Do you guys run Amateur Radio License Plates on your vehicles?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Do you guys run Amateur Radio License Plates on your vehicles? (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:22:10 PM EDT

I kind of want to get amateur plates for my truck, but it seems a bit risky since anyone with a brain can get your name and home address by looking up your call sign.

What says the arfham hive? Am I being paranoid? Has anybody ever had a problem withing being doxed or ID due to amateur radio tags?

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:26:59 PM EDT

[#1]

I don't, for exactly the reasons you stated. But it would look something like this:

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:27:54 PM EDT

[#2]

Nope.

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:37:01 PM EDT

[#3]

No. Because.. Just No.

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:41:01 PM EDT

[#4]

No. OPSEC

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:44:16 PM EDT

[#5]

That's why we have PO Boxes.

Posted: 1/26/2020 10:46:23 PM EDT

[#6]

I do one one, it isnt official ham plates but a DTOM vanity plate. I also have callsign/.520 stickers on the rear window of others. My license lists a P.O. Box in another county. Someone that is willing to follow you home doesn't care about persec and license plates. I've gotten qso's on 520 from having plates while traveling....

Posted: 1/26/2020 11:06:00 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
No. OPSEC

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This, but I did threaten to put them on my wife’s car (which is in my name) just make her wear that perceived badge of geekdom.

Posted: 1/26/2020 11:19:17 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
I do one one, it isnt official ham plates but a DTOM vanity plate. I also have callsign/.520 stickers on the rear window of others. My license lists a P.O. Box in another county. Someone that is willing to follow you home doesn't care about persec and license plates. I've gotten qso's on 520 from having plates while traveling....

View Quote

PO Box was kind of expensive for just QSL cards and ham contact info. I see no other reason to keep one.

Posted: 1/26/2020 11:23:41 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I kind of want to get amateur plates for my truck, but it seems a bit risky since anyone with a brain can get your name and home address by looking up your call sign.

What says the arfham hive? Am I being paranoid? Has anybody ever had a problem withing being doxed or ID due to amateur radio tags?

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/173883233474_/Virginia-License-Plate-Tag-Number-W4Zyd-Classic.jpg

View Quote

Only a ham operator would know what a ham radio callsign is anyway. Most people don't even know what ham radio is. If someone wants to find you, they will. Heck, they can simply follow you home.

Posted: 1/26/2020 11:37:29 PM EDT

[#10]

I used to, but every time I bought a new car, the transfer got fucked up, so I said to hell with it.

I got Gadsden tags instead. They're popular around these parts.

Posted: 1/26/2020 11:47:24 PM EDT

[#11]

Meh, people are lazy. Too much trouble to track you down. More likely they will just take a shot at you right then and there.

Posted: 1/27/2020 12:25:00 AM EDT

[#12]

I'm running this free tag and it also matches the paint scheme on my truck.

Posted: 1/27/2020 1:35:29 AM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's why we have PO Boxes.

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I used a PO Box for my FCC license but I still won’t put amateur radio plates on my car.

Posted: 1/27/2020 8:06:14 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
...seems a bit risky since anyone with a brain can get your name and home address by looking up your call sign..

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I got the third degree one morning driving onto the base here. The renta-cop was determined that nobody was going to violate the no dashcams or radar detectors policy on his watch, and grilled me on everything he could see in my M1009. Bear in mind this is a 30 to 40 year old man. The millennials are worse.

Him: What's that?
Me: It's a map light
Him: What's that?
ME: It's a radar
Him: You can't have a radar detector
ME: It's not a radar detector, its a radar
Him: Oh. What's that?
ME: Ham radio
Him: What's a ham radio?

That's a lot of things to worry about in life- if you want the plate get the plate.

Posted: 1/27/2020 9:50:10 AM EDT

[#15]

I don't run them but it's not for any imagined OPSEC reason. I just like my Marine Corps plates better. They probably help me get out of tickets better too haha.

Simple thing is if you have license plates at all you are 20 bucks and a internet background check from being found out, or if said person has a connection in the PD. To exist in modern society you leave a paper and electronic trail everywhere that's not as secure as people think they are.

Posted: 1/27/2020 12:52:28 PM EDT

[#16]

This thread convinced me to get a ham radio license plate. Thank you!

Posted: 1/27/2020 2:05:21 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's why we have PO Boxes.

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Run my call on our Van and my son has his on His 4Runner.

ETA: Pic and You'll learn more about us on APRS than my PO Box

Posted: 1/27/2020 2:11:00 PM EDT

[#18]

Attached File

Posted: 1/27/2020 2:19:34 PM EDT

[#19]

Rear window

Front tag

Posted: 1/27/2020 2:48:40 PM EDT

[#20]

I used to have them years ago on my car but got tired of being surprised on the highway by other hams trying to send poor cw on their car horns.

On second thought maybe it wasn't cw but my poor driving?

Posted: 1/27/2020 4:25:48 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
I used to have them years ago on my car but got tired of being surprised on the highway by other hams trying to send poor cw on their car horns.

On second thought maybe it wasn't cw but my poor driving?

View Quote

I have a ham plate and PO Box

.

Posted: 1/27/2020 8:48:10 PM EDT

[#22]

I have had one for 30 years. Has not created and problems for me.

Posted: 1/28/2020 1:12:05 AM EDT

[#23]

Yes

Posted: 1/28/2020 10:50:06 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
No. OPSEC

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Quoted:
That's why we have PO Boxes.

View Quote

I have a PO Box for business reasons and used that for the FCC purposes. However, I'd rather be more obscure than put things on my cars that can give folks more info about me than I might want to share (OPSEC).

Posted: 1/28/2020 12:14:46 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
I used to have them years ago on my car but got tired of being surprised on the highway by other hams trying to send poor cw on their car horns.

On second thought maybe it wasn't cw but my poor driving?

View Quote

I admit I had Putin.jpg laugh on that one.

Posted: 1/28/2020 12:17:34 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have a PO Box for business reasons and used that for the FCC purposes. However, I'd rather be more obscure than put things on my cars that can give folks more info about me than I might want to share (OPSEC).

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
No. OPSEC

Quoted:
That's why we have PO Boxes.

I have a PO Box for business reasons and used that for the FCC purposes. However, I'd rather be more obscure than put things on my cars that can give folks more info about me than I might want to share (OPSEC).

Like your license plate? You can get all the same info from that with just a little more work.

Posted: 1/28/2020 1:58:24 PM EDT

[#27]

I do not, prefer my Parks and Wildlife plate. But, my understanding is that here in Texas you can move the plate to multiple vehicles legally. If anyone knows the current rules, please correct me.

Posted: 1/28/2020 2:38:10 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:

Like your license plate? You can get all the same info from that with just a little more work.

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That will depend on what state you are in. Some states restrict the info to LE, PIs, insurance companies only. In others, it's available to anyone.

Many online offers for PII use sources that are suspect at best. In MA, all LE queries are logged and reviewed so that some LEOs get grilled on why and who they ran.

Given that, most people are unaware on how to obtain the info. Due to my job in MA, I have access to a lot of PII that only LEOs get access to and even that is oftentimes old/inaccurate. And all my queries are logged and they can demand that I justify them with court paperwork.

Posted: 1/28/2020 4:10:24 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
I kind of want to get amateur plates for my truck, but it seems a bit risky since anyone with a brain can get your name and home address by looking up your call sign.

What says the arfham hive? Am I being paranoid? Has anybody ever had a problem withing being doxed or ID due to amateur radio tags?

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/173883233474_/Virginia-License-Plate-Tag-Number-W4Zyd-Classic.jpg

View Quote

Also having Virginia plates I answer yes & no.
I have the "Don't Tread on Me" plates and my call sign as the personalization. A 2fer!
Which complies with the oft given arfcom advice - why not both?

Posted: 1/28/2020 5:03:19 PM EDT

[#30]

I have to travel from time to time so this has worked for me.

*made from an image not actual.
Hams get it.. had many nice QSOs along the way.

Posted: 1/29/2020 6:43:18 PM EDT

[#31]

nope because of opsec and because my state charges more for them. I get the cheapest tag I can get,

Posted: 1/29/2020 9:09:38 PM EDT

[#32]

As a consequence of a mobile lifestyle, basically all my PII points to an address which is an office in Livingston, TX.

DL. CHL. Amateur radio. Everything.

They bundle my mail up and ship it to me once a week.

Escapees RV club is who I use. There are several services that do the same thing.

Even if I end up with a permanent home again, I’ll probably continue to use it. It’s just easier than keeping up with address changes all the time.

Posted: 1/29/2020 11:49:33 PM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's why we have PO Boxes.

View Quote

But PO Boxes are why you can have callsign plates.

I don’t regardless, never desired a vanity plate.

Posted: 1/30/2020 10:15:00 AM EDT

[#34]

So: Is there value to being identified as an amateur radio operator in an emergency? Will it smooth interactions with LE or other .gov types, particularly if you are responding to a disaster or similar? Any relevant experiences?

Posted: 1/30/2020 10:45:31 AM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

Quoted:
So: Is there value to being identified as an amateur radio operator in an emergency? Will it smooth interactions with LE or other .gov types, particularly if you are responded to a disaster or similar? Any relevant experiences?

View Quote

It could help. It also could help to have a RACES ID badge, too. I don't think most LEO know much about ham radio, unless the local clubs and RACES groups work with them. In my AO, in Wayne and Ontario counties, we do work closely with the counties, so our presence is known.

Posted: 1/30/2020 11:13:33 PM EDT

[#36]

For the guys who us P.O. Boxes for your FCC address, do you also put the P.O.Box on your QSL cards, or do you use your physical address?

Posted: 1/31/2020 12:45:00 AM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have to travel from time to time so this has worked for me.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/93127/license-Plate-1253451.jpg

*made from an image not actual.
Hams get it.. had many nice QSOs along the way.

View Quote

Not a bad idea! Also, a callsign can be put on a regular vanity plate without the "Amateur Radio" words. There are a lot of pretty nice vanity plate designs here in SC.

Posted: 1/31/2020 12:51:07 AM EDT

[#38]

nope

Posted: 1/31/2020 1:02:18 AM EDT

[#39]

How about this secret symbol? Any idea who drives that vehicle? Probably a hamsexy whacker.

Posted: 1/31/2020 3:06:53 PM EDT

[#40]

Yes...because this is legal in Texas.

However, it is a sad day because...I put farm tags on the pickup today (don't worry the Jetta still has it's Radio Operator plates).

Posted: 1/31/2020 3:32:43 PM EDT

[#41]

Quote History

Quoted:
For the guys who us P.O. Boxes for your FCC address, do you also put the P.O.Box on your QSL cards, or do you use your physical address?

View Quote

PO Box

Posted: 1/31/2020 3:35:52 PM EDT

[#42]

Quote History

Quoted:
PO Box

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
For the guys who us P.O. Boxes for your FCC address, do you also put the P.O.Box on your QSL cards, or do you use your physical address?

PO Box

Thanks. I think I am going to do that and order some new QSL cards. Only downside is having to check the PO Box. Can you have a standing forwarding order? I wouldn't want to have yellow forwarding stickers all over the cards though.

Posted: 1/31/2020 3:53:59 PM EDT

[#43]

We began utilizing a PO Box in 08 when it all collapsed on us. since then we have gotten really used to checking a box. 99% of our mail goes there, and we have to pass the office anytime we go anywhere.

Posted: 1/31/2020 5:12:33 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
We began utilizing a PO Box in 08 when it all collapsed on us. since then we have gotten really used to checking a box. 99% of our mail goes there, and we have to pass the office anytime we go anywhere.

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How much do you pay for the PO Box?

Posted: 1/31/2020 5:48:02 PM EDT

[#45]

$120/yr. It's the Big Monster Business Size so don't let that scare you off from stopping by and checking local pricing.

Posted: 1/31/2020 8:06:05 PM EDT

[#46]

Quote History

Quoted:
$120/yr. It's the Big Monster Business Size so don't let that scare you off from stopping by and checking local pricing.

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I pay about $200/yr at The UPS Store. But they'll also receive and sign for packages.

I'm on the road 45+ weeks a year, so I turned off home mail and everything goes there.

Posted: 1/31/2020 10:41:29 PM EDT

[#47]

Quote History

Quoted:
$120/yr. It's the Big Monster Business Size so don't let that scare you off from stopping by and checking local pricing.

View Quote

I'm going to drop by my local post office tomorrow and see what it would cost for the cheapest/smallest box they have. I am not interested in getting all my mail there since I have to disarm to go in and pick it up. No interest in doing that every day. But I think I'm going to get a small box just for radio. If a few QSL cards pile up because I don't check it for a while, it's no big deal. I'll report back on the cost.