Scanner Tales: Radio License Plates

[KK4JUG]

My extreme phobia about meteors is why I refuse to buy or use an umbrella. I read once in a prepper journal that umbrellas will not protect me against meteors, so I figure why should I waste the money.

You, too??

 

[hill]

I don't currently have ham tags, but have been considering them on my new car.

Not really worried about having them. My grandfather had them on his cars.

I think you must be a ham to register for access to the QRZ page, so some random person can't look up your ham call on this site.

They could look up your call on FCC ULS. Most people driving around wouldn't really know that was FCC ham radio callsign on plate with most of drivers I see today not really paying much attention to cars around them.

 

[mmckenna]

I think you must be a ham to register for access to the QRZ page, so some random person can't look up your ham call on this site.

I can type in my call sign on the Google search engine and it pops up as the first result. No license or subscription required.

 

[CollinsURG]

I can type in my call sign on the Google search engine and it pops up as the first result. No license or subscription required.

Even if I am not logged into RR, if I put my callsign in a Google search, it returns a Radioreference page of calls in my zip code. At which point you can click on my call in that list and see my address. My call sign is nowhere in my user profile. I purposely try to remain as anonymous as possible online.

A few years ago I interviewed a person by phone as the first interview. At one point he asked me, "why can't I find anything about you online"? Needless to say, he didn't get an in person interview and he was chosen out of a stack of resume's because of his work experience.

 

[dlwtrunked]

For security, I never have callsign license plates. It is too easy too lookup a home address with a callsign.

With so much road rage these days, they could drive to your house. You might say most do not know they can look up your address, but all they have to do is Google the callsign and probably at least one callsign lookup site will be returned. Granted it is not very likely, but can certainly happen.

Someone looking to steal a particular make and model of vehicle will know where to find it.

Some pervert might notice and fancy the looks of your wife, child or girlfriend and try to find them home alone.

Sure, they could just follow you home, but they wouldn't have to.

Personally, very time someone says this I laugh at the paranoia. Not a single person has reported a problem from that. You are more likely to die from a traffic accident driving home. It is also more likely they will just follow you home to see where you live.

 

[CollinsURG]

Personally, very time someone says this I laugh at the paranoia. Not a single person has reported a problem from that. You are more likely to die from a traffic accident driving home. It is also more likely they will just follow you home to see where you live.

It is necessary to drive on the roadways. It isn't necessary to tell everyone where you live.

 

[CollinsURG]

Would it be okay for anyone to be able to lookup any vehicle license plate number and get the name and address of the owner? We are currently not allowed to. Why not? What are we hiding?

 

[buddrousa]

The only weakness to having Ham Vanity Plates is any fool with a cellphone can get your Name and Address with ease and have access to all your personal information.

 

[kc2asb]

Great topic. A license plate and/or a hat, shirt, etc with your callsign - never wanted to be that guy!

Would it be okay for anyone to be able to lookup any vehicle license plate number and get the name and address of the owner? We are currently not allowed to. Why not? What are we hiding?

Exactly. Enough of our information is already out there and ripe for the picking. No need to volunteer more of it by putting our callsigns on a license plate.

Over a decade ago, a friend of mine who is an IT tech and a ham said to never sign up for Linkedin, Facebook - then they know your profession, personal interests, friends and family, ie nearly your entire life. He doesn't have ham vanity plates either