[Lowfer] 49MHz

[lowfer@mailman.qth.net]

Bruce:

I don't think the sheriff should have hassled you. (He probably
doesn't understand either the technology or the law, and was just
following up on a citizen complaint.) There are a number of reported
court cases in which it has been specifically held that cordless phone
users (unlike cell phone users) have no protectable privacy interest
in cordless communications.  In fact, there has been at least one
criminal conviction based on evidence gleaned from monitoring the
cordless phone conversations of criminals dumb enough to use them.

73,

Mark -- WA9ETW


> Hi Tom,

>
> As for the Cordless folks that have no idea
> that they have an audience...  I know what
> you're talking about all too well...
>
> I heard this female giving out all kinds of
> personal and possibly damaging info on that
> service, so being the good samaritan and a
> concerned Amateur considering the good of
> the local community and it's residences,
> I decided to politely let her know that her
> signal was being heard by more than she might
> want to be heard by, and that if she wanted
> to stay hidden from her ex- then she should
> probably use a more secure line (hardline)
> instead of the cordless phone.
>
> Guess what!?  A Sheriff showed up at my door
> accusing me of committing a crime by making
> contact with her, until I was able to make
> the point that had I wanted to commit a crime
> the info I heard could have been used for my
> gain, but instead I made the effort to help
> her out...  And that I had NOT passed this
> info (heard in the call) to ANYone other than
> the 'supplier' of that info, and thereby did
> not show any malace or intent to harm.
>
> On this note, he (the Deputy) left, hopefully
> to inform her that if she didn't want her con-
> versations heard, she should use other means
> to communicate :)  Goal accomplished!
>
> It's amazing how many technologically ignorant
> people there are in the world, but I guess as
> Amateurs, this will always seem strange.
>
> 73 4 now,
>             Bruce
>