Encryption to the scanner hobbyist's world is like gun laws to the NRS's world. BUT there IS an NRA to fight those laws, and keep them reasonable. The cigar smoking industry has a legislative group called Cigar Rights of America who helps prevent unreasonable cigar legislation. This is what the scanner industry and what hobbyists need too ! Scanner Rights of America. In my opinion there is NO valid excuse to go full time encrypted. "Officer safety" is the number one reason that this happens. There are FAR more law abiding scanner listeners willing to help law enforcement than there are criminals out to harm them.
Lowndes County Georgia just went full time encrypted, police, fire, sheriff's etc... , again, my opinion only, they are only hurting themselves in the long run if the average scanner listener can't help prevent and fight crime by knowing what's going on around them. I have helped my local law enforcement numerous times by being a witness to and assisting them in being an extra pair of eyes.
You hear the "if only we had" a group like the NRA for petty much every cause under the sun.
The reason the NRA is so successful, it's not because of money, it's because they have one of the most passionate groups of members you will ever find. NRA members don't just send a check and then "phone it in". They hold the elected and appointed officials accountable. NRA members are calling, emailing, attending ever public meeting held, utilizing social media and above all else being the "squeaky wheel".
This is what is sorely lacking in the radio scanning hobby. I just did a quick search here and could not find one thread where someone stated, "My community just encrypted their public safety communications and I am mad as hell and I am not going to take this laying down". Never any mention of meeting or even trying to meet with the folks who made the decision or attending open public meetings, budget hearings and the like and speaking their mind. No social media campaigns.
What do you find if you do this search? Whining and suggestions of illegal tactics.
Let's be honest, encryption at the local or even state level is never going to be a topic for the mainstream media, it is a local issue and even then one most, including some elected and appointed officials care little about. This apathy is your advantage.
In all the cases that I have just happen to stumble upon in my travels for work, EVERY time a victory occurs for the scanner hobbyist it is because they and another like minded individuals and organizations came together and took the NRA's "take no prisoners" approach. Some times the result is small, just dispatch is in the "clear" and other times, like the case I mentioned earlier in this thread, a greater victory is had.
But getting back to your original point, sure, I agree that the scanner manufacturers, the retailers/dealers who profit from scanner sales and even sites like Radio Reference should become more involved in this issue but at the end of the day unless the scanner hobbyists are willing to do the grassroots legwork on the local level, it won't matter how much money is thrown at the issue or how powerful a lobby you have.
