Could Online Streaming Damage Scanning?

[x635 4,066]

With many agencies radio feeds available over the internet, it's easier now more then ever to listen in on radio traffic.

With this, I think there are many agencies considering digital encryption. Once that starts taking on, and on a lot of modern Motorola systems it's a flip of a switch, the hobby could be dead for all of us.

If a scanner could override or de-encypt, would that be legal?

[EMT111 149]

If a scanner could override or de-encypt, would that be legal?

I'm pretty sure that it's illegal to intercept encrypted transmissions.

[SOUSGT 357]

I'm pretty sure that it's illegal to intercept encrypted transmissions.

A few years ago, I recall there was discussions asking were scanners legal? There is some case law that stated as long as the person(s) being intercepted did nothing to safeguard (scramble) their conversations and the radios were not used in the commission of a crime, scanners were OK. That is why many scanners used to pick up cell conversations. Congress eventually passed a law to prohibit scanner companies from including cell frequencies in their products.

The question of weather intecepting scrambeled conversations is legal would probably be moot anyhow. With the modern digital algorithms available, it is doubtful that they could be broken short of having a super computer.

[FiftyOnePride 100]

Not totally on topic, but in the scope, interesting read...

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