n4zhg
08-11-2004, 10:43 AM
I guess it's a sign of the times when seemingly innocent issues to a ham or other technically inclined person raises red flags in the minds of law enforcement that's been overly trained by homeland security.
Any mobile operator travelling in or around any area designated "Orange" by Tom Ridge needs to keep an extra-low profile:
1. Limit yourself to one radio and if possible one antenna, and do not program any public service frequencies. It won't matter that transmission is blocked, more than one radio and/or PS freqs is now a red flag.
2. Do not have any test equipment or extraneous parts from either radios or PCs in the passenger compartment. This is now another red flag.
3. Do not have any other electronics, probably to include GPS and XM. If it can't be immediately recognized and understood by someone with a 90 IQ and is not original equipment for the vehicle it probably should not be installed. Anything not immediately understood is now a red flag.
This is the result of painful personal experience. Be warned: The days of hams going about their business is over. If you look "weird" you will be grabbed. And the police are now the arbiters of "weird."
Any mobile operator travelling in or around any area designated "Orange" by Tom Ridge needs to keep an extra-low profile:
1. Limit yourself to one radio and if possible one antenna, and do not program any public service frequencies. It won't matter that transmission is blocked, more than one radio and/or PS freqs is now a red flag.
2. Do not have any test equipment or extraneous parts from either radios or PCs in the passenger compartment. This is now another red flag.
3. Do not have any other electronics, probably to include GPS and XM. If it can't be immediately recognized and understood by someone with a 90 IQ and is not original equipment for the vehicle it probably should not be installed. Anything not immediately understood is now a red flag.
This is the result of painful personal experience. Be warned: The days of hams going about their business is over. If you look "weird" you will be grabbed. And the police are now the arbiters of "weird."