Jimmy,

This isn’t the first time someone has brought up the legality of the things you are doing with the hobby including myself when you were transmitting with your sk grandfathers call that was expired, while you were unlicensed and on the repeaters from which emails were specifically sent out to tell non-licensed users to not use the repeaters illegally.  

Jimmy, I know you are new to the hobby and are excited to try new things. But I also know you like to skirt the limits of things and I know you know what the consequences can be if you are caught doing something illegal. I’ve personally have had this conversation with you two or three times before. 

Now you are talking about doing things that could make the entire club partially responsible and you could cause issues for anyone who has tried to help you in the past. 

You know better, you passed the tech test.  So I know you know better. 

Don’t burn everyone around you. This club has a lot of good people and we are trying to have a great relationship with county/state authorities. Things you could have real life or death consequences.  

I for one and going to have to say I can’t help you anymore. Just for fear that you might drag me down your path of potential legal issues.  


Regards,
Johnathan Ibert
N5WTA

On Apr 8, 2026, at 8:42 PM, Mike Nasitka, AL3G via K3CAL <[email protected]> wrote:

I second what Matt said.  As a professional communication engineer for 30 plus years, and an active firefighter in Prince Frederick, just don’t do it.  A SDR is cheap (RTL-SDR are under $50 last time I checked). I use a unication G5 when mobile, and either a Bearcat scanner, or www.scanmd.org at home. The G5 is an expensive option (but half price of a used APX- not to mention the cost of the programming software)

Sorry for the harsh response as well, but this is an area where you can literally kill someone and not even know it.  

73,
Mike


On Apr 8, 2026, at 18:50, Matt Orr via K3CAL <[email protected]> wrote:


Jimmy,
I was a tech for MD First.
I maintained the MD First tower sites in Calvert, Charles, St Mary's, PG and part of Montgomery Co.
I personally installed the dispatch consoles at MSP Prince Frederick, Leonardtown, La Plata. Forestville and College Park Barracks.

DO NOT even attempt NAS. 
Do not even consider buying a used commercial radio with your level of experience.

MD First, Calvert County and Charlles County radio systems use a specialized software package to identify, log (for legal evidence), locate and stun radios. When a commercial radio is stunned or killed, you now own a brick.

It just takes one "oops" when trying to setup or use NAS and your radio will try and register on the system.
When you register with a cloned radio ID, you WILL put a real system user's life at risk.

In order to setup NAS, you need a system key.  You will never ger a legal system key.  If you go through illegal means to obtain one, you were warned.

This email may sound harsh, but there is no way to sugar coat the seriousness of how illegal what you wanted to do is.

When you use an illegal radio on a trunking system with a cloned ID, you could bump a Sheriff's Deputy's radio offline without him even knowing it.  If that officer needed to call for help and couldn't because of your cloned radio, you're done. Prison time. I am really serious here.

Again, I am just being blunt and honest with you here.  I have been a 2 way tech working on public safety systems for 20+ years. I have seen the damage and have been asked to assist locating illegal radio user several times.

Take my word, don't do it.

I hope other CARA members will join me in steering you in the right direction here. 
You do NOT want to get on the bad side of your local Emergency Management by doing something like this because it could give CARA and other ham clubs a bad reputation.

CARA has worked hard at building up trust and a good working relationship with Calvert Emerg Management. Activites like this by one of their members risks having Calvert EM kick us out to the street.

As Kim said, buy a scanner, G5 pager, SDR...etc. 

I am painfully aware of the "experts" on Radio Reference and other radio based forums, social media and You Tube that tell you NAS is perfectlly fine. It isn't.

I haven't commented much since I moved away, but felt this was a topic I was probably the best to reply.

I am not meaning to come off as rude, or talk down to you, I am just being direct and honest because it is so important.

Please just get a scanner.

Matt
N3IVK

Sent from a mobile device



-------- Original message --------
From: jimmy mumper via K3CAL <[email protected]>
Date: 4/8/26 3:51 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: Calvert Amateur Radio Association - K3CAL <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [K3CAL] Found this on Facebook

They would be good for NAS for state and county systems and local conv 7/800 stuff

On Wed, Apr 8, 2026 at 4:06 PM jimmy mumper <[email protected]> wrote:
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