Are You Promoting our Hobby in the Best Possible Way

[trap5858]

Having grown up in Philadelphia during the Frank Rizzo- police commissioner days where rumor had it that if the police caught you with a scanner it would be confiscated. Contrary to that rumor the many police officers I knew were intrigued by the scanner, sought information as to where to buy one and were also glad to have people on their side so clearly respect goes both ways.

 

[trentbob]

Having grown up in Philadelphia during the Frank Rizzo- police commissioner days where rumor had it that if the police caught you with a scanner it would be confiscated. Contrary to that rumor the many police officers I knew were intrigued by the scanner, sought information as to where to buy one and were also glad to have people on their side so clearly respect goes both ways.

Boy we are going back Herb, there was a very short period of time when scanners were outlawed in Philadelphia and you needed a permit from L and I to own a scanner... it was when Frank Rizzo was mayor and that was 1972 to 1980. The scanner ban was very short-lived and not taken seriously. I cannot remember the exact date all of this happened. I tried looking it up, there used to be information on it but unfortunately history of Frank Rizzo has been totally rewritten to meet today's narratives, I couldn't find the date on this brief period of time. I'll find it today.

it was just a matter of months before the ruling was reversed. It was totally ignored by Radio Shack and the other scanner sellers. Police never got the memo and my understanding was there was never a case of confiscation or enforcement.

I remember calling license and inspection to apply for a permit and they said oh yeah, we are not giving out any permits, they said the ruling was going to be reversed and assured me that my Philadelphia Police press card was good enough to have a scanner.

Scanner owners were a very well represented group of people, there was a certain bit of sophistication and expertise that was needed to obtain frequency information, obtain crystals and operate scanners. Programmable scanners were being introduced in the mid-70s... I don't think police had any problem with those who owned scanners then.

 

[Australia4001]

You mean I cant sit at my radio naked ?

If they only seen half of us hams ! ,
I will not make a comment what I wear while on air 😀

 

[RADIO-007]

I See the point
some wont get it.
Like All the comments
TG We Live in the land of the free

No joke
a bird bombed me as I typed this got my hand not my head
I Whould of been mad but this above keep me up

Live life have fun
you are you be you 73s

 

[jim202]

The original topic of this thread seems to have strayed off the point of the discussion. If a newly licensed ham is looking for some help or even a person that is looking to get a ham ticket, the best way that I have seen over the many years is to locate a local ham club and start going to their meetings.

At the ham club meetings, the members will notice you as being new and should welcome you with open arms. Over the years, I have moved more times than I cam remember. But at the club meetings, when you ask for some guidance, the members will steer you to one of the more knowledgeable people there. That person is generally more than glad to sit and chat for a while. May even invite you over to their home. What your seeing in this is you have found a mentor to lead you along and let you gain some of the knowledge that he or she has.

Like my workshop is always piled high with multiple projects I am working on. But I always have a second chair for anyone the wants to come visit. I don't mind stopping what I am doing to chat or work on a radio that person may have brought with them. Fire up the test equipment and provide some guidance to my visitor.

When I got out of the army, I somehow managed to run into an interesting person over one of the local repeaters. We chatted on many occasions. Then one day on a Friday night, that person says "Why don't you drop by in the morning. I will be monitoring the repeater and will talk you all the way to the house".

He became my radio mentor and we became best of friends. I was more the mechanical person and he was the electronics person. I showed him how to do the physical parts of some of the work around his shop and house and he showed me the internals of radios and how to fix them using the test gear he had.

We became best of friends over the years. He moved several times due to work, but we kept in contact via email. On my vacations, I would travel to his house and we would chat about radios and work on his VHF and HF antennas.

It doesn't take much to find someone to help you expand your efforts to fix radios and build antennas. All you need is a person that will take you under their wing and show you some of the refined ways of ham radio.

 

[spacellamaman]

No joke
a bird bombed me as I typed this got my hand not my head

whoa, at least you weren't hit by a car

better your head than your phone!

 

[trentbob]

Having grown up in Philadelphia during the Frank Rizzo- police commissioner days where rumor had it that if the police caught you with a scanner it would be confiscated. Contrary to that rumor the many police officers I knew were intrigued by the scanner, sought information as to where to buy one and were also glad to have people on their side so clearly respect goes both ways.

Boy we are going back Herb, there was a very short period of time when scanners were outlawed in Philadelphia and you needed a permit from L and I to own a scanner... it was when Frank Rizzo was mayor and that was 1972 to 1980. The scanner ban was very short-lived and not taken seriously. I cannot remember the exact date all of this happened. I tried looking it up, there used to be information on it but unfortunately history of Frank Rizzo has been totally rewritten to meet today's narratives, I couldn't find the date on this brief period of time. I'll find it today.

it was just a matter of months before the ruling was reversed. It was totally ignored by Radio Shack and the other scanner sellers. Police never got the memo and my understanding was there was never a case of confiscation or enforcement.

I remember calling license and inspection to apply for a permit and they said oh yeah, we are not giving out any permits, they said the ruling was going to be reversed and assured me that my Philadelphia Police press card was good enough to have a scanner.

Scanner owners were a very well represented group of people, there was a certain bit of sophistication and expertise that was needed to obtain frequency information, obtain crystals and operate scanners. Programmable scanners were being introduced in the mid-70s... I don't think police had any problem with those who owned scanners then.

Hey Herb I was able to find out some answers but I don't want to go OT here so I sent you a PM.