One Time Pad Encryption Over Radio | Hacker News Reader

One Time Pad Encryption Over Radio

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15 pointsw8rbt7 comments

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I would very very very much suggest that no one transmits text from this over radio.

At least in the USA, I'm nearly 100% sure that this is in violation of the Part 97 rules.

If any unknowing HAM transmits anything from this, they are in for a world oh hurt.

Correct. 97.113 Prohibited Transmissions

(a)(4) ... messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except as otherwise provided herein...

With one exception being telecommand of a space station (and possibly model craft).

Source: http://www.arrl.org/part-97-amateur-radio (and the PDF linked there)

Yes. This is what I was remembering. I'm a member of the HAM radio club in college, NJIT.

We wanted to do a few projects that were stunted due to this arcane law.

The law is probably necessary for HAMs to be self policing.

From the vibe I get from our club adviser, it seems like a "they'll find you if you do it for long enough" situation. I wouldn't want to tempt fate and do it.

It's the same as if you have a noisy transmitter.

I think we "outsider" engineers forget (or miss the point on) why amateur radio enjoys the spectrum privileges it does: education, technical investigations, research... things that further the art and community. There's a large contingent of hams just listening.

Encrypted meaningless noise on the air would be a "selfish" waste of spectrum incompatible with the neighbourly spirit espoused by most amateur radio organizations and hams themselves, not to mention damaging to the self-policing they're supposed to do.

I alsl expect it wouldn't be "allowed" to persist as a hobby in its current form in many parts of the world if you added the threat of casual encrypted communications, beyond the reach of CALEA-type intercept capabilities into the mix.

I immediately thought of numbers stations when I read this title.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_station

Not quite as mysterious and intriguing, but still pretty cool.

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