What is the law in the USA on owning legit ASTRO equipment for non law agency or government use?
It seems from this website that it is free and not conditional on government contracts.
Has anyone ever been hassled by any government agency for having a private ASTRO radio?
Mike
Legality of owning ASTRO Equipment
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Mike Alpha
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2001 4:00 pm
Anyone can own a radio with ASTRO (APCO 25), VSLEP or whatever. Its an open standard. The problems that people run into are when they try to XMIT on systems that they are unauthorized to do so, and when they get government level encryption such as facinator. If you are willing to spend the money, you can get just about anything in an Astro product you want.
Remember, ASTRO is Motorola name for there digital radio product line. You can get Prodject 25 radios from other vendors. Its an open standard.
Motorola will go a step further and try to restrict certain features as a secuirty concern for large users, such as the LAPD.
But there really isn't anything out there to prevent a landscaper to go out an purchase a P25 system for his 10 employees, except cost.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Pj on 2002-03-05 04:40 ]</font>
Remember, ASTRO is Motorola name for there digital radio product line. You can get Prodject 25 radios from other vendors. Its an open standard.
Motorola will go a step further and try to restrict certain features as a secuirty concern for large users, such as the LAPD.
But there really isn't anything out there to prevent a landscaper to go out an purchase a P25 system for his 10 employees, except cost.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Pj on 2002-03-05 04:40 ]</font>
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Elroy Jetson
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 4:00 pm
On the same note, Just wondering what everyone thinks about people who have public saftey freqs in their astro,( or whatever kind of radio), which are rx only.
I don'tknow about the scanner/ police receiver laws and how it may apply to anyone's certain state, but you can always set the power on p/w on the astro radios and if ya get pulled over or the such, simply turn off the radio.
Any comments?
I don'tknow about the scanner/ police receiver laws and how it may apply to anyone's certain state, but you can always set the power on p/w on the astro radios and if ya get pulled over or the such, simply turn off the radio.
Any comments?
Having the Tx or Rx itself it not illegal. Its just when you actually tx, then your REALLY in trouble! But most of us know this anyways.
Get pulled over, hope that you programmed in those public safety channels in as receive only, or at least turn on the tx lock that the Astro Sabers have. When in doubt, also enable the radio lock feature. At least you can demostrate to the cop that it can't work.
Not too many states have scanner restrictions. Most states have the provisions that if you use it in a crime, its an automatic felony or simliar charges are added.
However, in many states, if you have your HAM license, the law does not apply in getting a permit for a scanner (if needed). Always check with your local police.
On a simliar note, my Sgt once said it was just SO illegal and against every federal and FCC law that I had a DVP-XL module in my radio, and that I needed a license etc. He knew that I have had that for the past year (I had permission to have the PD key in the module from the Capt).
Once you ask those people how they know this, they usually shut up (This Sgt is a bit on the radical side, so I ignored him). I like my working radio, and not the sometimes working PD radio.
Life is good.
Get pulled over, hope that you programmed in those public safety channels in as receive only, or at least turn on the tx lock that the Astro Sabers have. When in doubt, also enable the radio lock feature. At least you can demostrate to the cop that it can't work.
Not too many states have scanner restrictions. Most states have the provisions that if you use it in a crime, its an automatic felony or simliar charges are added.
However, in many states, if you have your HAM license, the law does not apply in getting a permit for a scanner (if needed). Always check with your local police.
On a simliar note, my Sgt once said it was just SO illegal and against every federal and FCC law that I had a DVP-XL module in my radio, and that I needed a license etc. He knew that I have had that for the past year (I had permission to have the PD key in the module from the Capt).
Once you ask those people how they know this, they usually shut up (This Sgt is a bit on the radical side, so I ignored him). I like my working radio, and not the sometimes working PD radio.
Life is good.
I have an Astro XTS-3000 myself along with the Windows CPS/RSS and love it. I live in CT where the State Police went to the 800mhz Astro System from Low Band 42mhz. I have the whole state programmed in there. They use a Trunked system with only the Detectives and Crime Squad using encription. Everything else is open. In speaking to the FCC they say that there are no issues with listening to them even in Digital Mode. They were quick to point out that encription signals are ILLEGAL to listen to. 
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Elroy Jetson
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 4:00 pm
There IS a highly effective and safe method to monitor SmartZone systems with an Astro. Here's how:
Create more than 16 channels per zone. Say, 30, just for the sake of argument. Park your trunking data ONLY on channels 17 thru 30.
Do NOT enable the 'chan' softmenu in your radio, and make sure the rotary selector is set to change channels instead of systems in the knobs, switches, and buttons configuratin menu.
As of now, you can't GET to channels 17 and higher in any zone, and those are where your secret trunking personalities are hidden.
So how do you get to them?
You SCAN them!
You set up your scan lists for the first 16 channels to refer to the 'hidden' trunked pesonalities.
Even in a SmartZone system, the radio won't log in or affiliate or transmit while scanning, unless you were foolish enough to enable talkback scan.
Of course, your first 16 channels per zone would be something innocuous, like various channels of the system monitored in conventional mode.
This is a proven setup.
Have fun!
Elroy
Create more than 16 channels per zone. Say, 30, just for the sake of argument. Park your trunking data ONLY on channels 17 thru 30.
Do NOT enable the 'chan' softmenu in your radio, and make sure the rotary selector is set to change channels instead of systems in the knobs, switches, and buttons configuratin menu.
As of now, you can't GET to channels 17 and higher in any zone, and those are where your secret trunking personalities are hidden.
So how do you get to them?
You SCAN them!
You set up your scan lists for the first 16 channels to refer to the 'hidden' trunked pesonalities.
Even in a SmartZone system, the radio won't log in or affiliate or transmit while scanning, unless you were foolish enough to enable talkback scan.
Of course, your first 16 channels per zone would be something innocuous, like various channels of the system monitored in conventional mode.
This is a proven setup.
Have fun!
Elroy