[Crunchified]

I just don't see anything fundamentally unique about an encrypted communications stream that would require it to be used on the ham bands for 'furthering the radio arts.' Any stream being developed or tested for use over the air should be able to be effectively tested in the clear as allowed by amateur rules. Then further testing (incorporating encryption) can be done over internet or closed circuits. It seems to me that encryption as such is unlikely to have any fundamental effect on the outcome of on-air testing.

[lrvick]

What I am hearing is we should only be permitted to have encrypted communication if we are near a cell phone tower and pay a corporation the appropriate fees?

[Gracana]

You can use the ISM bands for free.

[lrvick]

What open hardware can legally do any useful (open source, auditable, and secure) encrypted voice communication at long distance via ISM?

[jjjjmoney]

I’m just coming back to this thread to answer some of the other comments over the next few days, but WiFi does count here. It operates on ISM bands, AFAIK there are OSS chips, and it allows encryption.

What’s more interesting to me is that the M17 project has found some chips on aliexpress that are lower level and work on a multitude of bands. I’m trying to find this and will update when I do.