Well, just like the MURS frequencies, there was a time that the CB frequencies
also required a liscence for the CB'ers to operate on (no, I'm not talking
about the hams when it was a ham frequencies).

Then one day, the FCC allowed anyone to operate on CB frequencies without a
liscence as long as they were within the legal power limits.

and then the people who were running businesses on the CB channels had to put
up with interference from people simply talking on them.

Now, while the MURS service never required a liscence as far as I know, the
MURS frequencies did use to require a liscence when they used to be
business-only frequencies.

However, they are now MURS frequencies which are legal for anyone to operate on
liscence free within legal power limits, just like the CB channels.

by the way, the news recently rreported that the government is thinking of
handing over ALL radio frequency assignments to the white house instead of the
FCC!!!!

as part of preventing terrorism under the "homeland security".

Therefore, ALL communications frequencies might be reassigned if that happens.

However, I think the news said that Congress has to approve it first for it to
happen. That is, Congress has to approve that all frequency assignments are
now under control and assigned by the White House (or by Congress) instead of
by the FCC.

What wil that do to our scanning hobby if that happens?

Well, the broadcast radio and broadcast tv channels wil most likely stay the
same (except for the already approved changes which haven't went into effect
on-air yet (the turn-off of all analog stations at the end of 2006, beginning
of 2007, and the reduction of tv channels to only channels 2 through 51 instead
of the current 2 through 69.

and I remember when it used to be channels 2 through 83.

I always wanted to see a TV channel 83 operational. here in my area.

I guess I never wil now.