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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: casio on March 22, 2014, 1915 UTC

Title: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: casio on March 22, 2014, 1915 UTC
I had a visit today by loco law enforcement asking me about my outside radio antenna.
They just wanted to know what it was and what it's purpose was.
I responded by asking them if my outside radio antenna was braking some law or rule and they said it was not. So i kindly declined to tell them its purpose and reminded them of personal property rights and my fourth amendment rights and asked them kindly to leave..

Title: Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: rdla4 on March 22, 2014, 1933 UTC
Yinz aint one of them thar roosky spys r ye?

Unbelievable!
Title: Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: glimmer twin on March 22, 2014, 2212 UTC
I've had the same thing happen & just patiently explained what it was. I don't like to antagonize them ...I've regretted doing that in the past. Lots of neighborhood/homeowner associations do have rules against outdoor antennas & unfortunately these are completely legal. During an ice storm a few years ago a passing cop freaked out when he saw me picking up my downed antenna & beating the ice off of it & attempting to re-hang it. I guess he thought it was a power line that had fallen. He was really concerned that I was going to kill myself but when I explained what it was he thought it was pretty cool to be able to hear stations from all over the world.
Title: Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: jFarley on March 22, 2014, 2226 UTC
In my neighborhood, we have large back yards, and such things are legal.  My preferred antenna site is in full view of the neighborhood pariah's deck...by intent.  Payback.
Title: Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: glimmer twin on March 22, 2014, 2246 UTC
I'm not a lawyer but wouldn't an outdoor antenna  fall under the "Plain View  Doctrine" or whatever you call the shocking lack of a right to privacy that we have these days?
Title: Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: ff on March 22, 2014, 2306 UTC
My preferred antenna site is in full view of the neighborhood pariah's deck...by intent.  Payback.

LOL - goodonya Joe!  If someday he harasses you, mebbe you could remind him that those pesky hams and CBers use wire antennas and beams, but you use those loops to communicate with your Venusian friends... the ones with the probes... BIG probes...  I imagine he'd at least leave quickly... for one reason or another.
Title: Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: casio on March 23, 2014, 0437 UTC
Yinz aint one of them thar roosky spys r ye?

Unbelievable!

No... Not roosky
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: casio on March 25, 2014, 1445 UTC
There was one of them white FCC vans outside my apartment complex today...
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: glimmer twin on March 25, 2014, 1541 UTC
You aren't even close to violating any kind of FCC rule if all you're doing is listening. Since you refused to talk to the cops they might have passed it along to the FCC who are now trying to determine if you are transmitting. I've learned from my own youthful hyjinx that it isn't good to antagonize the cops but as long as you have nothing else to worry about....more power to ya, stick it to the man.
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: casio on March 25, 2014, 1648 UTC
yeah.. its been outside all day. its got like something on it roof... they will sit outside for a day or two then go away. its unmarked but i know what the FCC vans look like because i seen photos online
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on March 25, 2014, 1652 UTC
(http://www.mycal.net/old/projects/mpr/images/fcc.gif)
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: casio on March 25, 2014, 1710 UTC
the thing on its roof looks like a cap of a mushroom but its flatter and made of plastic... my geuss is its some kind of antenna..
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: casio on March 25, 2014, 1759 UTC
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2836/13408826203_92b0264d9a_b.jpg)
this is what i put up
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: atrainradio on March 25, 2014, 2108 UTC
They are freaking out over that? God that's nothing. I got an SolarCon 2000 26 foot telescopic CB antenna on my roof which is 62 feet from the ground. You could probably see the damn thing from a couple miles away.
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: moof on March 25, 2014, 2138 UTC
Call the po po and say there is a strange van that keeps watching you. Walk over while on the phone and ask if you can help them with anything.
Stare back with binoculars.  Post a pic. Make contact with truckers on 19 and shoot the shizz.  Give them something to listen to under 4 watts.  Bore them to death.
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: Nella F. on March 25, 2014, 2355 UTC
Call the po po and say there is a strange van that keeps watching you. Walk over while on the phone and ask if you can help them with anything.
Stare back with binoculars.  Post a pic. Make contact with truckers on 19 and shoot the shizz.  Give them something to listen to under 4 watts.  Bore them to death.

 :D Maybe one of 'em looks like someone famous...if so ask for an autograph. Go around your neighborhood & collect dog poop not picked-up (major problem here)  then... well just use your imagination. Wave a banana at them... :o
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: casio on March 26, 2014, 0050 UTC


 :D Maybe one of 'em looks like someone famous...if so ask for an autograph. Go around your neighborhood & collect dog poop not picked-up (major problem here)  then... well just use your imagination. Wave a banana at them... :o

What you smoking?
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: redhat on March 26, 2014, 0649 UTC
the thing on its roof looks like a cap of a mushroom but its flatter and made of plastic... my geuss is its some kind of antenna..

Sounds like a GPS antenna.

Last time I saw an FCC vehicle I think it was a ford SUV with gov motor pool plates.

+-RH
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: BoomboxDX on March 31, 2014, 1156 UTC
From reading this thread, my guess is that there may be some sort of illegal activity going on in your apartment complex, and the police were perhaps trying to figure if your antenna was a part of it or not.

You hear any strange transmissions in your neighborhood? Maybe an unlicensed FM station or something? Any other curious activity going on?
Title: Re: Local law enforcement and antennas
Post by: Nella F. on April 02, 2014, 0032 UTC
:D Maybe one of 'em looks like someone famous...if so ask for an autograph. Go around your neighborhood & collect dog poop not picked-up (major problem here)  then... well just use your imagination. Wave a banana at them... :o

What you smoking?

  8) Whatcha Got!?  8)
               :o