Hello All!
I was sitting quietly on my recliner reading the april issue of Monitoring Times. I was fine until I read the "Ask Bob" column by Bob Grove. As if the cell phone monitoring topic thing has not been beat to death 1000 times over, a person asks Bob the following question;" I was told that my Realistic Radio Shack scanner had been modified to pick up cell phones but it doesnt pick up mine. How come?" No name/location given. Now I know what most of you are thinking when you see a question like this being asked. I felt the same way. Lets get past this for a minute and focus on Bobby boys' response. This is what got me going. " Chances are that your cell phone is digital, and no scanner made has cellular digital decoding. Regardless,modifying a scanner so that it picks up cell phone frequencies is unlawfull. (So far ok. The next part is what gets me) A scanner with cell phone frequency coverage cannot be inported, SOLD, manufactured, OR EVEN POSSESSED BY AN ORDINARY CITIZEN ACCORDING TO LAW." Now I am no legal expert but when did it become illegal for me to own a scanner that can tune to that band that was made BEFORE the ban was placed? Second, if I had such a scanner, when did it become illegal for me to sell such a radio at a Ham fest, flea market, or even my own front yard at a tag sale for instance? According to that statement, there are a few hundred thousand of us that are breaking the law by merely "possessing" such a scanner at home as "ordinary citizens". I dont think he did it on purpose but to put out such a half truth on a national magazine is purely irresponsible. I wont bother writting to them since Bob Grove and his web site are so intertwined with the magazine. Again, most of us tenured scannists know better than to even bother with the cell phone band. It just bothers me when people put out half truths. The selling part referes to businesses or companies that make or manufacture or deal with scanners as a business like Rat SHack for example. Second if I was stopped in front of someones home or at an incident scene, in my car, with a scanner tuned to the cell band then I undertand that there may be an issue at that point. But merely being the owner or having a scanner with me that is "capable" of tunning to that band but not actively doing so is NOT illegal. Now on the subject of "importing", dont even get me started on the companies over seas that "successfuly" import cellular capable scanners into this country without any problems.
Manny
I was sitting quietly on my recliner reading the april issue of Monitoring Times. I was fine until I read the "Ask Bob" column by Bob Grove. As if the cell phone monitoring topic thing has not been beat to death 1000 times over, a person asks Bob the following question;" I was told that my Realistic Radio Shack scanner had been modified to pick up cell phones but it doesnt pick up mine. How come?" No name/location given. Now I know what most of you are thinking when you see a question like this being asked. I felt the same way. Lets get past this for a minute and focus on Bobby boys' response. This is what got me going. " Chances are that your cell phone is digital, and no scanner made has cellular digital decoding. Regardless,modifying a scanner so that it picks up cell phone frequencies is unlawfull. (So far ok. The next part is what gets me) A scanner with cell phone frequency coverage cannot be inported, SOLD, manufactured, OR EVEN POSSESSED BY AN ORDINARY CITIZEN ACCORDING TO LAW." Now I am no legal expert but when did it become illegal for me to own a scanner that can tune to that band that was made BEFORE the ban was placed? Second, if I had such a scanner, when did it become illegal for me to sell such a radio at a Ham fest, flea market, or even my own front yard at a tag sale for instance? According to that statement, there are a few hundred thousand of us that are breaking the law by merely "possessing" such a scanner at home as "ordinary citizens". I dont think he did it on purpose but to put out such a half truth on a national magazine is purely irresponsible. I wont bother writting to them since Bob Grove and his web site are so intertwined with the magazine. Again, most of us tenured scannists know better than to even bother with the cell phone band. It just bothers me when people put out half truths. The selling part referes to businesses or companies that make or manufacture or deal with scanners as a business like Rat SHack for example. Second if I was stopped in front of someones home or at an incident scene, in my car, with a scanner tuned to the cell band then I undertand that there may be an issue at that point. But merely being the owner or having a scanner with me that is "capable" of tunning to that band but not actively doing so is NOT illegal. Now on the subject of "importing", dont even get me started on the companies over seas that "successfuly" import cellular capable scanners into this country without any problems.
Manny
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