[Milsurplus] The Mighty FCC Man-Trackers

[David Stinson]

-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter Gottlieb <nerd at verizon.net>
>Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] "More FCC Foolishness"
>
>  Word is that the FCC has a vast network of very advanced automated DF stations 
>accessed over a secure broadband network.
>If they're looking for you, they can find you.

Maybe, but it also depends on the competance 
and "give a darn" of the operators.

Let me tell ya a story from a couple of years ago.
Here in the Dallas area, we had a very powerful interfering
single that would sweep across tens of mHz of the 
Hi-VHF band.  It swept through every 12 seconds 
and would just "pop" the squelch on my user's radios.  
Drove them nuts.
It was also hitting ham repeaters, fire departments
and sheriff radios over a large area and freq spread.
I assembled a scanner, an adjustable attenuator and 
a hand-held beam antenna.  I drove all over the place
and the best I could do with my crude gear 
and this short "pip" of a signal,
was to locate it south of downtown Dallas.

I wrote to Riley, and told him that, with their advanced
gear and trained people, they could find this thing,
and I needed some help.
He had to give a "kick" to the field hands
a couple of times to get them to look; 
they acted like it was a real pain to do their job.
After a few days, they called me.
With their super-duper advanced gear and trained people,
they told me:

     "The best we can do is locate it 
      south of downtown Dallas..."

True story, guys.  
A group of hams eventually found it: 
a parasitic in a powerful transmitter
on a tall tower south of Dallas.

IMHO, the FCC will expend effort to find you 
if they can expect to collect a big fine, 
or if the guy doing the looking 
can bring in your bloody scalp
for a carrer "gold star."  
Otherwise, I don't think they try very hard.

73 Dave S.