Oki so we all know it would be illegal to use a 10 meter radio without a FCC licence and I know that the FCC is working with the DOT and is making a crack down effort to some degree on this. BUT, it certainly isn't illegal to "listen" on a BIG receiving 10 meter equipped CB. So I understand that those in a big rig that the FCC can rail through if they feel the need my end up cited for having a 10 meter radio without a licence, but that is winnable in court, proof is neded that you were "broadcasting" , not just listening for traffic info 10 miles down the road so that you can make the needed changes to your travel plans.
So if any of you care to admit it, how many of you are "listening" on a "popped up" 10 meter / CB radio? And do you feel the expense of such a radio and the needed high quality antenna system for "listening" is a good investment?
Thanks for any info..
Listen to what?
Hams don’t use much of the band and if there are road reports, I would be very surprised.
The equipment is cheap, the antennas are CB antennas tuned to the band so this makes one of the bands easy to get into unlicensed.
So to answer your question, no it is not a good investment to listen to static (or in the case of FM silence).
1 – It is like a gun, having it is construed as using it by many and the chances that you winning in court over this are not that great for a number of reasons, one is you are dealing with a federal agency who has deep pockets and may want to make you an example. The other is when you have to go to court say in Arizona and you are in New York, it is pretty hard to justify that $300 investment in the equipment. Chances are, the DOT will take the equipment and that’s all seeing it is a federal issue. They may call the feds in and they will issue you a citation or you may get one in the mail with a good fine attached.
2 – Like Leo said get a license, more going on with 2 meters across the country than 10. For that matter, have you seen the 2 meter rigs lately? Mil-spec.
3 – There is a big issue among some hams and they are the ones you have to watch for. There are now a few groups in some cities who are tracking down the trucking companies using 10 meters for business and filing written complaint to the feds. The feds send out a cease and desist letter which takes care of the problem more often than not. I too will do the same and expect other hams to do the same thing – it is all about self-policing our bands.
4 – Customs is the one to watch out for; they have the right to go through your sleeper – period. AND if they find something you are not supposed to have, say bye bye to it. I have my 2 meter rig in the sleeper and I was asked to produce a license as they were unhooking it to confiscate it. They, customs, really don’t have the ‘right’ to do that, they are not the FCC but they are charged with confiscating none-type accepted equipment at the border. I heard of this situation happening to a trucker here in this area the other day. The cops pulled him over, he gave the cops a song and dance about his rights to search and seizure so they called ICE and had them search the sleeper – problem solved.
5 – Get a scanner that can get the band, I have one here that goes down to 26mc. As for scanner laws (speaking for my pathetic state), Michigan is supposed to have a scanner law, they sometimes enforce it but hams are exempt or supposed to be. Other states don’t care and personally like the cellular blocked receiver law, they are outdated and useless laws. There have been only two cases in Michigan where criminals were so well organized that they had scanners and tracked the cops – the law was created to prevent these two from gaining access to information about the cops? Analog cell phones are being phased out so what’s the use of having receiving equipment blocked?
