startrekman
Member
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- Mar 21, 2007
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is it legal to listen to police frequinces in your house without any license of any kind.
basic florida scanner laws
- Thread starter startrekman
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Depends. If you just listen in like at home or somewhere else don't think you need a license. Now if you carry one around I'm not sure each county/city is different. I try too keep mine at home some cops know me they know I have scanners and stuff. Just listening is not a crime unless do stupid stuff with it.
khvfdff
Member
I carry mine all the time with me wherever I go. If anyone wants to question it or be a butt about it and won't accept my Fire Department ID card, I'll just put the scanner away. With all the cops that I know in my area they don't usually give me any hard time about it. Some are a little strange about it, but others they don't care that I have one, as long as I don't abuse the use of it. It's a shame with too many criminals now days and also with Homeland Security that things are having to change and a freedom that we have had for 40+ years is slowly but surely being taken away from all of us. Yeah, most would say that we have probably never really had the right to listen in on the channels that the public safety services use. I do agree with that. I also do so heartedly agree with some also that we should be able to know what is going on in our communities since not everything is always on the news or in the newspapers or never gets reported at all. I like to know right when it happens that a criminal is on the loose in my area not some hours or even days before I know when something has happened or a criminal is on the loose in my area. If people wouldn't have started to abuse the scanners and would have used them for a listening enjoyment (and not for criminal activities) or even use them as part of their careers (public safety, news media), I feel that we would most certainly not be in the shoes we are in today with all the theft and crimes that go on. Also us hobbyists would still be able to listen in to just about anything that goes on in the areas that we live in. To me it is just pure plain sad that it has gotten the way it has. It is only going to get worse before it gets better. As Bravo14 said, You shouldn't really have any problems as long as you dont do stupid stuff with it.
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k0bzv
Member
I use trunk tracking scanners at home and at work. Just keep what you hear to yourself.
I work as a part-time security officer (Rent-A-Cop) and use the scanners a lot. I mostly
monitor fire/rescue and listen for calls within my area of responsibity. I am able to get
the gates open and all traffic off the entry road prior to the emergency vehicles arrival.
Since I know the area well, I am able to direct them ,IF ASKED, to the proper location.
A map of the area looks like a plate of spaghetti!!
The scanner will also make a LOOOONG slow shift go a bit faster. I have, and am, really
amazed at what people do to each other.
Just use a bit of common sense and be careful on the road. I generally turn my radios off
while driving on public roads. Although I have a general class amateur ticket, I prefer not
to go into the law with a police officer, especially if I just finished a long shift of boredom.
All I want to do is get home, out of my uniform and commune with my pillow!!
Enjoy the hobby! There is a good bit of comedy on the systems!
I work as a part-time security officer (Rent-A-Cop) and use the scanners a lot. I mostly
monitor fire/rescue and listen for calls within my area of responsibity. I am able to get
the gates open and all traffic off the entry road prior to the emergency vehicles arrival.
Since I know the area well, I am able to direct them ,IF ASKED, to the proper location.
A map of the area looks like a plate of spaghetti!!
The scanner will also make a LOOOONG slow shift go a bit faster. I have, and am, really
amazed at what people do to each other.
Just use a bit of common sense and be careful on the road. I generally turn my radios off
while driving on public roads. Although I have a general class amateur ticket, I prefer not
to go into the law with a police officer, especially if I just finished a long shift of boredom.
All I want to do is get home, out of my uniform and commune with my pillow!!
Enjoy the hobby! There is a good bit of comedy on the systems!
keithmj
Member
It is legal to use a scanner any where you want in florida. But if you use it in your car it can not be hooked to the electrical system of that vehicle, by a power supply. You have to use it with batteries as it is made to. If you have a Ham license you can hook it to your vehicle any way you want or use it. Cheers..Keithmj
keithmj said:
That was the old law. The new law states you can't have one in your car, period. Hams are still exempt, however.
Bolt21
Spark Chariot Driver
Read this: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes...y_Statute&Search_String=&URL=CH0843/Sec16.HTM
How the equipment is powered is no longer relevant. Like Ken said, that was the old law.
What matters now is if you are licensed, and if not, whether your radio can receive public safety "messages or signals."
How the equipment is powered is no longer relevant. Like Ken said, that was the old law.
What matters now is if you are licensed, and if not, whether your radio can receive public safety "messages or signals."
keithmj
Member
Guess I'm going to get my Ham License..Wish they would stop this nonsense. Criminals will use one if they want no matter what the laws are. Just like guns, when they outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns..Cheers..Keithmj
This is a topic of interest to me. I'm considering another vacation to Florida. I haven't been in years, but am missing the east coast, the keys, and Disney. I would be driving down in my Ford Ranger rather than paying air-fare (I like the drive anywho). I have a scanner mounted in-dash and a ham license. Would I have any problems with this? What about walking around with an HT? Does anyone hassle hams with an HT? This is all new to me. I guess I have been lucky in the past when visiting. I have walked around with a hand-held scanner in the past and didn't have any trouble. This is important for me. I won't spend the money to go to a state that is too paranoid about radio hobbyists. Thanks for any info that I can pick up here.
Rich
Rich
keithmj
Member
Just check out previous posts. You will find the answer..Cheers..Keithmj
so if im understanding this right a ham can have their radio equpiment in their car as long as you cant pick up emergancy frequencys??? i moved down here for school and im sure not going to pull out all my radios for spending a year in this state. other then that i havent had any problems with the cops so im assuming as long as you lay low with it all you should be ok?
i think i found my answer serching through this thread im gathering that i should be good being a ham and out of state....haha i guess we will see
Thread police aside, I did ask about any experiences you guys may have had. Have any hams been hassled or have any problems? Especially with police and emergency freq's programmed in?
Thanks
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