Scanner Question - AR15.COM

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Posted: 9/16/2002 10:42:50 AM EDT

Hi there.

Last Christmas, my Uncle gave me a scanner for Christmas that I use for air and water shows and listening to aircraft. Anyhow, I recently learned the radio frequencies for my local PD and have been listening from home at night sometimes (I must say, you guys get some strange calls - I never knew how many idiots lived in my town). Anyhow, my question is this: Is it illegal for me to listen? Are there any restrictions to what I can listen to and when?

Also, if any of you know what '6303' means in the State of Illinois, I would really appreciate it. I know when they pull someone over for a '6303' he goes 10-95. I am thinking it is suspended license or something, but thought I'd ask.

Thanks!

Posted: 9/16/2002 2:44:28 PM EDT

[#1]

As, far as listening at home you should be fine. Just don't get caught listening to it in your car. If your scanner can pick up cordless phone conv. or cell phone conv. you cannot listen to that.

Posted: 9/16/2002 2:56:36 PM EDT

[#2]

Monitoring the police is fine, in my state a scanner in the car is a-ok, not sure about other states (doesn't apply to me anyway as a licensed amatuer radio operater)

Cell phones are legal to listen to, but not record or share the info with others.

Posted: 9/16/2002 4:02:11 PM EDT

[#3]

Here, at home, ok. In a car, go to jail.
UNLESS you are a authorized LEO with a letter from your Chief saying its ok for you to have it OR (as Grand stated) armature radio operator or FCC license (commercial) you are exempt via Federal law.

Art in KY

Posted: 9/16/2002 4:09:33 PM EDT

[#4]

Another grey area there. If you are an Amateur radio operator, you are SUPPOSED to be able to have it on in any state. I had a friend in NJ who got a ticket cause he was scanning in his truck with his HT. He would have fought it, but he's from wisconsin and the cost of going back out there would not be worth it.

Posted: 9/16/2002 6:10:16 PM EDT

[#5]

Cool. I am not a LEO, I just enjoy listening from time to time. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking any laws sitting here in my living room listening. I kind of figured that listening in the car meant a trip to the pokey, so I never even thought about that. Do the same rules apply for Fire Department Traffic? I would assume so, but just something I was wondering.

Much thanks, all. I do appreciate it.

Posted: 9/16/2002 6:17:52 PM EDT

[#6]

I can't get any pd or fire. :( Around here they all went digital. I need to wait for a reasonable digital scanner. I know Uniden is comming out with one soon. Enjoy it while you can man. Dang. I am jealous.

Posted: 9/16/2002 7:25:43 PM EDT

[#7]

I'm an IL LEO and it is legal for you to listen to your scanner while in your car. There is no such restriction in this state.

You can listen to cell phone conversations if you have a (nice pun) "preban" scanner. One that was mfg. before the FCC put restrictions on the freq. range. BUT DO NOT - I repeat - DO NOT record any type of conversation or radio traffic you hear over your scanner - including police / fire / air... IL has the most strict anti-eavesdropping laws in the U.S. - I'd even venture to say that some States Attny would try to grill you if you even LISTENED to a prvt. conversation between unsuspecting persons.

Anyway, if you have a new scanner you probably don't even have this capability so enjoy!

Posted: 9/17/2002 4:18:38 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
You can listen to cell phone conversations if you have a (nice pun) "preban" scanner. One that was mfg. before the FCC put restrictions on the freq. range. BUT DO NOT - I repeat - DO NOT record any type of conversation or radio traffic you hear over your scanner - including police / fire / air... IL has the most strict anti-eavesdropping laws in the U.S. - I'd even venture to say that some States Attny would try to grill you if you even LISTENED to a prvt. conversation between unsuspecting persons.

View Quote

It is not just pre-ban scanners... we are the only country that restricts scanner capability, so a trip to your local electronics store the next time you are in Canada... well nevermind.

Posted: 9/17/2002 5:11:44 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Cool. I am not a LEO, I just enjoy listening from time to time. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking any laws sitting here in my living room listening. I kind of figured that listening in the car meant a trip to the pokey, so I never even thought about that.

View Quote

In IL it is legal to listen to the scanner in your car.

Do the same rules apply for Fire Department Traffic? I would assume so, but just something I was wondering.

View Quote

Since your in IL here is a tip: DO NOT SHARE WHAT YOU HEAR OVER THE SCANNER. IL is pretty strict about sharing what you hear with third parties.

As for listening in on cordless phones, kick over the the 880 and higher range. Sometimes you can pick up the images of cordless phones.

Av.

EDIT: where are you located? I have lot's of freqs for most of IL and WI.

Posted: 9/17/2002 5:40:32 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Cool. I am not a LEO, I just enjoy listening from time to time. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking any laws sitting here in my living room listening. I kind of figured that listening in the car meant a trip to the pokey, so I never even thought about that. Do the same rules apply for Fire Department Traffic? I would assume so, but just something I was wondering.

Much thanks, all. I do appreciate it.

View Quote

You worry too much. Even if it were illegal, how the hell would anybody know you were doing it? It's illegal to backdoor your wife, too, in most states, but who's gonna know?

QS

Posted: 9/17/2002 8:54:03 PM EDT

[#11]

6-303(a) is the section of the IL vehicle code for Driving while license suspended, good guess on your part. Scanners are perfectly legal, I'm not 100% on all the eavesdropping laws or anything, but as long as you aren't listening while you're in the commission of a crime, I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you're in an area where the locals have absolutely NOTHING to do.

Quoted:
Hi there.

Last Christmas, my Uncle gave me a scanner for Christmas that I use for air and water shows and listening to aircraft. Anyhow, I recently learned the radio frequencies for my local PD and have been listening from home at night sometimes (I must say, you guys get some strange calls - I never knew how many idiots lived in my town). Anyhow, my question is this: Is it illegal for me to listen? Are there any restrictions to what I can listen to and when?

Also, if any of you know what '6303' means in the State of Illinois, I would really appreciate it. I know when they pull someone over for a '6303' he goes 10-95. I am thinking it is suspended license or something, but thought I'd ask.

Thanks!

View Quote

Posted: 9/17/2002 9:05:00 PM EDT

[#12]

here's a few resources:

http://www.freqscan.com

http://www.carmachicago.com

(both have links and such... I don't knwo where you are located)

also, if you are in the chicagoland area (im sorry if you are...) sign up for the carma yahoogroup.... LOTS of info on there. (CARMA= Chicago Area Radio Monitoring Association)

- In God we trust (and glock and AR15 -ed), all others, we monitor. (Annonymous NSA member)

Posted: 9/17/2002 9:06:48 PM EDT

[#13]

[url]http://www.freqscan.com[/url]

[url]http://www.carmachicago.com[/url]

made links active.

-FOTBR

Posted: 9/18/2002 3:03:10 AM EDT

[#14]

Cool, thanks a million. I was pretty sure that 6303 meant suspended, since that seems to happen quite a bit here (western suburbs of chicago).

Thanks again!

Posted: 9/18/2002 3:04:23 AM EDT

[#15]

Yeah, fotbr, I am in the Chicagoland area, the suburbs to be more percise. But, still close enough. I will take a look those groups. thanks!

Posted: 9/18/2002 8:51:15 AM EDT

[#16]

Well, the real thanks should go to The12GaugeSniper -- he just forgot to make the links active.

Good info both places, but IIRC, freqscan is still under construction, and always looking for more info (ie, if you have something that's not listed, contact them!)

FOTBR

Posted: 9/24/2002 6:28:13 AM EDT

[#17]

Between scanners and cell phones we sometimes feel like the Rangers and Delta 'going in' like on the movie Black Hawk Down...we have two neighborhoods that are like that....except they don't have RPG's or HMG's..........

Posted: 9/24/2002 6:42:06 AM EDT

[#18]

For a fairly decent collection of freqs get one of the "Police Scanner" books at Radio Shack.

Each volume covers all types of government and non-government freqs.

Av.

Posted: 9/28/2002 6:06:21 AM EDT

[#19]

I listen to my scanner here in San Antonio fairly often. I listen to emergency services and local military traffic. Still working on figuring out the trunking features on my BC235 though. It's hard to keep up with a call when the transmissions skip around the freqs.

BTW, cordless phones are at about 900-905mhz. Not that people say anything worth listening to.

Chris

edited for spelling

Posted: 9/28/2002 1:14:59 PM EDT

[#20]

We have added a code feature to our mobile Police radios in our cars. That way we can talk on a secure channel without everybody out in scanner land hearing our traffic. Usually we don't use the code feature but when we don't want John Q. Public to hear our traffic we ask the other unit that we're talking too, to go to code and it scambles the transmission and make it unintelligable to those with scanners.

7th

Posted: 9/28/2002 1:28:15 PM EDT

[#21]

[url]www.cityfreq.com[/url]

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