[MilCom] scannists being hassled

[Duane Mantick]

Hijacking the subject line slightly, a number of folks have
posted in recent times about issues of being hassled while
checking out good spots around military bases.

Well guys, it isn't just military bases anymore - Saturday
I got hassled on what was, as far as I know, a PUBLIC ROAD
around the perimeter of the Indianapolis International Airport.

My wife was flying out of there to go to New York, and once she
had passed the security and gone down the Concourse where I
was not permitted, I wanted to take my Icom R10 outside and find
a spot to listen to her flight's comms and watch the plane go out.

They won't letcha stop anywhere around the main buildings, as I found
out, so I took off for the SW side of the field which is the least
densely populated area (seemingly) and therefore less to block 
your view or the signal.  Found a nice spot near an intersection
and pulled off the side of the road.  It couldn't have been 5 minutes
and a cop came and told me that I could NOT park there.  I explained
to him exactly what I was doing and he pointedly told me he expected 
me to move on.  While some roads in the area are posted "NO STOPPING"
that area was NOT.  I didn't want to get into an argument with him,
so I took off finally finding a nifty spot in the parking lot of a
building on the other side of the road, hence, private property - 
and being a Saturday, apparently nobody there to bitch at me.  :-)
Had a fair view and good signals although not as good as the first
spot would have been.

Wednesday evening as she was returning from her trip, I went to the
top of the parking garage and had a parking spot right on a corner
all to myself.  While the signs there said you couldn't hang around
the walls of the garage while standing or some words to that effect,
they said nothing about being in your vehicle with a valid ticket for
parking.  :-)  Nobody hassled me there at all, and heard her flight's 
calls on approach and had a great view of the plane (almost brand new
Boeing model 717-200 which is AKA B712) descending right past me and
on down to the runway.

So let me see - you can't sit in your vehicle OUTSIDE airport
property (and not blocking or impeding traffic) along a public
highway whilst scanning and spotting but you can do it from the
airport's parking garage (which is a LOT closer to more aircraft
and passengers, etc) ????

Oddly enough, a whole bunch of TSA and other misc security folks 
saw me with the radio IN HAND when she came out of the Concourse
and they never batted an eyelash or said a word. INSIDE, right by 
the security check area.

OK - scanner tip time.  If you happen to be listening for an
AirTran Airways flight and expect the radio call to be "AirTran 
<flight number>" sorry; unlike other airlines who might say
"United 477" or whatever the radio call for AirTran is "Citrus
<flight number>".  Probably has something to do with them being 
Florida-based but it tripped me up on Saturday.....didn't realize
it until her plane flew right past my hiding spot and I saw the
big "a" on the tail while hearing a series of departure instructions
for "Citrus 393" which happened to match the plane overhead.  :-)

Yeah, I realize that ain't MilCom but some folks also like to 
watch aircraft of any kind.  :-)  Story more about the security
hassles anyhow.

Duane
WB9OMC