-=> Quoting Brian Lingard to Russ Trahan <=-
 BL> There are a couple of laws governing privacy of radio
 BL> communications in the U.S.
 BL> 
 BL> The radio communications act of 1934 says you can listen to just
 BL> about anything but cannot use the information for profit unless
 There is also a clause pertainig to not only the misuse of information
 for profit but also for personal gain in any way!
 BL> it is addressed to all stations and you cannot gossip about what
 BL> the police swat team is doing down at the bank job.
 BL> 
 BL> Then there is the e.c.p.a. which they managed to get Cellular
 BL> covered under and it says in effect that cellular phones are like
 BL> a regular phone and you cannot listen in without a court ordered
 BL> wiretap.
 BL> 
 BL> So you can listen to anything you want in the U.S. but not
 BL> Cellular telephones!
 BL> 
 BL> Oh as far as listening to say police calls, distress messages are
 BL> by definition addressed to all stations.  But distress traffic is
 BL> when they say mayday.  Normally cops use 10-33 which is not
 BL> within the definition of distress traffic.
 BL> 
 BL> So you can get on KCBS or WABC and announce to the world a ship
 BL> is in distress if it used the magic word mayday, but not that a
 BL> cop needs help at the bank if he said 10-33.
 BL> 
 BL> If he meant mayday he would say it.
Regards,
     Rob.
... * <- Tribble      _ <- Tribble vs. Godzilla
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