97.113(a)(4) prohibits "messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except as otherwise provided herein." That applies to all transmissions, not just to exchanges with amateurs in other countries. The exceptions are for telecommand and telemetry -- they are a bit broader than just space telecommand, but certainly do not extend to message content. See 97.207(f), 97.215(b) and 97.217 in addition to 97.211(b). Dave 9A/K1ZZ ________________________________ From: Joel Harrison [mailto:w5zn@arrl.org] Sent: Sat 4/14/2007 8:28 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: RE: [arrl-odv:15429] Re: More propaganda from Skip Teller What about communications between stations in the SAME country??? Joel ________________________________ From: w3kd@aol.com [mailto:w3kd@aol.com] Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 9:31 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:15429] Re: More propaganda from Skip Teller Skip Teller is simply wrong, Andy. Our bandwidth petition proposed to delete redundant language in 97.309. No encryption limits are deleted at all. Here is an excerpt from an encryption memo prepared by me for the HSMM last year. Joel has a correspondent who asked about this, and I am preparing a response to try to insert some sanity into this process. Gee, this process is painful when the uninformed speak so positively and raise the fear level in people who have the opportunity to think for themselves, but don't. Chris W3KD Until recently, FCC rules prohibited the transmissions of messages in codes or ciphers which are intended to obscure the meaning thereof, except as otherwise provided in the FCC Part 97 Rules. 47 C.F.R. § 97.113(a)(4). That rule also prohibited the use of "false or deceptive messages, signals, or identification." The rule section was revised by an FCC Report and Order, DA 06-79, released January 19, 2006. That Report and Order amended numerous rule sections in Part 97 to conform to the current language of the International Radio Regulations, which were amended substantially at WRC-03. Article 25.2A was one of the provisions of the Radio Regulations that changed at WRC-03.[1] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn1> [1] Previously, Article 25.2 stated "When transmissions between amateur stations of different countries are permitted, they shall be made in plain language and shall be limited to messages of a technical nature relating to tests and to remarks of a personal character for which, by reason of their unimportance, recourse to the public telecommunications service is not justified."[2] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn2> [2] Article 25.2A, as adopted at WRC-03, now states "Transmissions between amateur stations of different countries shall not be encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except for control signals exchanged between earth command stations and space stations in the amateur satellite service."[3] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn3> [3] In order to conform Section 97.113(a)(4) to the amended Radio Regulations, FCC dropped the "codes and ciphers" language, and amend the rule to prohibit amateur stations exchanging messages with amateur stations in other countries from making transmissions that are encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except for control signals exchanged between earth command stations and space stations in the amateur-satellite service. With regard to the exception in the Radio Regulations for encoded control signals exchanged between earth command stations and space stations in the amateur-satellite service, we note that this exception is already set forth in the Commission's Rules.[4] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn4> [4] The FCC, in that January, 2006 Report and Order, also revised Section 97.117 of the Commission's Rules[5] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn5> [5] to reflect the current language of Article 25.2 of the Radio Regulations.[6] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn6> [6] Article 25.2, as revised at WRC-03, now states "Transmissions between amateur stations of different countries shall be limited to communications incidental to the purposes of the amateur service, as defined in No. 1.56 [which defines the amateur service] and to remarks of a personal character."[7] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftn7> [7] Section 97.117 of the Commission's Rules formerly stated that "transmissions to a different country, where permitted, shall be made in plain language and shall be limited to messages of a technical nature relating to tests, and, to remarks of a personal character for which, by reason of their unimportance, recourse to the public telecommunications service is not justified." In order to conform Section 97.117 to the amended Article 25.2 of the Radio Regulations, the FCC amended Section 97.117 to state that amateur stations may transmit communications "incidental to the purposes of the amateur service and to remarks of a personal character." So, the "plain language" provision is gone internationally and domestically. ________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: andy@andyoppel.com To: arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org Sent: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 10:50 PM Subject: [arrl-odv:15427] More propaganda from Skip Teller Mr. Teller has started a new thread on QRZ - this time he is going after use of encryption on the amateur bands. http://www.qrz.com/ib-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=3&t=152634 Andy Oppel andy@andyoppel.com andy_oppel@alamedanet.net ________________________________ size=2 width="100%" align=center> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com <http://www.aol.com/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000437> . ________________________________ [1] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref1> [1] WRC-03 Final Acts, Article 25.2A. [2] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref2> [2] 2000 Radio Regulations, Article 25.2. [3] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref3> [3] WRC-03 Final Acts, Article 25.2A. [4] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref4> [4] Specifically, this exception is codified in Section 97.211(b), which provides that an Amateur Radio Station that is controlling an amateur service space station may transmit special codes intended to obscure the meaning of telecommand messages transmitted to the space station. [5] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref5> [5] 47 C.F.R. § 97.117. [6] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref6> [6] See WRC-03 Final Acts, Article 25.2. [7] <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchange/k1zz/Drafts/RE:%20[arrl-odv:15429]%20%20Re:%20More%20propaganda%20from%20Skip%20Teller.EML/1_text.htm#_ftnref7> [7] Id.