?

 

ok thanks.

 

Communicate without hidden meaning? What is this George Orwell's 1984? Is there a federal hidden meaning gestapo now?!! That's unfair!