UK hams could be allowed to encrypt.

[VK4DU]

From the "critical comms" weekly email


UK hams could be allowed to encrypt.

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom is asking for feedback on proposals that would see hams being able to communicate with emergency services operators using encryption, which they are presently forbidden from doing.

There are some other interesting items in the doc.

The full doc is here:

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binari ... condoc.pdf

73
Glenn VK4DU

[VK2LK]

Yeeaahhhh.... But his many emergency services that gave implemented encryption, would be willing to divulge their keys?

[VK4GJW]

And therein lies the beauty with encryption these days. You can have public keys, private keys and individual keys! And these keys can be activated or deactivated via computer control at a moments notice. There is a lot more involved in the process of encryption and decryption but it is possible to do. It is whether the services involved wish to bear the associated costs or pass them on. Will be interesting to monitor this.

[VK4WDM]

It is interesting to see that hams and military and military cadet stations are allowed to communicate on their shared 5MHZ segment. I wonder whether that has any benefit for recruiting in either direction? I wonder whether ham station and military station links could be set up in VK for special commemorative occasions such as ANZAC day? There is already a defence instruction in place to allow military gear to used on the ham bands by ADF members who are hams for special events such as the RD contest.

Up here in north Queensland we have ADF stations appearing on our 6m band from time to time, mainly for short periods during major exercises. Of course we hams are not supposed to talk to them but I did tell a RAAF station that their FM transmissions were being heard very loudly in Japan and followed that up with a phone call to the local base where I was told that it was not possible "because VHF is only line of sight." I invited the OIC comms to visit my shack where he was shown that the RAAF transmissions were not only being heard in Japan, but probably in Europe also. He left rather bemused

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK5TX]

What DI are you talking about?

[VK4WDM]

There is a Defence Instruction about ham radio operations and ADF. Obviously I can't share it here, but it relates procedures to obtain permission to operate amateur radio stations on defence land and the use of military radios for AR field days etc. All you can say if you are using such a radio and are asked what equipment is being used is that it is a "synthesized HF transceiver." This restriction does not apply if you are using "historic" equipment. VK4KG, the station at the Townsville RAAF museum was established and runs under that DI. There were quite a few hoops to jump through.

It seems that in the UK military and hams have a shared segment where they can work each other.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK5TX]

Sorry I was after the number which unless it's restricted you should be able to share.

[VK4WDM]

Have you got access to the DRN? If so just type in "amateur radio" in the DI list. Its years old with some stuff about having to report contact with certain countries which is not relevant anymore. I am retired WEF a few weeks ago and don't have access to the site now.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4GJW]

I shall have to look it up on Monday when I am back at work!

[VK4WDM]

It really needs dumping or a re-make. As you will see its a relic of the cold war

73

Wayne VK4WDM