Monday, January 18, 2021

Amateur Radio Warning

 ARRL - the American Radio Relay League, the organization that generally interacts with the FCC regarding radio communications between amateurs. has posted a warning regarding use of radio communications to commit crimes (defined by whom?), and that any such use will be followed by prosecution, fines, confiscation of equipment, etc.

This would be a Duh! No Brainer moment, except for the fact that the federal government, in its Deep State arms, tends to smear a wide range of legally-protected communications as seditious, criminal, and Not-To-Be-Engaged-In. The message is dated 1/17/221.

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up, given that we had discussed permissible communications alternatives on this blog. I don't believe that I ever suggested using them in a crime of any kind. Just as an alternative way to keep in communication with loved ones/neighbors, in the event of a communications blackout.

FWIW - no, of course, you should be using them for legal purposes. Having said that, I really don't see a problem for the licensed amateur. The radios aren't controlled items; anyone can buy one, without having to show a license.

Yet.

7 comments:

MarcusZ1967 said...

Here is the pdf for downloading.


https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21-73A1.pdf

SiGraybeard said...

I wasn't aware of this until this morning. It's very odd for the FCC to do anything on a Sunday, but I got an email from the ARRL at my ARRL email address basically saying "ham radio save lives" and touting that ham radio is good for the country. It was puzzling to get something as banal and unimportant as that on a Sunday. Now I wonder if it's because of the FCC notice.

The FCC basically said, "just so everyone remembers, it's illegal to use your radio for illegal things, and it's illegal to encode messages." It's like in the FCC guy's head, Red Dawn is playing and people are telling each other, "The chair is against the wall!! The chair is against the wall!!"

News flash. If someone knows you're encoding a message, you're doing it wrong.

Divemedic said...

When radios are outlawed, only outlaws will, well, you know the rest.

Stuart said...

Gee, it's almost like DC knows what's coming. The noose tightens.

Glenda T Goode said...

Seems like they could have done this last summer when our cities were burning down....Just sayin'

Clabonjones said...

I did hear that phrase today in fact.

Historian said...

Every licensed amateur knows that they are forbidden to use their equipment to commit or support unlawful acts. Most amateurs also know that enforcement by the Commission has been lax at best, and most of it was done by volunteers who were largely untrained and ignored, although there has been some change in that regard with the new VM program. As far as CB, FRS and MURS are concerned, the Commission has avoided them like the plague; Enforcement has gotten involved typically only with particularly egregious cases of deliberate interference. Usually, they move quickly only when dealing with interruptions to public safety communications; amateur cases have dragged on for years.

That notice, however, may herald a significant change in the Commission's activities and scope WRT enforcement. My understanding is that this is in response to the recent article in the Mordor-on-the-Potomac Post regarding Lobby Day in Richmond. As I have read in comments elsewhere, the new regime has the ability and certainly has the motivation to make significant changes in radio communication licensing, ranging from expanded surveillance on existing licensees based on social credit scores, revision of the 'third party' rules, to cancellation of licenses, to a complete elimination of the amateur service, which has been done before at the start of WW2. Requiring a permit or license for equipment purchases of things like transceivers, scanners and receivers might happen, too. The amateur service is the ONLY one allowed to make or modify their gear from that approved by the FCC, BTW; all other services are required by the rules to use FCC approved equipment. Most amateurs already are reluctant to sell ham gear to non-amateurs, so that would be a small step in the minds of many people.

Given the social media (read COMMUNICATION) purges that the Left has already carried out in concert with their corporate partners, those they are telling us that they are planning, and the calls for literally putting people in concentration camps, a prudent person would plan ahead regarding potential expanded enforcement/oversight/restrictions. Such appears more likely at present than an EMP, and just as harmful.

With regard to all who seek the Light,
Historian