[MilCom] Milair and Security Issues

[Ted]

-Just wanted to briefly comment on a few of the issues which have been 
raised regarding some of these recent events.

1. Radioreference has had a long standing policy of removing information 
upon request from ANY agency or entity. It is certainly an understandable 
and easier path to take, as opposed to being hit with formal cease and 
desist federal court orders based on national security letters. Unlikely, 
but possible and not a fun thing to go through. Sometimes, discretion is the 
better part of valor.

2. Having said that, I DO think that sometimes some folks in the military, 
federal government and even public safety agencies DO need reminding from 
time to time of what it is they are supposed to be protecting. That is - a 
free and open democratic society, which includes freedom of the press. 
People from these agencies who electronically run around trying to suppress 
information on web sites without higher direction or authority are clearly 
committing civil rights violations, albeit probably with the best of 
intentions. The road to hell being so paved, etc. Their efforts serve only 
to muddy the reputations of their otherwise fine agencies.

3. Given the state of paranoia, personally, I've more or less given up on 
hanging out at or around airports or military bases. Just generally not 
worth the hassles and I don't see myself as making a positive contribution 
to the security of these facilities by having their various security people 
wasting their valuable time messing with harmless me. 99 percent of what I 
need to do I can do at some discrete distance, anyway. Yes, it's sad, as I 
am a major airport buff and aviation photographer, but its something I 
personally am willing to forego just to avoid a lot of stupid hassles. And 
for the intrepid hobbyist - do you get it? Airports are now considered 
sensitive facilities. Remember 9/11? If you go there and loiter around with 
cameras, notebook and radios you are going to get "hassled" eventually. Why? 
Because you are acting suspiciously. This is what a terrorist would do as 
part of pre-strike planning. I just think some of us need a reality check. 
Common sense and good judgment go a long ways.

4. Actually, probably 90 percent of what appears on this list is already 
public information, published in flight guides by the FAA and available for 
purchase by anyone. Few big secrets here. ARTCC, Airport Comms, MTR's, 
SUA's, Refueling Tracks, this stuff is all readily available for purchase. 
The DOD does have some specific guidelines for how individual frequencies or 
groups of frequencies / channel plans are classified. Many are considered 
confidential or sensitive - but that's for THEM in terms of release or 
publication, not for the public to observe or comment on. Some are 
considered classified or secret. But before you could be prosecuted for 
knowing, releasing or discussing them you'd have to be doing so with the 
intention of aiding and abetting a foreign government. That's not to say the 
agency in question cant take the national security letter into court order 
approach to prevent you from disclosure. Tens of thousands of national 
security letters have been sent out under provisions of the patriot act 
since 9/11, its become a fairly common practice with only a handful of court 
challenges. Frankly, if this is the path you insist upon taking you will 
probably eventually need an attorney. Sad, the country has really changed a 
lot.

5. The Amateur Radio service is almost universally a secondary allocation. 
Hams must accept and avoid interference to/from primary users. 420-440 for 
instance is actually primarily allocated to military radar. This is or was 
on the exam question pools so if you are a licensed amateur radio operator 
you already know this.

6. Part 15 devices have an even lower allocation status and must accept and 
may not cause interference to/from primary band users. Says so on the label. 
The military goes to extreme, expensive lengths to try to avoid such 
situations. Historically its been a fairly big problem for the Navy out on 
the west coast. Garage door openers, vehicle remotes, etc. But it does still 
sometimes happen and is a totally legit situation. Go buy a different part 
15 device or get a real radio, the entity causing the interference is most 
likely free to do so.

7. I suspect a lot of this is being driven by what the Motorola staff is 
telling their customers regarding new trunked installations. They are 
particularly trunking paranoid since their adventure in Madsion, Wisconsin. 
The "interference" comment seems a clear allusion. To them, all their system 
parameters are now big, sensitive corporate secrets. I can only imagine what 
they tell new customers. I'd be paranoid too if I was selling radio 
communications systems which create major security nightmares for my 
customers. Comsec is the responsibility of the users and designers of the 
systems in question.  If its a big secret, don't broadcast it. And don't 
waste my tax money purchasing way stupid junk for our government.

Welcome to the new America, where everything is confidential and everyone is 
suspicious.

298.775 BROCHURE Primary
283.775 BROCHURE Secondary
364.525 PHOENIX Primary
350.350 HILLTOP/12 MILE MOA
257.900 HOWARD MOA

Happy Milair Scanning Forever! - Ted Moran outside of Chicago
http://home.comcast.net/~tandkmoran/
(Ugh! Needs updating badly!)
http://www.carmachicago.com/