BJ> Show me ONE single Court Order allowing anyone 'blanket' monitor cellular 
BJ> phones via a scanner.
BJ> 
BJ> Show me the place in the ECPA that allows Law Enforcement to monitor 
cellul
BJ> WITHOUT a warrant.
First, as for law enforcement.. They dont use a "plain ol' Scanner"
per se'..  They use a device called a "cellular interception system"
which is widely marketed for TITLE III use to law enforcement.
the device (in the usual form) consists of a scanner (usually ICOM
r-7000's or 9000's but not always).. Which is coupled with some very nice
software. The softrware allows you to keep complicated logs and to
target specifi phone numbers,.  The software interfaces with the scanner
by a coupler, and automatically tunes the scanner to follow the
conversation as it is handed off from cell site to cell site.  if you need
to actually see the device to believe it, I can show you stuff from my
own catalog (which COUGH COUGH I;m not supposed to sell) along with stuff
from other manufactureres who sell these units, just gimme your address
e-mail and I';ll send you a couple photocopies of the ads for these nice 
nits
along with their brief details..  
Secondly,  I might add that the reason that these units are sold is
to perform   "mobile surveillance" which is very common for high level
federal investigatioons involving people of stature who use cell phones
and travel alot (rackateers, etc..)   You seem to confuse  a regular phone
tap with a cellular phone tap..  When your tapping a home line it only
picks up your conversations when your at your home..  but in the case of
cellular the criminals are free to roam the country.. and as such law 
enforcement needs the power to track people no matter where they go. If your 
in Florida, what good is that tap going to do the feds if they placed the
cell tap at the local MTSO in New York area?  
BJ> Show me the place in the ECPA that allows Law Enforcement to monitor 
cellul
BJ> WITHOUT a warrant.
You should perhaps see my other messages on this which was rather detailed.
This goes for ALL!!!!!! surveillance applications. Not just cellular
intercept..  LAe Enforcement is allowed to tap phones (or perform any kind of 
other intercept if it falls under the category of an   "EMERGENCY"
which is specified extremely clearly under the ECPA as 4 seperate
provisins involving national security, or in situations where death or
serious injury could occur, etc...  In order to make this legal the
feds need only apply for the warrant within 36 hours after the initial
emergency tap (or monitoring begins).. 
Also, regarding your above statement..  I might further tell you, that
the law does not specify what equipment the government can use. It doesnt
work that way my friend.. the COURT (and congress) dfoes NOT!!! tell
the FBI what equipment they can use, if they want to use scanners they
can, if they want to isntall buigs they can, whatever the FBI wants
to use for their interception they pretty much can..  The law states
simply that law enforcement has the right to intercept electronic
communications and that is a blanket statement which in no ways dictates what 
methods must be used..  The only stipulation is... as is usually the case..
that in issuing a warrant, the feds need only state that they arer using the 
techniques of interception a a last resort and that other methods of 
investigation have failed (or would likely fail).
--- GEcho 1.00
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