On Sat, 28 May 2005 20:56:38 -0400, ALEXB wrote:


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

In general no. The license you have should cover all the radios in use and
under your control. For example if it was for a family it would cover all
the members in the house hold.


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.

Well just keep in mind anything you say on the air is going to have many
"ears" hearing you.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

From: (Leland=A0C.=A0Scott)
On Sat, 28 May 2005 13:06:44 -0400, alexb wrote: 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.
_
Leland is confused. Contrary to what he claimed, sooner or later people
do NOT get nailed for such actions. Listen to the cb, channel 6 or any
other channel where dx is rampant. A quick peep into the records of the
FCC busts reveals the way things really are. Leland likes to cite the
exception and -not-the norm of how the feds operate. Even if you were to
get the attention of the feds and get "nailed", you must be served with
a warning notice alerting you to the violation and an order to cease the
illegal activity, as Leland's examples cite. In fact, most cited are
guilty of repeat offenses after receiving multiple warnings. The chances
of getting busted are slim to slimmer unless someone complains. Even
then, the feds must actually witness any violation before any action
other than a warning notice is issued.

"I AmnotGeorgeBush" wrote in message
...
From: (Leland C. Scott)
On Sat, 28 May 2005 13:06:44 -0400, alexb wrote: 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.
_
Leland is confused. Contrary to what he claimed, sooner or later people
do NOT get nailed for such actions. Listen to the cb, channel 6 or any
other channel where dx is rampant. A quick peep into the records of the
FCC busts reveals the way things really are. Leland likes to cite the
exception and -not-the norm of how the feds operate. Even if you were to
get the attention of the feds and get "nailed", you must be served with
a warning notice alerting you to the violation and an order to cease the
illegal activity, as Leland's examples cite. In fact, most cited are
guilty of repeat offenses after receiving multiple warnings. The chances
of getting busted are slim to slimmer unless someone complains. Even
then, the feds must actually witness any violation before any action
other than a warning notice is issued.

You do not understand. Everything you said is formally correct. On a
practical level a great degree of tolerance exists in such matters. I got it
even before I posted here.

The issue for me was to learn the amplitude of trouble a person can get in,
potentially, under extreme circumstances. The license costs just $80.00
which is next to nothing for me. It is much better for me to pay 80 bucks
and forget about the matter otherwise in some extreme circumstances
somebody, not necessarily the Feds, can point their finger at me and say:
BTW, he operates a RADIO TRANSMITTER without a license or in some illegal
way.

This is the point.

On Tue, 31 May 2005 10:32:10 -0400, I AmnotGeorgeBush wrote:


Leland is confused.

Strong opinions, yes, confused, no.

Contrary to what he claimed, sooner or later people
do NOT get nailed for such actions. Listen to the cb, channel 6 or any
other channel where dx is rampant.

There's no DX in that sense on the GMRS frequencies.

A quick peep into the records of the
FCC busts reveals the way things really are. Leland likes to cite the
exception and -not-the norm of how the feds operate.

Perhaps, but he is looking to use it in a business setting. You operate
your marine rig without an FCC license by the way? And if you don't, why?
I'm just asking for the heck of it.

Even if you were to
get the attention of the feds and get "nailed", you must be served with
a warning notice alerting you to the violation and an order to cease the
illegal activity, as Leland's examples cite. In fact, most cited are
guilty of repeat offenses after receiving multiple warnings.

True enough, they do try to give people a break before they impose any
fines. The idea is to give them a chance to clean up their act. Some don't
and some plain don't care, that's when when they get to make a
contribution to the US Treasury. And if that doesn't work, then some free
room and board for several years at government expense is next. It's much
better not to let things even get to the point of a warning letter.

The chances
of getting busted are slim to slimmer unless someone complains.

This is where I have to disagree to an extend. There are licensed
users on the channels who are not going to be happy with unlicensed
operation. Remember the licensed uses "paid for their right", by receiving
a license from the FCC, to use those channels. On the combo FRS/GMRS
channels its hard to tell who is or is not licensed. On the strictly GMRS
channels any unlicensed operation is going to stick out like a sore thumb.
And the licensed people do complain to the FCC because they don't want the
sort of unlicensed activity on the combo channels spreading to the GMRS
only channels. When people have to identify themselves they tend to act
better on the air.

Even
then, the feds must actually witness any violation before any action
other than a warning notice is issued.

By the time you get the warning letter they tape recordings etc. already.
They don't issue a warning letter unless they, the FCC, is first satisfied
a violation had already occurred. Why do you think they aways request
tapes etc. from people filing a complaint with the FCC? Read some of the
FCC warning letters. You'll see where they state they have recordings etc.
already just to make a point with some violators.

Anyway he should have enough opinions by now from all sides to make an
informed choice.

Regards,

Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

Hello Alexb:

Yeah I wouldn't give the call sign thing too much concern especially
with low low power and hand held operation. But I would ID if any one
asked. Highly unlikely. And even more unlikely in areas that are not
heavily populated.

I don't think the codes your talking about are encrypted your signal. I
believe those are digital squelch codes that allow the other radio to
open its squelch. So scanner radios will be able to hear the conversation.

I am sure you can talk around the subject that you are framilur with. I
buy scanners at yard sales for something different to listen to. And
just listen to what ever they have programed in, or what ever crystal
channels are in the scanner. We have a local Tow Truck company here that
talks around everything. Except when Marge gets hammered on Friday
afternoons hehehehehehe.

I haven't a clue how to listen to encrypted signals?!?!?!?!? sorry.
Why would you want to? Just a bunch of guys saying Ten-4 and 2180 to
headquarters.

Jay in the Mojave


alexb wrote:
"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

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

Yeah I wouldn't give the call sign thing too much concern especially
with low low power and hand held operation. But I would ID if any one
asked. Highly unlikely. And even more unlikely in areas that are not
heavily populated.

I don't think the codes your talking about are encrypted your signal. I
believe those are digital squelch codes that allow the other radio to
open its squelch. So scanner radios will be able to hear the conversation.

I am sure you can talk around the subject that you are framilur with. I
buy scanners at yard sales for something different to listen to. And
just listen to what ever they have programed in, or what ever crystal
channels are in the scanner. We have a local Tow Truck company here that
talks around everything. Except when Marge gets hammered on Friday
afternoons hehehehehehe.

I haven't a clue how to listen to encrypted signals?!?!?!?!? sorry.
Why would you want to? Just a bunch of guys saying Ten-4 and 2180 to
headquarters.

Jay in the Mojave

Thank you.