Is it time to lift the cellular coverage ban?

[gary123]

Recently I fired up my old pro 2004. My plan was to use it to scan for control channel activity using a scanner that I knew did not support any digital modes. I figured I would test my theory first on detecting a digitally modulated carrier by doing a quick search between 870-890mhz. Before everyone complains about doing that remember a $20 SDR will cover that range with no issues. The scanner had no problems picking up the digitally modulated carriers. This made me wonder since the cellular signals are all digital today and theoretically encrypted why is the cellular coverage ban still in effect?

As I mentioned any SDR can cover those ranges. Scanners manufactured for other regions cover the ranges. The signals are technically secure. This last being a topic that I am not going to discuss here. The ban was originally forced on the scanning community by industry not wanting/ being able to secure the networks. The government placed the ban in a typical knee jerk reaction. Big industry with lots of $$$$ to throw around wagging the dog. So here we are today with a now obsolete reason still being enforced. I think its time to restore the full frequency coverage to hardware. This is not that hard for the manufacturers to do. A firmware upgrade would do it.

Lets avoid the "the law is the law" argument and get down to should the ban be lifted and why/why not?

 

[mmckenna]

Spectrum analyzers, service monitors and other pieces of equipment will cover it, too.

LTE with encryption, so not anything to listen to in those ranges, but as you point out, the law is moot at this point.

Not sure what it would take to get it removed, but I'm sure it would be a headache, and I wouldn't be surprised if the cell carriers fought it for some silly reason.

 

[prcguy]

The frequency range for cellular should never have been banned in the first place, so ignore it if your radio covers that range and avoid receivers that are blocked. That's how I deal with it.

 

[RaleighGuy]

@gary123 not saying it should or shouldn't be, just asking here, since you can't hear anything (in theory) there what would the point be?

 

[iMONITOR]

@gary123 not saying it should or shouldn't be, just asking here, since you can't hear anything (in theory) there what would the point be?

I had an un-blocked ICOM IC-R8600 for a few months and searched that portion of the spectrum and only heard some type of digital data stream a couple of times.

 

[mmisk]

Silly unenforceable laws.
When cellular was narrow band FM, it did not stop anyone from listening.
The good old days before encryption.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Once a law is passed and goes into effect, it is darn near impossible to remove it. Even more so at the Federal level.

 

[bob550]

Too many laws take on a life of their own. I can't imagine how many local, state, or federal laws continue to exist far beyond their shelf life, even in cases where technological changes have rendered those laws long obsolete. Anyways, Congress can't work together long enough to pass new laws, let alone repeal existing ones.

 

[gary123]

M1GAW.

I have always wanted the most out of my hardware. Having a huge chunk removed just because a special interest group pushed and manipulated the system to get it just rubs me the wrong way. Personally I would be happy if my hardware covered DC to light but thats not practical. I will be happy with coverage of the Commercial Bands 25-1600. Shortwave is already covered and there are no silly chunks chopped out there. As to 1600MHZ well there is the GPS and some new services taking up residency in that area

 

[iMONITOR]

"Let sleeping dogs lie" You might open a can of worms and the Cancel Culture might ban the entire activity on monitoring everything!

 

[trentbob]

I remember getting my GRE/RS PRO 2004 in the 80s, first thing I did was cut that diode LOL. Even though it did not trunk track there were so few phones you could hear both sides of the conversation. It was quite enjoyable and funny. Once analog was gone and everything became encrypted that was it. They are never going to reverse any of those laws.

 

[GlobalNorth]

I used to listen to quite a few 800 MHz soap operas on my Yaesu FRG9600 back in the day. Some of the conversations were XXX-rated.

Man, I miss the 1980s.

 

[vagrant]

Back in the 90's, my Uniden BC2500xlt did a fine job of picking up cellular calls. 25 years later...not a peep! I want my money back! Seriously though, listening to people on the phone is pretty boring. Still, back in the day people did some banking over the phone and DTMF is very easy to record and decode. Fortunately I am not a bad guy.

 

[trentbob]

Classic favorite was always the... Hi honey, unfortunately I'm going to be late again tonight, we have got to get this project done so I'll be working late, don't wait up. Next call... Hey babe, get the martinis ready I'll be there in 10 minutes.

 

[eorange]

Seriously though, listening to people on the phone is pretty boring.

You clearly weren't listening to the right conversations!

 

[GlobalNorth]

For a time in those days, I lived near a professional office complex. Cell phones were expensive and so was airtime. Aside from the salacious, there were attorneys bad mouthing clients, colleagues and judges, physicians discussing medical conditions and procedures with other medical professionals, realtors bragging about commissions and offloading problem properties, etc.

Of course, there were the constant complaints about spouses, children, neighbors, etc.

 

[gary123]

I used to listen to the cordless phones. You quickly found out what your neighbors really thought about you.

 

[captainmax1]

There was at least one Radio Shack scanner I had that would pick up all the cellular frequencies in the 90's. I use to hear lots of wives and some husbands cheating on their spouses. Wives would call their lovers and say, He Just Left For Work, come on over or I'll be there soon. Heard drug deals and many other conversations. Same with cordless phones and baby monitors were a live mic in the house 24/7. Neighbors use to think they knew you but not like you knew them.

 

[900mhz]

"Let sleeping dogs lie" You might open a can of worms and the Cancel Culture might ban the entire activity on monitoring everything!

Who gives a damn about cancel culture. They have made their bed, as we see daily, that bed is melting into a mess, especially from the economic and medical point.

 

[bob550]

For a time in those days, I lived near a professional office complex. Cell phones were expensive and so was airtime. Aside from the salacious, there were attorneys bad mouthing clients, colleagues and judges, physicians discussing medical conditions and procedures with other medical professionals, realtors bragging about commissions and offloading problem properties, etc.

Of course, there were the constant complaints about spouses, children, neighbors, etc.

You either have a very good memory, or you took good notes.