When I bought my first fuz scanner, it was to make sure I was not getting skipped over on tow calls. This was back in 78 or thereabouts. Then I found I could listen to aircraft overhead and that was much more fun. In many bigger cities fuz evesdroppers don't work well since many law enforcement bodies went to fully digital, or encrypted communications systems. Part of the recent switch from standard TV signals to digital was so public safety agencies(cops) could use the 700mg frequencies. However Idaho with a few exceptions, has not converted from being where every body can hear everything thats going on, on a scanner. Whose getting pinched, or who sn't, whose getting hauled off to the jp, who ain't , when the meatwagon is called out and so on. Intelligence in Law Enforcement sezz that even the worst being popped or about to be, can hear that and vamoose before the fuz ever gets there. Federal agencies except for BLM and such and even those you need to know where to look, frequencies, are encryted. Even if you do somehow find the scanner channels. Tuning in on Smokey has always been around, back in the old days, when the heat, used unused parts of the AM bands to talk one with crystal radio could tune in. But there are just certain tools the fuz has to combat crime, and when that tool is compromized it only gives a hand up to the really bad in our communities. There ought to be laws as to who can have scanners. The fuz, fire department first responders, towers, search and rescue etc, but others no. While there are laws in place that restrict those who respond to a event/emergency heard on scanner traffic or who repeat it are guilty of a felony for doing so, but just like there was once licenses for CB radios the huge amounts of people who own one and many who own more than one, is so vast it'd be a real chore to prosecute those who respond to calls, just to look see, or report on blogs etc something they just heard on a scanner. But the situation needs to be looked at much closer.
Next blog the personal costs of going towing and soon here, ToWHeadz. Tow safely,
SpeedWrench
