Personal Info on the Airwaves

[kadee]

I have a scanner that allows you to listen to the police, fire and ambulance. It can be interesting and at times very zzzzz.

But...what about privacy? These scanners are I believe legal allowing anyone to listen in. I have heard people's names and addresses, prior arrests, rego details, licence numbers etc etc. Being a small town I often recognise the people being discussed.

Most worrying of all is the naming of informers. Most people who make a general civic complaint (drug deals next door etc) do so under the supposed protection of anonimity. Yet the police dislcose their identity over the radio.

Isn't this kinda dangerous?

Oh and I have to say...the resources wasted by people calling an ambulance for the itty bittiest things is a bloody disgrace.

[yepp]

Why on earth would you have one of those. I can't think of any reason other than criminal or downright busy body. Turn it off, better still smash it and toss it out.

[kadee]

duh...........it's interesting (dumb comment) to some people and I can't see how it would help a crim. I don't care about your opinion on the why's.

My query relates to the revealing details passed over it. Do you have any insight into that?

[Thing]

The media have them to listen out for interesting news stories & towies have them so they can descend on car crashes like flies to sh.... something

There are even some internet web sites that broadcast emergency services radio.

I think major centres are now going digital radio over analogue which may help in reducing the amount of treacle beaks who like to listen in

[jm30]

I have had a scanner for a long, long time in my shed. It provides some entertainment on a cold night working on cars. I like listening to the chases, but they are few and far between.

In most cases, in NSW, at least, Fire and Ambulance either transmit on the GRN on in encrypted digital signal.

90% of police in Sydney/Metro areas are all in encrypted digital also. Only country stations are left in analogue.

I've never heard a person being named as an informant over the airwaves, information given over the air is very basic and designed to assist the on scene officer, Knowing someone is an informant wouldn't benefit the officers at all, however, knowing someone is known to conceal weapons/drugs etc does, Police know that people monitor their transmissions and are sensitive about what they broadcast.

As for legalities, They are legal to own, legal to listen to, but illegal to act upon the information you hear.

For instance, Towies have broken the laws for years. They monitor scanners for crashes and appear on the scene, most times before the police. Same as media, They monitor the EMS for fires and violent assaults to be first on the scene.

[shandy]

So kadee ask for opinion but when you get one from yepp you say "I don't care about your opinion"

[kadee]

Sigh...

I said "I don't care about your opinion on the why's."

This means I don't care about yepp's (or anyone's) opinion or assumptions about *why* people have a scanner. Altho thanks Thing & jm30 for at least intelligent insight.

My query related to, and still does, the information that is transmitted. Do you have any information regarding the legality of that?

[yepp]

I know two people who have these scanners. They enjoy driving around at night hoping to see some blood and guts at accident scenes. Could be remotely
"duh...........it's interesting (dumb comment)". Or just plain ghoulish. I stand by my comment.

[kadee]

Yeah like any normal person has time to spare driving around looking for accident scenes You need a better class of friends.

Now if you have any relevant info to contribute...

[Cas98]

I used to have a scanner, many years ago and yes, they can be interesting to isten in to. I heard queries for individuals or vehicles, but never considered it an invasion of privacy or a concern to anyone.

When a QI or QV (I think that's what they are called) was requested, yes, you heard the details, but what good would that do me? A big fat zero. It's not like they were giving out combinations to vaults or anything like that.

And with police going digital, this will soon be near/impossible to listen in on.

I have a Motorola UHF in my car that has 20 channels I can program manually. I have about 8 or 9 police channels in. I can hear, but can not transmit on them. I hardly have this unit on nowadays as I listen to the AM radio instead or a music CD.

[ozgig]

Being an ex Radio operator for NSW Police "Farce" I will attempt to answer your question Kadee.

When a person contacts Radio or Triple Zero, they are asked if they want to speak to Police. If they say no - the call is marked with "Information Does Not Wish To See Police". THis means their details are not broadcast on the radio. If there is a arequest for Police to contact the informant, then either "Contact Informant" or "See Informant" are put on the job and the details are broadcast. If there is nothing placed on the job - it will be broadcast if the Officer requests the details.

Hope this helps?


As to the Digital/Analogue question.

NSW Police has installed Digital encripted radio in the areas between Newcastle to Mitagong and out to (I think from memory) Katoomba. All other areas of NSW are analogue because it would cost almost 1 billion dollars to install ot the entire state - and we all know that the NSW Government has absolutly no hope in hell of ever having that much money!!!

[leroyslimer]

VicPol are now digitally encrypted. Can't get decent handguns but can spend that money on an encrypted digital radio system. Ambo's and firey's are still mostly analogue as well as aircraft control towers, CFA, etc.