Radio Scanners At Airshows Security Risk!?/Radio Inteference At Airshows & Potential New Services Re: [MilCom] Airshows / Scanners...

[NIGHTHAWK001]

Both those forums listed below are of course opinions -- we are all entitled 
to our opinions; and I would think if followed results in a lot of wasted 
time by hobbyists "on scene" trying to find the common frequencies in use. 
Many frequencies are known and surely there is the "challenge" of finding 
those unpublished ones set up for that specific show!!!   BTW at one air 
show (think it was KBAF) one of the "Wagon Guys" (after setting up the 
antennas, radio gear etc) actually got approached by the FAA and they wanted 
to know if they had any transmit capabilities on any of the aero 
frequencies.  Of course they didn't have transmit capability.  It's 
interesting that one of the forums below believes that publishing 
frequenices is a safety threat BUT yet if you find them and listen that's 
ok.   Well IF they can be found by anyone than surely that potential 
deliberate interference could be from ANYONE with an airborne source many 
miles away or even from a mobile or base ground source not even within the 
airshow security area  -e.g. not a hobbyist at the show!!!!   I've never 
heard of any deliberate interference at any airshow.   I don't know if 
military bases are setup to do this kind of quick reaction search & find to 
a radio interference problem. My guess is that at many locations with a MARS 
program there's a "secret" DF response team that can be alerted & respond 
relatively quickly IF a problem comes up.  It's unclear whether Civil Air 
Patrol's airborne & ground Direction Finding capabilities only are set up 
for aero emergency frequencies BUT it would seem that the capability to DF 
any signal source (frequencies) could be another mission expansion for CAP 
perhaps to help the FCC, Homeland Security, & the military as needed.

For the most part I always thought that for aspiring 
amateur/semi-professional/professional photographers, having a radio scanner 
at airshows actually helped them to plan (position) their various shots 
based upon what they were monitoring.

Again overall I think over the last 3 years or so, security has become much 
more tolerant of PORTABLE radio scanners (not sure if you showed up with a 
large number of portables strapped to you what reaction you would get from 
security!!! :) ;) ) entering the show area after appropriate security 
inspection.   I think the PAO's & Commanders did get some flack when some 
shows decided to ban scanners in the distant past.

Regarding NASCAR look at the new "Fan View" electronic device program that 
was rolled out (see: http://www.monitoringtimes.com/mtwhatsnewapr07.pdf) 
Now think if every aerial performer at an airshow had a camera strapped to 
the plane and would transmit video down to a receiver that would than 
transmit it out to the airshow fans on a small rented receiver  OR perhaps 
some of that premium seating could have a small TV set mounted on your 
assigned chair (and hardwired to receivers) that would allow you to get the 
performing pilots view as well as monior radio transmissions & I think you 
would see those venues completely filled by differentiating .  (I've yet to 
see those seats filled to capacity at any airshow).

Thanks again for the other sources listed below. I'd encourage others to 
look at the specific comments.

K


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <b52hbuff at sbcglobal.net>
To: "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 1:00 AM
Subject: [MilCom] Airshows / Scanners...


>....snip..snip..snip..
> http://www.airshowbuzz.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=228
>
> http://www.fencecheck.com/forums/index.php/topic,6904.0.html  (password & 
> registration required)
>
> So the question is why is NASCAR scanning more 'acceptable' and less of a 
> security risk than scanning at airshows?