Laws in NC and SC for Mobile Scanners ?

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k4gps

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I am somewhat new to the area and wondering if there are any state or municipal laws governing hand held and mobile scanners in NC and SC? I work on the road and sometimes it can get boring with all the windshield time. I am mostly in Mec, Lancaster , Gaston and York county but often drive all the way out to Asheville.

In FL my amateur radio license covered me but I am unsure about here. I am probably covered since I work in the cellular industry and do need to monitor the old analog 800 Mhz sites but if anything were to happen I may be questioned why I have PS frequencies loaded up.

Thanks,
Rich K4GPS
 

SCPD

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Your ham radio license covers you anywhere across the USA as long as the receiver is part of your ham radio station. There was a declartory ruling by the FCC back in 1991 protecting ham radio operators from state laws that ban radios capable of receiving police frequencies. So program in a couple of two meter frequencies for monitoring along with your ham radios and you are covered by the law. Contact the ARRL for a copy of the ruling to help you understand it.
 
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KE4ZNR

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And to clarify further NC/SC only has laws against using Scanners in committing a crime...meaning there are NO mobile scanner laws in either of the 2 states as in other states....enjoy your radios!
Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

jpm

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When I go on vacation I just use them license, other than my Illinois drivers license . JUST DO IT
 

BryanTheRed

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KE4ZNR said:
And to clarify further NC/SC only has laws against using Scanners in committing a crime...meaning there are NO mobile scanner laws in either of the 2 states as in other states....enjoy your radios!
Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR
Exactly!
 

n4voxgill

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ac7xc said:
Your ham radio license covers you anywhere across the USA as long as the receiver is part of your ham radio station. There was a declartory ruling by the FCC back in 1991 protecting ham radio operators from state laws that ban radios capable of receiving police frequencies. So program in a couple of two meter frequencies for monitoring along with your ham radios and you are covered by the law. Contact the ARRL for a copy of the ruling to help you understand it.

That does not cover scanners, only applies to transcievers that receive wideband. If the transciever is modified to transmit out of band it is also not covered as it does not have FCC certification.
 

KE4ZNR

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NCSHP311 said:
10-95, are you in NC?

Yep :cool: I can state for a fact 10-95 is located somewhere in NC :D
Just can't give out any more info than that or else the men in black may find him :lol:
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

10-95

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KE4ZNR said:
Yep :cool: I can state for a fact 10-95 is located somewhere in NC :D
Just can't give out any more info than that or else the men in black may find him :lol:
Marshall KE4ZNR


Yes, N.C. As for those men in black, the guys from the funeral homes are getting a bad rap because of them! I have not forgotten about you Marshall, I'm getting close to having a regular schedule again, I'l get in touch with you maybe in about two weeks.
 

KE4ZNR

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10-95 said:
Yes, N.C. As for those men in black, the guys from the funeral homes are getting a bad rap because of them! I have not forgotten about you Marshall, I'm getting close to having a regular schedule again, I'l get in touch with you maybe in about two weeks.

No problem bud...I look forward to lunch sometime soon...alot has happened recently in the wonderful world of local radio broadcasting and some of our friends have gone through big job changes :cool: we will talk about that soon though :)
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

10-95

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KE4ZNR said:
No problem bud...I look forward to lunch sometime soon...alot has happened recently in the wonderful world of local radio broadcasting and some of our friends have gone through big job changes :cool: we will talk about that soon though :)
Marshall KE4ZNR


I senbt you an email with an MP3 of Blades on-air resignation on the Rooster. He broke format and played a Who song before leaving the building.
 

jeffmulter

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Bottom line for N.C., S.C. or almost any other state ... if you don't do stupid things to attract the attention of law enforcement, probably no one's going to care what you're listening to.

There are local statutes still in place ... Charlotte is one such community ... that restrict mobile monitoring without a permit.

Are the statutes enforceable ? Probably not ... but an officer is within his right to take action, including seizing equipment, until a court rules on the legality of the statute.

And that will mean time and money for you ! If Mike Nifong was Mecklenberg County's prosecutor, he'd probably fight you and the ARRL all the way to the Supreme Court.
 

w4rez

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jeffmulter said:
There are local statutes still in place ... Charlotte is one such community ... that restrict mobile monitoring without a permit.

Charlotte would restrict how many times you breathe per minute if they could. This is why I've been turning down what would otherwise be a nice job in Charlotte for more than a year.

And that will mean time and money for you ! If Mike Nifong was Mecklenberg County's prosecutor, he'd probably fight you and the ARRL all the way to the Supreme Court.

Isn't this the guy that's prosecuting the Duke Lacross team rape? Wtf is his problem anyhow? He mad because he didn't have enough money/was too stupid to get into Duke?

Ahhh....I see what the problem is....he's a UNC grad. 'Nuff said.
 

SCPD

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n4voxgill said:
That does not cover scanners, only applies to transcievers that receive wideband. If the transciever is modified to transmit out of band it is also not covered as it does not have FCC certification.

That is not true. Receivers are included as long as they are part of the Ham's radio station they are covered. That is why every State adds the exemption for licensed ham radio operators. Otherwise when they made the police capable receivers against the law they would not exempt amateur radio operators because according to your intrepation hams are not covered by the exemption for any receiver. I don't know about you but I have a receiver and transmitter and a transceiver in my amateur radio station.
 

n4voxgill

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First, every state does not have the exemption. Second, once you modify a ham radio to transmit out of band it is an illegal piece of equipment and has no protection. If you read the federal premetion the FCC specifically states 2meter and 440 transcievers may have wide band receive incidental to their ham use. The FCC has never got into the discussion on hams and scanners.
 
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