n4voxgill
Silent Key
ECPA was passed long before the phone call with Newt.
Cell Phone Band Capable Scanners.
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scanernutt said:
Did it ever occur to you that he may have unintentionally worded his sentence in a way that was a bit unclear? People (Yes, even writers for magazines) do this all the time. Some big-name magazines spend millions of dollars on editors to catch this kind of thing (and mistakes still get by) but something tells me that MT doesn't. I am sure Bob is sorry that he offended you.
Raven
He didnt offend me personaly! I am just making the same conclusion that you pretty much made. Why doenst someone proof these things before they go to print? Second, he out right lied. It is NOT illegal to OWN nor is it illegal to SELL a cell capable scanner as an ordinary citizen. Someone with his back ground should know that. The guy who asked this question obviously knew nothing about this.The whole thing could have been explained a little bit better just in case there are more "newbies" like this guy. Thats all I was saying. Im not personaly offended. I know where things stand in my hobby. Im over it though. It just bugged me a bit thats all. Im human and I guess so is he.
Manny
He didnt offend me personaly! I am just making the same conclusion that you pretty much made. Why doenst someone proof these things before they go to print? Second, he out right lied. It is NOT illegal to OWN nor is it illegal to SELL a cell capable scanner as an ordinary citizen. Someone with his back ground should know that. The guy who asked this question obviously knew nothing about this.The whole thing could have been explained a little bit better just in case there are more "newbies" like this guy. Thats all I was saying. Im not personaly offended. I know where things stand in my hobby. Im over it though. It just bugged me a bit thats all. Im human and I guess so is he.
Manny
Airdorn
Member
Was he trying to deceive readers? If not, if it was just poor wording or sloppy editing or whatever, then you can't say he lied.
I mean.. lying requires telling an untruth for the express purpose of deceiving.
I think he's so overflowing with righteous indignation, that he doesn't even bother to double check his words anymore. We need to just accept everything he says as gospel, damn it.
Airdorn
I mean.. lying requires telling an untruth for the express purpose of deceiving.
I think he's so overflowing with righteous indignation, that he doesn't even bother to double check his words anymore. We need to just accept everything he says as gospel, damn it.
Airdorn
Ok, I didn't really think you were personally offended, that was more of a joke.
Now, I realize that what he said wasn't completely true, but it was far from an outright lie. This is why magazines and other publications have editors. Unfortunately, this one got past them. It happens every day, that's why most magazines and newspapers have a column entitled "Corrections." Complaining about it here (even though it makes for interesting discussion) isn't really going to do any good. I would recommend writing a letter or email and explain why you feel his comments were misleading. He may just post a correction in an upcoming issue.
Now, I realize that what he said wasn't completely true, but it was far from an outright lie. This is why magazines and other publications have editors. Unfortunately, this one got past them. It happens every day, that's why most magazines and newspapers have a column entitled "Corrections." Complaining about it here (even though it makes for interesting discussion) isn't really going to do any good. I would recommend writing a letter or email and explain why you feel his comments were misleading. He may just post a correction in an upcoming issue.
AZScanner
Member
Technically, I believe Bob is correct. You're not supposed to own such a scanner anymore.
Of course, even if you marched right down to the FCC field office and handcuffed yourself to a chair claiming that you were there to turn yourself in for scanning cell phones I seriously doubt any law enforcement agency would file charges on you for it. I imagine that'd be a bit like showing up at the PD station tearfully confessing to having removed the "do not remove under penalty of law" tag from your mattress. In other words, for the most part, no one really cares.
Analog cell is dying rapidly anyway, leaving very little "illegal" traffic for these "illegal" scanners to listen to. The days of sitting at home snickering in glee as you sample scanning's equivalent of "forbidden fruit" are long over. Cell phones, MDT's, pagers (well OK, you can still decipher pagers... shhh.), voice inversion scrambling... it's all gone. Obsolete, replaced with unscannable technology. These days, unless you've recently won the lotto, listening to cell phones is a pipedream.
Oh, what I wouldn't give for a Nextel iDen service monitor though.....
-AZ
Of course, even if you marched right down to the FCC field office and handcuffed yourself to a chair claiming that you were there to turn yourself in for scanning cell phones I seriously doubt any law enforcement agency would file charges on you for it. I imagine that'd be a bit like showing up at the PD station tearfully confessing to having removed the "do not remove under penalty of law" tag from your mattress. In other words, for the most part, no one really cares.
Analog cell is dying rapidly anyway, leaving very little "illegal" traffic for these "illegal" scanners to listen to. The days of sitting at home snickering in glee as you sample scanning's equivalent of "forbidden fruit" are long over. Cell phones, MDT's, pagers (well OK, you can still decipher pagers... shhh.), voice inversion scrambling... it's all gone. Obsolete, replaced with unscannable technology. These days, unless you've recently won the lotto, listening to cell phones is a pipedream.
Oh, what I wouldn't give for a Nextel iDen service monitor though.....
-AZ
Airdorn
Member
AZScanner said:
If he was technically correct and we're not legally supposed to own a cell-phone capable scanner anymore, then what date was the deadline for us to have marched down to the nearest police station to put our scanner on the bonfire?
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AZScanner
Member
Airdorn said:
What you didn't get the email? It was yesterday. The SWAT team is now on it's way, you scofflaw!
Seriously, it's like owning a 10 watt CB. Illegal? Yes. Does anyone really enforce it? No. But if you're feeling guilty and still want to turn in your scanner, you can send it to me.
-AZ
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