Question concerning cities & towns

[KB1UMC]

One of the FCC regs about amateurs is not using encrypted communications.

Yet some cities and towns are adopting an encrypted communications network for police and fire using the same FCC registration process as amateurs.

Does anyone know where in the FCC regs cities and towns are allowed to do this as it inhibits monitoring (for emergency purposes) these frequencies. These agencies are of course going to claim - 'officer/employee safety' which I can counter claim, but this seems to be a policy of 'Do as I say, not as I do.'

 

[Wire Weasel]

That's the difference between the Amateur Radio Service and Public Safety/Communication.

Different services...different rules. Not to worry. Be happy.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

One of the FCC regs about amateurs is not using encrypted communications.

Yet some cities and towns are adopting an encrypted communications network for police and fire using the same FCC registration process as amateurs.

Does anyone know where in the FCC regs cities and towns are allowed to do this as it inhibits monitoring (for emergency purposes) these frequencies. These agencies are of course going to claim - 'officer/employee safety' which I can counter claim, but this seems to be a policy of 'Do as I say, not as I do.'

It's perfectly fine for city/town police etc. to use encryption and not only is for officer safety it is also to keep the nosy people from flocking to an accident scene etc. or jumping on the phone to call and blab that someone they knew was just killed in an accident or stopped for DUI etc. It is about privacy issues as well. I can see nothing you could do to counter the claim about officer safety,it's not up to you to back him/her up. Your right about it inhibiting monitoring but that is what it was intended to do. It sucks but it's the way it is. Several years ago the RCMP up here went with a province wide radio system that is on 800MHz and uses digital encryption which was a huge change from the 155 MHz open channel VHF they used to use.That was the day I packed up my scanner.