[MilCom] "When Intercepting Becomes Illegal"

[Duane Mantick]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: milcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:milcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Ken
> Sent: Friday, August 20, 2004 6:38 PM
> To: MILCOM
> Cc: Steve Douglass
> Subject: [MilCom] "When Intercepting Becomes Illegal"
>
>
<snip>
>
> With all this Homeland Security/Defense & terrorist attack
> paranoia around,
> I'd tend to agree with Steve, that we in the radio monitoring
> hobby need to
> be very sensitive to government officials perceptions of any "on scene"
> monitoring activities.
>
> Ken
> Springfield MA Monitoring Area
> <snip>

When I took my trip out west and had some radio gear with me, I made
up a page to put on the top of each load inside the baggage explaining
that the equipment was owned and operated by a licensed Amateur Radio
operator.  I also attached copies of my license documents.  Any bag that
was actually opened and searched - they attached a note indicating that
fact plus some information.

I had NO troubles from TSA over having that stuff flying in the aircraft.
Never asked me a single question about it.  They actually were more
concerned with the keys in my pocket and stuff that went into the
carry-on than anything else.

I can't say for sure that the notes left in my luggage for the benefit of
the TSA guys helped or not, but obviously they didn't HURT anything.  That
works just fine for me, as the last thing I wanted was to get into a
hassle with them about it.

I got more hassle out of the flight attendants because I had a camcorder
pointed out the window than anything else.  They didn't want ANY electronic
devices operating during takeoff and landing and reminded me several times
that I was not allowed to video tape the inside of the cabin or any "flight
operations".

Well, as for the former, who cares about the inside of the cabin unless you
are going down and are attempting to leave some kind of document for folks
after you're dead.  Sure, that is a slightly crude was of putting it.  And
as for the latter - I'm an airplane geek.  Watching flaps and ailerons and
spoilers operate is interesting to me and when they stick you in a seat
where your view includes the wing sticking into your image, what else
CAN you do?

As for the radio gear in my carryons, they would not let me use that AT ALL.
I was kind of bummed but seeing on the news how touchy they were about
uncooperative passengers I decided to let THAT one go.  It really wasn't
worth it.  I wanted to use the GPS to follow the flight along on-chart, but
they said no and I left it at that.

Bottom line, I don't think anyone should go too far out of their way to
"tweak" people on "security issues" even if they are B.S.  Why ruin your own
trip and scare the hell out of everyone else on a plane, for one thing.
And near a base, I think one simply needs to get creative and hunt for
alternative locations to those that the security folks already know about.
Some bases that may be easier than others, but IMHO this isn't the time for
folks in our hobbies to get painted as "bad guys".  That is the sort of
thing
that can come around and haunt us next time some idiot on the hill proposes
some restrictive legislation about radio reception.

Duane