pasadenamd
Member
Is it true that every Ham Radio address is online? Is there any way that it wont be published online?
Ham Radio Addresses Online
- Thread starter pasadenamd
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n5ims
Member
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- Jul 25, 2004
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Many folks get a PO Box so their physical address isn't published. Please note that this PO Box must be kept for as long as you're licensed or that you submit a change-of-address to the FCC if it changes or you stop using it. Failure to do so can cause your license to be revoked since you're required to keep a valid address on file with the FCC.
pasadenamd
Member
Thanks for your replies. I am thinking of getting a USPS PO Box or a Mail box from a local UPS store.
I never thought of that- the FCC is very clear that it only needs to be a mailing address. Great idea.
N0IU
Member
w0fg
Member
I never gave it a thought. Molon Labe!
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- Sep 28, 2008
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I don't know if it's still true, but you used to have to also provide the physical address of the operators primary xmtr location (e.g. street address). This is why I never thought having ham plates was a good idea. If you irritate someone on the highway all they need ot do is Google you license to get everything they may want to know about you.
In this era of "privacy of data" it's odd the feds publish so much personal info about hams.
In this era of "privacy of data" it's odd the feds publish so much personal info about hams.
N0IU
Member
As referenced above, all you need now is a way for the FCC to contact you. I don't know when the change took place (but someone here will!), but you used to have to provide the address of your primary station. That is why you used to have to use the /M if you were mobile or /P if you were operating portable from another location or using the "/" and the call district if it was other than your own. Many of these operating qualifiers still exist today even though they are no longer legally required.
That is also why you can get a vanity callsign from any district (other than Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico) as long as it is within your license class.
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- Sep 28, 2008
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- 462
Thanks Scott - Guess it's just another sign of getting old. Seems as though I just got my ham ticket, but oops, that was about 36 years ago. Sheesh. Anyway, glad to see the street address is no longer required.
k8tmk
Member
I think that if you dig a little deeper into the FCC license data for a specific callsign, you can still find the actual address of the licensee, even if that info is not normally "posted."
Randy
Randy
N0IU
Member
Where? The ULS database shows the address you provided to them on your application.
I suppose if someone really wanted to know where you live, they could go to many of the websites like whitepages.com and look for your name. The listings are based on telephone numbers so if you have an unlisted land line or don't have one at all, you won't show up on these websites... or so I am told.
K
kb0nly
Guest
What does it matter? If your not a jackass and pissing people off who cares? There is so many ways to get a persons address these days. Give me a scrap of a persons info and i can find them. If i get your callsign and look it up and get even your city and full name i can still track down your street address through public records.
Have you bought a home? Then titled property search can find your name and what the address is of that property in a certain town.
Do you have a landline based phone? Then a reverse lookup will find the info as the phone company still reports the street address the line is assigned to. An unlisted number?? No problem, pay $5 to an online records search and get the info anyway. (this one i know works, long story)
I have callsign plates, my street address is listed on QRZ and ULS, and if you dig a little more you can get my email address easy enough.
Paranoid? If your trying to hide who you are and where you live then you only have a reason for it. I have no reason to hide.
And if someone tries to use the info to find me for illegal means i'm armed and ready to defend my property and family. Hot lead takes care of the rest.
Have you bought a home? Then titled property search can find your name and what the address is of that property in a certain town.
Do you have a landline based phone? Then a reverse lookup will find the info as the phone company still reports the street address the line is assigned to. An unlisted number?? No problem, pay $5 to an online records search and get the info anyway. (this one i know works, long story)
I have callsign plates, my street address is listed on QRZ and ULS, and if you dig a little more you can get my email address easy enough.
Paranoid? If your trying to hide who you are and where you live then you only have a reason for it. I have no reason to hide.
And if someone tries to use the info to find me for illegal means i'm armed and ready to defend my property and family. Hot lead takes care of the rest.
Ref-Jazzy
Member
Im with this fellow. As long as your not a jackass giving people a reason to want to find you, then no one will want to find you. Im sure just doing various searches on your user name here a person could find out where you live.
k9rzz
Member
Oh, and when I work someone on the air, I NEVER give out my real name. Heck, how do you know that I'm giving out my real callsign? LOL
Talk about being paranoid, geeze.
Talk about being paranoid, geeze.
K
kb0nly
Guest
LOL... Good one..
K
kb0nly
Guest
Yeah exactly... Behave yourself and you won't have a reason to hide right?
Going back on this a second... I remember when they changed the requirement of licensing from the physical address you will be operating from to your mailing address. A lot of guys were saying what does it matter on the air.
The only real reason they changed this is due to some are more mobile than base operators these days. That and some people don't actually get mail at the physical address. For years i could only get mail at a PO Box so i had my license showing the PO Box. Why? Because no mail service to my street... Seriously. Small town and limited routes. But then a few other elderly folks on my block protested to having to run down to the post office every day and got mail service, so i tossed up a mailbox and joined in. And then updated my license for the new mailing address, which happens to be my street address now.
Hey if you wanna look me up and stop by let me know on my repeater and i will even put on a pot of coffee, always nice having an eyeball. I got no worries.
Perhaps these people aren't worried about actively pissing people off. Maybe they're worried about someone misinterpreting something. Maybe they're just a bit concerned about advertising their home as being well-stocked with radio gear and other electronics.
Me personally, it's a mixture of all the above so I do utilize a PO box. Additionally, any ham radio stores or other junk mailers get my PO box address, which I never check. So there's a little less junk mail to sort through from my home mailbox.
If you think using a PO box for your FCC address is paranoid, does that mean it's paranoid to shred financial documents? Credit cards/credit card offers? Bills? Old checks? What about locking your door at night or when you leave the house? Locking your car door? Putting your car in the garage? Utilizing a safe deposit box at a bank?
If these people want to take additional steps to secure their lives, identity, and property, so be it. It's their decision. It's not a stupid decision to add layers of protection. This is coming from a person that has had his identity stolen. It's a new world we live in now, and you'll say that it won't happen to you until it does. People have a variety of reasons for wanting to protect themselves.
Me personally, it's a mixture of all the above so I do utilize a PO box. Additionally, any ham radio stores or other junk mailers get my PO box address, which I never check. So there's a little less junk mail to sort through from my home mailbox.
If you think using a PO box for your FCC address is paranoid, does that mean it's paranoid to shred financial documents? Credit cards/credit card offers? Bills? Old checks? What about locking your door at night or when you leave the house? Locking your car door? Putting your car in the garage? Utilizing a safe deposit box at a bank?
If these people want to take additional steps to secure their lives, identity, and property, so be it. It's their decision. It's not a stupid decision to add layers of protection. This is coming from a person that has had his identity stolen. It's a new world we live in now, and you'll say that it won't happen to you until it does. People have a variety of reasons for wanting to protect themselves.
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