[Milsurplus] AV band HT's and others

[CL in NC]

After 9/11, the FAA went on a tear concerning surplus aviation band comm gear.  No long was removing the control crystal the way to disable them, total destruction was mandated.  The fear being 'terrorists' would buy this gear and put it on the air to QRM air traffic control.  It was pointed out by many people, that more flexible and effective comm gear was available on Ebay and at many electronic stores, that covered all aviation freqs, plus ILS and VOR's, but they still cling to total de-milling beyond reason on this ancient gear, which is mostly the GRR and GRT Air Force gear of the 1970's.  A lot of it has been replaced now, all computer based, consisting of an ON/OFF switch, a DB or USB port, with the only adjustments, if still used in the latest models, a tunable preselector to optimize operation on the freq. dialed in by the computer.  Those AV band HT's are also used by aviation enthusiasts to listen in on air operations, much like NASCAR folks' radios at the races.  In my locale, every single public service radio channel is encrypted or uses digital voice, making the common scanner useless.  No more listening in to drug deal busts or arresting hookers on Friday nights.

Charlie in NC