OK, what is the solution for me that won't run afoul with the law? Would a
CB radio be the one? What type of radios can I use for a two way
communications, conducted occasionally with high degree of reliability on
demand? As I mentioned, The two points are five blocks apart downtown a
Midwestern city with a lot of structures in between. The conversations will
(or rather, may) be done during business hours between 9:00 and 4:00 EST. I
want to make sure that when I turned that radio on: (1) I can contact my
partner immediately (2) in any weather (3) there is minimal interference. As
I mentioned, it is a back up system for me. I am using VoIP phone lines most
of the time but my office on the other end of the communication line has to
have at least one line landbased. In any event, on a few occasions because
of construction nearby the lines have been interrupted recently. I need a
backup to fall onto in case of future problems.

Try MURS, a Part 95 VHF radio service. It allows 2 watts, gain antennas,
and VHF works better in the simplex mode then UHF. The allowed freqs a

151.820
151.880
151.940
154.570
154.600

The last 2 are used by fast food drive thru's but are wider bandwidth
frequencies allowing more equipment to be compatable.

More info can be found at http://www.provide.net/~prsg/
just don't believe all Stewart's BS.

"ALEXB" wrote in
:

I've been granted an FCC license for a GMRS radio (ZA category), which
I use in my business, and found on their website that my call sign
is... WQCTxxx. It is a seven character combination or capital letters
and digits.

Your email bounced... I was going to send you more information.

"General Mobile Radio Service |nformation" wrote in
message ...
"ALEXB" wrote in
:

I've been granted an FCC license for a GMRS radio (ZA category), which
I use in my business, and found on their website that my call sign
is... WQCTxxx. It is a seven character combination or capital letters
and digits.

Your email bounced... I was going to send you more information.

Yes, I am fed up with people harvesting my email address and sending junk.
Until a legislation is enacted to protect Internet users I will remain
anonymous.

I just entered your email address in my safe list of my
hotmail account and you can send it to Please,
remove "333" before mailing. It is for protection.

I really appreciate your help. Thank you very much.

Happy Memorial weekend everyone.

Sorry.

On Sat, 28 May 2005 08:12:38 -0400, ALEXB wrote:


Yes, I am fed up with people harvesting my email address and sending junk.
Until a legislation is enacted to protect Internet users I will remain
anonymous.

They have but it doesn't seem to be doing much good as of now.

You're not as anonymous as you may think. Your home IP shows in the
headers. If you have a way to turn it off I would advise doing so unless
you don't care or can't as many people find out. Also you should turn off
your Ping (Echo) response too unless you need it on. Sometimes I turn mine
on when I'm doing some testing or network configuration modifications. At
least you don't seem to have any ports hanging open. I did a quick port
scan of your system so if you have any logging enabled my port scanning
it'll show up there so don't worry about it.

-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 08:12:38 -0400
From: "ALEXB"
Lines: 28
Message-ID:
NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 07:14:01 -0500
NNTP-Posting-Host: 68.40.200.77
Newsgroups: rec.radio.cb
Path: local01.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.comcast.com!new s.comcast.com.POSTED!not-for-mail
References:
Subject: FCC license
X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly
X-Complaints-To:
X-DMCA-Complaints-To:
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437
X-Postfilter: 1.3.32
X-Priority: 3
X-Trace: sv3-lEStMSy0m78LOK5D0y9rxiC5oMgZZ8PW8tR8EdFTJtkKWFi4JH 09qYxEyUyJgDZZEJ0e9W3iM6fJTJm!QorZ1PCHhzWQ/jr+fkCe2kSTBfAGku8SAvZ33Z4TLcSUruQaD/p776+UU3Uf0yU8D5dq/LEGN3Gw!caM=
Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com rec.radio.cb:398351
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
---------------------------------------------------------------------


[Querying whois.arin.net]
[whois.arin.net]
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. JUMPSTART-1 (NET-68-32-0-0-1)
68.32.0.0 - 68.63.255.255
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc MICHIGAN-A-1 (NET-68-40-0-0-1)
68.40.0.0 - 68.41.255.255

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-05-27 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

While that may not do much good for finding your E-mail address it gives
them a start.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

"Leland C. Scott" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 28 May 2005 08:12:38 -0400, ALEXB wrote:


Yes, I am fed up with people harvesting my email address and sending
junk.
Until a legislation is enacted to protect Internet users I will remain
anonymous.

They have but it doesn't seem to be doing much good as of now.

You're not as anonymous as you may think. Your home IP shows in the
headers. If you have a way to turn it off I would advise doing so unless
you don't care or can't as many people find out. Also you should turn off
your Ping (Echo) response too unless you need it on. Sometimes I turn mine
on when I'm doing some testing or network configuration modifications. At
least you don't seem to have any ports hanging open. I did a quick port
scan of your system so if you have any logging enabled my port scanning
it'll show up there so don't worry about it.

-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 08:12:38 -0400
From: "ALEXB"
Lines: 28
Message-ID:
NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 07:14:01 -0500
NNTP-Posting-Host: 68.40.200.77
Newsgroups: rec.radio.cb
Path:
local01.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.comcast.com!new s.comcast.com.POSTED!not-f
or-mail
References:

Subject: FCC license
X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your
complaint properly
X-Complaints-To:
X-DMCA-Complaints-To:
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437
X-Postfilter: 1.3.32
X-Priority: 3
X-Trace:
sv3-lEStMSy0m78LOK5D0y9rxiC5oMgZZ8PW8tR8EdFTJtkKWFi4JH 09qYxEyUyJgDZZEJ0e9W3i
M6fJTJm!QorZ1PCHhzWQ/jr+fkCe2kSTBfAGku8SAvZ33Z4TLcSUruQaD/p776+UU3Uf0yU8D5dq
/LEGN3Gw!caM=
Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com rec.radio.cb:398351
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
---------------------------------------------------------------------


[Querying whois.arin.net]
[whois.arin.net]
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. JUMPSTART-1 (NET-68-32-0-0-1)
68.32.0.0 - 68.63.255.255
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc MICHIGAN-A-1 (NET-68-40-0-0-1)
68.40.0.0 - 68.41.255.255

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-05-27 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

While that may not do much good for finding your E-mail address it gives
them a start.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

Thanks a lot, much appreciated. I have a ZoneAlarm. It probably guards the
ports jealously, I assume.

I will take care of IP address shielding in the coming days since I am
getting a static one next week.

On Sat, 28 May 2005 20:48:56 -0400, ALEXB wrote:


Thanks a lot, much appreciated. I have a ZoneAlarm. It probably guards the
ports jealously, I assume.

It seems to be doing the job. Any kind of firewall is better than none.
You do need to turn off your Ping (ICMP Echo) response however if you
don't need it. I was getting Pings back from your IP. Many network
programs won't even bother doing anything if they don't detect a host at
the given IP address. It helps to keep your system from being "molested"
on the Internet. Some people however deliberately leave their system open
a bit just so they can capture the IP's of potential intruders in a log
file. I feel sorry for the dumb-dumbs, intruders, who fall for that. They
get what's coming to them sooner or later if the owner of the system is a
good system hacker and ticked off about it. God help them, the dummy
intruders, cause they're going to need it.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

Hello Alexb:

I listen in on a bunch on vhf and uhf Frequencies on my scanner. Most
GMRS and the commercial channels hardly any one uses call signs, except
for a few hams that are using modified UHF radios to talk on the GMRS
and FRS channels, they slip up and give their ham call sign, hehehehe

When call signs are used they mostly get it wrong or leave out letters
or numbers kind of funny. Or a foreign accent adds to the "What was that
they said"

If the general public was held for call sign accuracy we would all be in
jail.

So I wouldn't loose any sleep over it.

We had a local vhf channel that at one time had Berts Pizza and a few
delivery cars, a cement truck company, a school, and a fire fighting
outfit showed on the same channel during a forest fire. No body used
call signs, but it was very entertaining. We call it the "E" channel,
hehehehehehehhehe

Jay in the Mojave

ALEXB wrote:
I've been granted an FCC license for a GMRS radio (ZA category), which I use
in my business, and found on their website that my call sign is... WQCTxxx.
It is a seven character combination or capital letters and digits.

What does it mean and how can I use it? My "radio" is a small handheld
walkie-talkie with 4W max power output. Where is the call number in there?
Shall I use it when I talk to my counterpart: "Hello, this is WQCTxxx,
please, report to me?" Is it all to it? Like a caller ID only in the air?

Is there a set of rules describing the proper use of it?

Thanks

"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Hello Alexb:

I listen in on a bunch on vhf and uhf Frequencies on my scanner. Most
GMRS and the commercial channels hardly any one uses call signs, except
for a few hams that are using modified UHF radios to talk on the GMRS
and FRS channels, they slip up and give their ham call sign, hehehehe

When call signs are used they mostly get it wrong or leave out letters
or numbers kind of funny. Or a foreign accent adds to the "What was that
they said"

If the general public was held for call sign accuracy we would all be in
jail.

So I wouldn't loose any sleep over it.

That's what I thought too. Common sense pictured me a similar image or
reality. Just wanted to find out what other people's experience is with it.

Aside from what you just said which is valuable, I want to point out that my
communications, I hate to say it, are encrypted. That small GMRS has 15 or
so codes and multiplied by the number of channels I can use (from the top of
my head from the 12th up since I transmit at "high power" of 4W) makes it
unlikely that somebody would instantly tune in. How in the world would I
make a fool of myself blubbering that gibberish? There is nothing especially
'secret' about what I talk about. It is all about stocks, like, "sell 500
GOOG right now" or "do you want me to bring you a sandwich?" but I still do
not want people with scanners like you hear it. I actually use the telephone
line most of the time but need a back up system since once in a while the
phones do fail.

How do you go about listening to encrypted conversations, I am curious?

You know I have a full respect for the law but I would hate to be
ridiculous.


We had a local vhf channel that at one time had Berts Pizza and a few
delivery cars, a cement truck company, a school, and a fire fighting
outfit showed on the same channel during a forest fire. No body used
call signs, but it was very entertaining. We call it the "E" channel,
hehehehehehehhehe

Jay in the Mojave

ALEXB wrote:
I've been granted an FCC license for a GMRS radio (ZA category), which I
use
in my business, and found on their website that my call sign is...
WQCTxxx.
It is a seven character combination or capital letters and digits.

What does it mean and how can I use it? My "radio" is a small handheld
walkie-talkie with 4W max power output. Where is the call number in
there?
Shall I use it when I talk to my counterpart: "Hello, this is WQCTxxx,
please, report to me?" Is it all to it? Like a caller ID only in the
air?

Is there a set of rules describing the proper use of it?

Thanks

On Sat, 28 May 2005 13:06:44 -0400, alexb wrote:


Aside from what you just said which is valuable, I want to point out that my
communications, I hate to say it, are encrypted. That small GMRS has 15 or
so codes and multiplied by the number of channels I can use (from the top of
my head from the 12th

I would take what he said about call sign usage with a grain of salt. It's
no different than somebody telling you it's OK to do 20 over on the
highway because they never saw a cop. Yeah you might get away with it for
a long time, but sooner or later you'll get nailed. Also consider you're
trying to use it for business, that gives the licensed users an extra
incentive to report you.

Now for your comment above, if your talking about those
so-called "privacy codes", forget it. They don't encrypt anything. What
they're for is to keep other radios from opening up the squelch for every
transmission on that channel except for the one using that code. That way
you don't have to be bothered listening to transmission you're not
interested in. Anybody with a scanner can still hear everything you say.
One more thing, if you read the rules about station ID it states clearly
that you must ID either in English or Mose Code on the GMRS channels. That
basically ends any sort of encrypted transmission on GMRS. You may find
FRS radios using "voice inversion" scrambling, but then again you have to
have all matching radios typically from the same manufacture and most
people who are serious monitors have ways to unscramble the signal anyway,
either using hardware or some software based technique using a computer
sound card. The best rule to observe is assume that somebody can hear you
regardless of what kind of transmission you make scrambled, or in the
clear.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO
WPYJ972

"Leland C. Scott" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 28 May 2005 13:06:44 -0400, alexb wrote:


Aside from what you just said which is valuable, I want to point out
that my
communications, I hate to say it, are encrypted. That small GMRS has 15
or
so codes and multiplied by the number of channels I can use (from the
top of
my head from the 12th

I would take what he said about call sign usage with a grain of salt. It's
no different than somebody telling you it's OK to do 20 over on the
highway because they never saw a cop. Yeah you might get away with it for
a long time, but sooner or later you'll get nailed. Also consider you're
trying to use it for business, that gives the licensed users an extra
incentive to report you.

Now for your comment above, if your talking about those
so-called "privacy codes", forget it. They don't encrypt anything. What
they're for is to keep other radios from opening up the squelch for every
transmission on that channel except for the one using that code. That way
you don't have to be bothered listening to transmission you're not
interested in. Anybody with a scanner can still hear everything you say.
One more thing, if you read the rules about station ID it states clearly
that you must ID either in English or Mose Code on the GMRS channels. That
basically ends any sort of encrypted transmission on GMRS. You may find
FRS radios using "voice inversion" scrambling, but then again you have to
have all matching radios typically from the same manufacture and most
people who are serious monitors have ways to unscramble the signal anyway,
either using hardware or some software based technique using a computer
sound card. The best rule to observe is assume that somebody can hear you
regardless of what kind of transmission you make scrambled, or in the
clear.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO
WPYJ972

Thanks, Do I have to get a second license for the second walkie-talkie that
works vis-a-vie of mine?

I am not paranoid about encrypting. There is basically nothing I need to
hide. I just do not want to broadcast what I am doing unnecessarily across
town. When I talk to people I know I am very open about it. All I want to do
is to take MINIMAL precautions with minimal cost involved.

Thanks.