[MilCom] O-T, so much for professionalism

[Duane Mantick]

TH: 

Looks like it is time for the occasional reminder about
Section 705 of the Communications Act of 1934 as amended.
If you don't believe me go look it up yourself, but in 
essence what it says is that (in most cases) you may listen
to radio communications but you may NOT divulge what you
hear except for Commercial Broadcasts, Amateur Radio, 
CB, ships and planes in distress.

The ECPA managed to make cell phones illegal to listen
to and I understand that technically even cordless phones
are now also covered.

Translation - if you go shooting your mouth off about the
contents of what you hear if it does not fall under an
exception there is a possibility that YOU COULD BE PROSECUTED.

I don't know that I could point you to a case where it has
actually happened, but I bring it up so that you know that
it COULD happen if you go running to some radio user and
bitch about what someone says on the air.

I think "Declared Hostile" made a very good reply to you
as well.  So consider:

1) if you don't like what you VOLUNTARILY and MANUALLY
tuned your radio to, then quit doing it.

2) failing that, if you go spouting off about it to the 
authorities trying to get the USER in trouble, they
could turn around and PROSECUTE YOU for illegally
divulging what you have heard.

My suggestion - sit back, think about it a bit, give 
some people a break and check your morality at the door.
When you hear that stuff, it may NOT be "professional",
it may NOT be "moral", it may NOT be "right and it may
NOT even be LEGAL.  But for you to go play "Moral Majority"
(which IMHO is neither one) isn't going to create 
anything good.

Those of us that have been in the broader radio hobby
(e.g., not only are we scannists but also SWL's, Amateurs,
CB'ers, FRS/GMRS/MURS users....whatever) have developed
both a little thicker skin and an automatic filter to such
things on the radio.  We may not like them, but we chuckle
a bit and move on.  I'd like to suggest that you do the 
same.

Duane

-----Original Message-----
From: milcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:milcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Declared_Hostile
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 11:23 PM
To: Milcom
Subject: Re: [MilCom] O-T, so much for professionalism

X-SpamKiller-AcctId: 1
X-SpamKiller-MsgId: 1108433585.10503

For god's sake don't do something stupid like that.  It will just ruin it
for the rest of us.  Keep it up and all you will hear is the beep whoosh of
secure comms.  Nothing to get offended by then.

Like my local PD told the caller who complained about their humor on their
radios "If they don't want to hear it there is an off switch on the
scanner."

If off color comments or colorful language from pilots upset you so much
maybe you should think about another hobby.  I hear that National Public
Radio is pretty tame.  Oh and I'd avoid 123.450 too.  The airline pilots
work blue pretty regularly.

The fact that someone would call up and harass some poor Public Affairs
Officer and try to get a pilot in trouble THAT is simply amazing.

DH
Oderint dum metuant
"Let them hate us, so long as they fear us."

----- Original Message -----
From: "T H" <bengalsfandc at yahoo.com>
To: "Milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 7:03 PM
Subject: [MilCom] O-T, so much for professionalism


>I happened to catch two AF pilots on 303.0 this
> afternoon in western Ohio, Out of the blue one used
> some of the most profane language I have ever imagined
> hearing, Luckily my kids were not in hearing range, I
> have been listening to milcom and aviation in general
> for many years and I was stunned.
> I never heard a callsign or caught a destination or I
> would have made an effort to contact the AF about
> this.
> Simply amazing. TH
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________
> Sell on Yahoo! Auctions - no fees. Bid on great items.
> http://auctions.yahoo.com/
> ______________________________________________________________
> MilCom mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milcom
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/faq.htm
> Post: mailto:MilCom at mailman.qth.net
>
> 


______________________________________________________________
MilCom mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milcom
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/faq.htm
Post: mailto:MilCom at mailman.qth.net