Police Scanners, Who got them and who listens to them.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

So I found a couple of Scanner apps for my Ipod Touch and enjoy listening to all the chatter from various dept around the world and was wondering who else likes to listen to scanners, whether they are streamed via the interwebz or over the air? And no scanners are not illegal unless you are using them while committing a crime.

[Dattebayo]

scanners are not illegal unless you are using them while committing a crime.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

[sbird1]

Sometimes I like to listen to the scanner out of Athens, GA (where UGA is) to see what's happening. I'm just waiting for the day when I hear about a friend over the scanner.

[93coupe]

I had an app on my droid and listened to it every now and then. Fun stuff.

[flohtingPoint]

I drive the speed limit, so it's a waste of time for me.

[Tyler]

^^what was that app called, id like to get it

[dusred]

Are you retarded? LOL! The speedlimit has nothing to do with scanners. . . unless of course you live in a place where people will call you in for speeding.

I've had a scanner for a long time. It's OK to know what's going on. Our cops have some sort of a private radio system that they use so that they can't be heard on the scanner.

[krash]

Theres a free one called iscan. I'm getting it right now. Just search "Police scanners"

This is awesome. It is illegal to disclose information you hear to other persons.

whups.

Modified by krash at 2:00 PM 1/29/2010
Modified by krash at 2:27 PM 1/29/2010

[flohtingPoint]

Are you retarded? LOL! The speedlimit has nothing to do with scanners. . . unless of course you live in a place where people will call you in for speeding.

I've had a scanner for a long time. It's OK to know what's going on. Our cops have some sort of a private radio system that they use so that they can't be heard on the scanner.

I drive an extensive lenth of the I95 each monday and friday.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Always trying to pick a fight...

http://www.police-scanner.info...s.htm

The bottom line:

*It is illegal to listen in on cellular and cordless phone calls. *It is illegal to intercept encrypted or scrambled communications. *It is illegal for scanner manufacturers to sell or import radio scanners that are capable of receiving cellular phone frequencies. (Note: This rule does not apply to sales by individuals and radio scanners made before 1985). *It is illegal to modify radio scanners so that cellular phone frequencies can be received. *It is illegal to use information you hear for personal gain. A common example is where a taxi driver listens to a competitor's dispatch channel for fare pick-ups and then races over and picks-up the fares. *It is illegal to use information you hear to aid in the commission of a crime. *It is illegal to disclose information you hear to other persons.

The actual law as written can be found here: http://www.law.cornell.edu/usc....html You want part 2511

(g) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter or chapter 121 of this title for any person—(i) to intercept or access an electronic communication made through an electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public;(ii) to intercept any radio communication which is transmitted—(I) by any station for the use of the general public, or that relates to ships, aircraft, vehicles, or persons in distress;(II) by any governmental, law enforcement, civil defense, private land mobile, or public safety communications system, including police and fire, readily accessible to the general public;(III) by a station operating on an authorized frequency within the bands allocated to the amateur, citizens band, or general mobile radio services; or(IV) by any marine or aeronautical communications system;(iii) to engage in any conduct which—(I) is prohibited by section 633 of the Communications Act of 1934; or(II) is excepted from the application of section 705(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 by section 705(b) of that Act;(iv) to intercept any wire or electronic communication the transmission of which is causing harmful interference to any lawfully operating station or consumer electronic equipment, to the extent necessary to identify the source of such interference; or(v) for other users of the same frequency to intercept any radio communication made through a system that utilizes frequencies monitored by individuals engaged in the provision or the use of such system, if such communication is not scrambled or encrypted.

§ 2511. Interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications prohibited (e)(i) intentionally discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other person the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication, intercepted by means authorized by sections 2511 (2)(a)(ii), 2511 (2)(b)–(c), 2511(2)(e), 2516, and 2518 of this chapter,(ii) knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of such a communication in connection with a criminal investigation,(iii) having obtained or received the information in connection with a criminal investigation, and(iv) with intent to improperly obstruct, impede, or interfere with a duly authorized criminal investigation.

Having put that to rest let us get back to the original purpose of this thread, who else likes to listen to scanners?

[Dattebayo]

Always trying to pick a fight...

http://www.police-scanner.info...s.htm

Always quick to assume...

Did you make the law? Then why would you take it as a personal challenge?

[Warped161]

i had a handheld scanner but they changed to an all digital system and those where way to expensive. now i just listen to w2lie.net. oh and btw many states have laws against using a scanner in your car.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Always quick to assume...

Did you make the law? Then why would you take it as a personal challenge?

I didn't take it as a personal challenge, you just have a knack of voicing your opinion in a way that comes across as personal affront towards whoever it is that you are quoting when you make statements. The interwebz cannot properly convey sarcasm or the direction of sarcastic comments.

[Dattebayo]

The interwebz cannot properly convey sarcasm or the direction of sarcastic comments.

So maybe next time you won't blow up when you *think* something is being said a certain way.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Didn't blow up, just wanted to put any debates on the legality of scanners to bed before anything got out of hand, you just happened to be the first person to come in and make an inflammatory statement. I'm sure at some point or another someone else (Redcoupe, Charleo, PMQ ect...) would have come in and pull something far more inflammatory out of their a** that would have really pissed me off and derail the whole point of this thread.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Didn't blow up, just wanted to put any debates on the legality of scanners to bed before anything got out of hand, you just happened to be the first person to come in and make an inflammatory statement. I'm sure at some point or another someone else (Redcoupe, Charleo, PMQ ect...) would have come in and pull something far more inflammatory out of their a** that would have really pissed me off and derail the whole point of this thread.

Where...NICO? Nhoooo.

[ADDirishboy]

It is illegal to disclose information you hear to other persons.

WRONG.

As long as you're not using that info for personal gain, and you don't disclose names of people involved, you can say whatever the hell you want.

I can talk about dumbass people I've run EMT calls out too. I can tell stories of the crazies I've seen in hospitals and treated. As long as I don't disclose names or any personal info, I'm good.

[PoorManQ45]

I'm sure at some point or another someone else (Redcoupe, Charleo, PMQ ect...) would have come in and pull something far more inflammatory out of their a** that would have really pissed me off and derail the whole point of this thread.

Thanks for keeping me in mind

[krash]

WRONG.

As long as you're not using that info for personal gain, and you don't disclose names of people involved, you can say whatever the hell you want.

oooh ok haha, I wasn't saying that. I posted something I heard and then read the next post where it said, "It is illegal to disclose information you hear to other persons." So I got scared and ran away.

[bcar240]

Last year I found a scanner in our design lab that I guess was part of someone's radio communications project. I played with it a lot and found all sorts of channels. Police, EMT, hospital, campus janitorial services, air traffic control, etc. I learned that most of them are pretty quiet a lot of the time, makes them hard to find.

[RCA]

I had an ex police friend who loved listening to fire responces and domestic violence stuff. Pretty fun when your working the grave yard shift as security at a Pharma headquarters.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Ha, in NJ wearing a bullet proof vest is illegal only if you are committing murder with one on.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Last year I found a scanner in our design lab that I guess was part of someone's radio communications project. I played with it a lot and found all sorts of channels. Police, EMT, hospital, campus janitorial services, air traffic control, etc. I learned that most of them are pretty quiet a lot of the time, makes them hard to find.

You probably found an old scanner that was either a 500Mhz model or was not capable of trunk hopping. Most if not all communications are on the 900Mhz band with the exception of some small towns and systems that don't use radios much. Also keep in mind that most of the scanners available now are capable of double and triple trunking and can pick up a wide band range. You have to be careful with any of the higher end modern scanners as they are more than capable of getting you in trouble if you know how to work them. Keep in mind that most cordless phones used to operate @ 900 Mhz (they are now in the 1-2Ghz range) and getting one that is capable of double and triple trunking will pick up frequencies and channels that you really aren't allowed to listen to (FAA,Military,Federal channels). Airport chatter is usually pretty active (at least for mega airports i.e. JFK, Dulles, LAX)as are most multi purpose radio systems in larger cities (systems that carry Police,Fire,EMS,and EOC).

To my knowledge local municipalities are completely legal to listen to as long as it's not for personal gains, keep in mind there are multiple scanners in every news room across the country, Federal and Military bands are a totally different subject. If you are caught listening to either one you will go to jail due to the fact that they are openly available to the public, you have to purposely seek them out and they channel hop like its nobodies business through the use of pre-programmed channels and coded commands.

If you want to have a real treat try playing with short-band and long-band radio systems (ala HAM Radio Systems) it's a hell of a hobbie and you never know who or what you'll come across.

[bcar240]

This one had several frequency bands, can't remember the numbers though, and could actually transmit on some of them (I think this would normally have required a license), but I am sure it wasn't trunking. I am pretty sure I was only getting the campus police and not the city, because a city of that size would use a trunking system. Our airport only had a dozen or so commercial flights a day (with random GA planes), you almost had to look at the schedule and plan ahead to hear anything. Radios have always intrigued me, I just never really picked it up as a full time hobby.

I remember when I was a kid and I looked at the school bus radio when getting off and saw they were on channel 1, and then tried to go home and listen to the bus with my CB radio on channel 1 and not understanding why it wasn't working.

[duffman1278]

I had one, pretty interesting when the ghetto bird was around