Bad news for Florida mobile scanners

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W4KRR

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On 6/8/05, governor Jeb Bush approved House Bill 1697. In this bill, the Florida scanner law (state statute 843.16) was amended:

1. The law now prohibits the mere transport of scanners or radios tuned to police and fire in vehicles (instead of just being "installed")
2. Added "fre rescue" to what is prohibited from monitoring
3. Changed the violation from a second degree misdemeanor to a first degree misdemeanor
4. Exceptions for amateur radio, news, and alram companies are still in place.

Albert Pratts on the CFLG list posted the text of the amended law to his website at:

http://www.qsl.net/k7fhp

You can also see the full law on the Florida legislative website at:

http://www.flsenate.gov/session/ind...u=1&BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&BillNum=1697

Florida scanner listeners, GET YOUR HAM TICKET if you don't have one already!

--
 
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I tried to find the word "scanners", "radio" but just could NOT do it on that web site for 1697. Can somebody point me in the right direction by providing the link?
 

kb5udf

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Read the Text

Thanks for the link. I managed to extract relevant information.
As with most of those laws I read, my common sense reading
(I'm NO lawyer..and laws often have little to do w/common sense)
suggests two issues.

1. If someone gets pulled over, they can just hit the the reset button.
Voila no evidence.

2. Possible technicality, it mentions a specific mode any frequency modulation radio receiving equipment. I guess if someone were to adopt nextel style AMBE, CDMA/TDMA like Opensky, the law would have to be rewritten.
 

Al42

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W4KRR said:
On 6/8/05, governor Jeb Bush approved House Bill 1697. In this bill, the Florida scanner law (state statute 843.16) was amended:

1. The law now prohibits the mere transport of scanners or radios tuned to police and fire in vehicles (instead of just being "installed")
Since scanners these days are synthesized, a scanner being transported isn't "tuned" to anything.

Another case of a law being written with a technical defect you can drive an illegal war through.
 

n4voxgill

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the law does require that the scanner be turned on. if it is in a vehicle and can receive police, fire because it contains either crystal or programed , then it is covered. The legislative intent is very clear.
 

khvfdff

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Does this apply to a hanheld scanner also. My father and I are on the local fire department, we usually carry our scanners with us when we are at the fire station, so we can listen to other counties, and dont tie up the fire department radios, so other firefighters can use them. We also carry it if we go to Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Augustine and/or Palatka to listen to the fire departments. But they are not hooked-up in our vehicle, we charge them at home and that is the only time that they are hooked up to anything. Would we still have to have a permit to carry these, even at the fire station or around town, even if they are not hooked up in our vehicle. :? :x
 

W4KRR

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khvfdff said:
Does this apply to a hanheld scanner also. My father and I are on the local fire department, we usually carry our scanners with us when we are at the fire station, so we can listen to other counties, and dont tie up the fire department radios, so other firefighters can use them. We also carry it if we go to Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Augustine and/or Palatka to listen to the fire departments. But they are not hooked-up in our vehicle, we charge them at home and that is the only time that they are hooked up to anything. Would we still have to have a permit to carry these, even at the fire station or around town, even if they are not hooked up in our vehicle.

Yes, it applies to mobile and hand held scanners, installed or not. Before, the scanner had to be "installed" in the vehicle, now, it would seem to make even a hand held scanner lying on the seat illegal. Apparently firefighters are not exempt, unless you're driving a fire department vehicle.
 

n4voxgill

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The way the law is written it does cover having any scanner in a vehicle whether installed or not and would require the chief of each fire department whose frequenccies you want to scan to designate your vehicle an emergency vehicle. It is not a scanner permit, but a designation as an emergency vehicle. See section 2 (a) 4
 

khvfdff

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Well this is down right mean. Why do we even buy scanners, if we can't have the free right to monitor whatevere we choose. Next thing you know the Florida State Legislature is going to tell us whether we can take a crap in our own homes or not, HELL for that matter make us have a permit for having a scanner in our own homes. :evil: :twisted: :roll: :eek: :( :!: :!: :!: All I gotta say is if they start doing this, then the Fire Departments better start issuing their firefighters radios.
 
N

N_Jay

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TippeTrunker2 said:
So, can I take my scanner to Homestead or Daytona for the NASCAR stuff?
Only if you don't have PD, FD, or other Gov channels in it.

Hmmm, well I guess it is smarter than the laws written to outlaw the scanners directly.

(These are still stupid laws, in my opinion)
 
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Keep the PD , FIRE, etc. channels programmed IN. Just don't drive like a MORON and you won't get stopped for Speeding. On a 7 State trip to Florida I saw only 3 State Troopers the whole trip. It's not like there are Scanner cops waiting at every intersection! Just use some Common Sense!
 

twolf816

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i drove a hundred miles into fl. and i didnt see a single fhp unit. in walton county, i deputy was routing traffic and i know he saw my scanner. i noticed he looked at my LA license plate and he just waved. so he didnt give a crap. plus like the previous post, drive the way you should and you wont have to worry about it. but i will never leave my scanner home on a trip to FL. ever.
 

KI4LIV

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When?

How soon will this take effect?

I've been studying for my tech class ham ticket off and on to legalize the BC780XLT/BCT8/Pro-2026/BC246T scanners I have in my car, but with this in the works it's given me the motivation to call and schedule my test for this weekend.
 

Southtown800

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Ok here comes a Stupid Question...

Does this apply to VHF Marine Radios or VHF Mobile radios Tuned to Marine Freqs?...installed in a vehical?

and as for handheld scanners...is there a law of walking down the street and monitoring Vs Driving?
 

N4DES

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It's an FCC violation to have marine frequencies programmed into a radio that is fixed on land unless you have a license for it regardless of the updated SOF scanner law:

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/...ccess.gpo.gov/cfr_2004/octqtr/47cfr80.501.htm


As to your second question, the law is specific to being inside of an automobile. Its not a violation to have it on your person while walking down the street.
 

N4UYV_Al

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Not trying ta beat a dead horse or anything but what kinda stupid law changes did they do to you guys in Florida?? Jees, after reading this thread, I feel almost guilty visiting my family in Central Florida with my ham gear in the car... I remember about 15 years ago gettin popped in the local convenience store by 2 FHP officers noticing that my HT (2 meter handi-talkie) was hearing the same thing their portable radios picked up...'Scuse me sir, can I see that radio?' sure officer....He was more impressed about my then Yeasu dual-band HT had all the bells & whistles then what it was picking up!! Oh, He asked if I was a ham & I offered my license but he said "It's all cool" & gave me a "Have a nice day"...
A perfect example why a law-abiding citizen should be able to have a scanner in his or her car?? Your driving down the road & an AMBER ALERT has been issued via police frequencies b4 it hits local radio & TV, and you AND your scanner happen to be behind the vehicle that's wanted...Hello, Gov Bush, anyone home??
The fact that these stupid laws covering different states are in effect is that if the criminal wanted too, he or she could still commit a crime with or without a scanner...As a ham & Volunteer, past & present for all my local public service agencies, my radios will be with me no matter what state I'm in...
 
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