Posted on 01/17/2021 3:46:04 PM PST by gwjack
WARNING: AMATEUR AND PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES LICENSEES AND OPERATORS MAY NOT USE RADIO EQUIPMENT TO COMMIT OR FACILITATE CRIMINAL ACTS
The Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission issues this Enforcement Advisory to remind licensees in the Amateur Radio Service, as well as licensees and operators in the Personal Radio Services, that the Commission prohibits the use of radios in those services to commit or facilitate criminal acts.
The Bureau has become aware of discussions on social media platforms suggesting that certain radio services regulated by the Commission may be an alternative to social media platforms for groups to communicate and coordinate future activities. The Bureau recognizes that these services can be used for a wide range of permitted purposes, including speech that is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Amateur and Personal Radio Services, however, may not be used to commit or facilitate crimes.
Specifically, the Bureau reminds amateur licensees that they are prohibited from transmitting “communications intended to facilitate a criminal act” or “messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning.”1 Likewise, individuals operating radios in the Personal Radio Services, a category that includes Citizens Band radios, Family Radio Service walkie-talkies, and General Mobile Radio Service, are prohibited from using those radios “in connection with any activity which is against Federal, State or local law.”2 Individuals using radios in the Amateur or Personal Radio Services in this manner may be subject to severe penalties, including significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment, and, in some cases, criminal prosecution.
Media inquiries should be directed to 202-418-0500 or MediaRelations@fcc.gov.
To file a complaint with the FCC, visit https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov or call 1-888-CALL- FCC. To report a crime, contact your local law enforcement office or the FBI.
(Excerpt) Read more at docs.fcc.gov ...
Wrong! 42 years ago I had a "dop scan" device for transmitter hunting. Good enough to pin down which antenna was in use on your car. You don't think the FCC has gear at least as good as that now?
“...the Commission prohibits the use of radios in those services to commit or facilitate criminal acts...”
Murder is illegal too.
These guys are the experts on that.
It’s foggy on the coast.
As a young yute, I HATED my Dad’s Toro.
Hey FCC. FU
The chair is against the wall.
Antifa has been using baofeng radios for a year, nothing was done. But now that they are tightening the screws on us, it’s a huge problem.
Seep state is still on the job...
Just licking their lips over the pot of gold at the end of the Marxist rainbow...
Produce... Snitch... Obey...
Our new masters have spoken...
“legally, you are supposed to use a radio type accepted for the service, and I doubt that Baofengs are type accepted for FRS”
This is correct. The Baofengs will transmit at higher power than allowed on FRS and GMRS.
Good one!
I’m seeing folks online mention that radio endlessly. It must be the real deal in Ham-world. All I have is an old Sony 7600 shorwave and a Kraco CB radio from like 1990 that plugs into a cig lighter.
“Speaking of which, which Baofeng-friendly frequencies are legal for anyone to use?”
The only legal way to use a Baofeng is on amateur (you know, ham) frequencies, and you must be a licensed ham.
Every other transmission on them is illegal.
But that hasn’t appeared to stop anybody.
What about my Wouxuns?
I wonder if Nelly Orr knew that? She became a HAM during Russiagate.
Are you a ham operator?
“In general the repeaters record every time they are used, so it shouldn’t be too hard for the operators to publish what the offending usage was.”
Where did you get that bit of information?
It is wrong.
Gotta catch them transmitting first. Legal to own and listen.
The smart ones will get a voice change app or something, say what they need to say in that, and broadcast that voice... you know if they wanted to do that.
“The chair is against the wall”
Um, the Directive states something about “messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning”.
Please remain in place - the authorities are on their way.
One K 80! One K 80!
The short answer is no.. There is no legal radio you can use without a license to go that distance..
However there are a couple of exceptions. In a real emergency, anyone can use any frequency to call for help, so if you have the radio, you can use it, no license required.
Secondly, A tech license is easy to get. Literally you just have to spend a week or so running through the practice test, and you will pass the real one, given by your local hams. You don’t really need more than a vague understanding of the jargon or theory to pass. Once you have that you can get one of the local hams to help you set up your cheap baofeng (available from Amazon). Naturally, everyone in your family that will be carrying a radio will need to be licensed.
Once you have that, most areas have one or more repeaters near enough to boost your signal so you can communicate over your metro area. These are set up and run by your local ham clubs or private operators.
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