On Tue, 2 Dec 2008 14:06:53 -0800, (Dave Platt)
wrote:

Planning to use the "Officer, it's only for emergency use" response,
when challenged, could be a very expensive tactic. You might find
out, the hard way, that the local regulatory body takes a "possession
is considered proof of intent to use" approach... even if you don't
get hit with criminal charges or a civil forfeiture order, you could
find that your radios are considered de facto "contraband" and are
subject to being seized without warning.

....That only works under two conditions:

1) The Gestapo Pig is able to recognize when a 2-way radio is anything
*other* than a CB Radio. Those Fifes are actually pretty rare these
days, and probably less than 2% of them can recognize a 2-Meter rig
when they see one. These days, they could care less if you've got a CB
in your car because CB is unlicensed.

2) And then there's the issue of "possession with intent". In this
case, if they bust you for it, then they have to deal with the FCC.
This requires about *nine* different forms to be filled out, and
essentially doubles - and in some cases *triples* - the paperwork the
poor little Piggies have to process. They don't like paperwork because
it takes away from their donut time.

,,,So while there *is* a danger, there isn't anywhere near as much a
danger as the Hams would *love* for you to believe. That's part of the
deterrent that's necessary to keep the bumbling FCC out of the Hams'
own internal politics, and perpetuate the myth that their
self-policing wields more power than Uncle Charlie and a pink slip
book.


OM
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