Uniden does it again...

[fourstringburn]

There were/are states where scanners usage is illegal. This is a being marketed and sold as a CB radio but can receive scanner freqs. I can receive many of those same frequencies on my Icom 7000, would that make any HF radio illegal?

The only mod I can't do is to make it receive on cell phone frequencies. I can listen anywhere else but can only transmit within the class of my license.

As long as the FCC certifies this radio as a legal CB, I wouldn't worry about the scanner legalities where applicable. Besides, this radio is cleverly disguising that it's a scanner too.

These aren't for sale yet in the US so let's wait and see.

 

[fourstringburn]

After doing a little research I found the few states where scanners are still illegal.

After reading the laws in those states, they all make exceptions for valid amateur license holders. None of the statutes mentioned about if it applied to using HF radios and/or scanner radios, it just gives the exception.

Another reason to get your Amateur license 222DBFL because Florida is a restricted scanner usage state.


Here is the webpage link which has links for each states actual rulings.


https://www.zipscanners.com/resources/are-police-scanners-legal/#.WOqUnhlMHqA

 

[222DBFL]

I hear you loud and clear fourstringburn!!! I need to get my arse in gear. Lots going on at the moment. Not much time for radio at the moment. Taking care of my father that has Alzheimer's. Takes up most of my non working time. But hey I wouldn't want it any other way!! He raised me for all these years. And hopefully my kids do the same for me when I am older.
At any rate, I am still looking forward to getting my ticket. I have been listening to the amateur bands a lot lately as 11m is dead. But there are several armature bands that have been very active here in FL. With that said, I will one day have my license and will be hopefully talking with some of you gents. Until then,I just listen!!

 

[BBB]

That's a phone jack so you can plug in your land-line to call Uniden to find out where to send the radio for service, since no one on planet Earth is going to know how to fix the radio when something go's wrong...

Ah yes, the customer no-service port...

 

[StrangeBrew]

....

Here is the webpage link which has links for each states actual rulings.

https://www.zipscanners.com/resources/are-police-scanners-legal/#.WOqUnhlMHqA

Seems it's illegal to commit a crime in my state while using a scanner, I better leave mine at home next time I rob a bank so I don't get in trouble.


PS: Isn't there something on the FCC/Federal level that exempts ham transceivers from scanner laws?

 

[fourstringburn]

PS: Isn't there something on the FCC/Federal level that exempts ham transceivers from scanner laws

From what I now read the ARRL addressed to the FCC on this years ago since many VHF/UHF can receive scanner frequencies. Amateur radio's themselves are exempt from scanner laws and don't apply if the user has a valid Amateur license. Otherwise, if it could be proven a non licensed operator used it as a scanner, then the laws could apply.

An officer would have to prove you were using it on scanner frequencies and that we be nearly impossible.

This Uniden is being marketed as having full scanning capability with trunking and that could pose a problem in restricted states. It is a full fledged scanner and not just a radio that happens to receive on scanner frequencies.

The FCC still has to approve this radio for sale in the US so let's see what happens.

I actually want one of these!

 

[fourstringburn]

I'll let you guy's interpret what this says...



06/14/2016

An FCC Enforcement Advisory released in late May seems to state the obvious: All FCC-authorized equipment must be used in compliance with laws and rules, and that people or businesses violating federal law or FCC rules are subject to enforcement action. A closer look, however, suggests that the prominently emblazoned advisory is aimed at illegal “off-label use” of radio transmitting devices. Before such equipment may be used, manufactured, sold, marketed, or imported into the US, the FCC generally requires that it first receive a grant of equipment authorization, demonstrating that it meets congressionally mandated Commission technical standards, which include requirements to minimize a device’s potential to cause harmful interference.



“This equipment ranges from small devices like your smartphone and WiFi-enabled thermostat to powerful transmitters used by broadcasters and wireless carriers,” the FCC advisory explained. This also can include such Amateur Radio equipment as linear amplifiers, and transceivers with scanning receivers; most ham radio equipment does not require a grant of authorization for use in accordance with Part 97 regulations.



“Even if a device has an authorization, however, it may not be used indiscriminately,” the advisory continued. “Authorized equipment must be used in a manner that complies with federal law and the Commission’s rules.” This does not apply to devices and systems the government uses on its own frequencies, the advisory pointed out.



“For licensed services, authorized equipment also must be used in a manner that complies with the terms of the license,” the Commission said. “Federal law prohibits the use of any authorized equipment in a manner that is inconsistent with the terms of its equipment authorization or that is in violation of the Communications Act or the Commission’s rules.” The FCC said an equipment authorization only signifies that a device meets FCC technical standards; it is not an authorization to use a device in any possible way.”

 

[Onelasttime]

Yes but what police departments today fail to encrypt their digital radio signals? Even drug dealers encrypt their radio traffic and most of them also have the ability to decrypt said traffic! First they went to Motorola PTT systems in big cities but than shortly after that they all built their own digital systems.

I am just wondering who other than Rosco P Coltrane is using open rf traffic. I am sure the Government has given grants to everyone with a badge and a stamp to go to such system.

It is a good idea too bad they did not do that 20+ years ago when it would have made great sense?!?!?

 

[space cowboy]

There's a lot around here that isn't encrypted.


I have a phase 2 scanner that is setup like this cb and there's a lot of extra stuff you get to listen to if you don't clear out some frequencies. college security guards, metropark employees, and others that I haven't identified... and lots of dead air with channels that aren't hardly used. so if there's no programming options there'll be a lot of useless scanning.

I'm curious about the price. Last time I looked phase 2 scanners were still in the 350$ range.

 

[Tallman]

In Shelby County Kentucky one of the Law Enforcement groups have a repeater with the local ham club. You can talk directly to Law Enforcement on the Two Meter band.
147.000 + 173.8 Shelbyville, KY KE4LR; Stubblefield Repeater Club; Direct access to law enforcement.

 

[Rick330man]

"Federal pre-emption" means federal law will control over any conflicting state law. If a state law is going to conflict with what the FCC allows via its regulations, you'd expect the state law to have to take a back seat. I'd be real curious to see a history or a few examples of how any state law vs. FCC regulation(s) battles have resulted in the courts.

 

[space cowboy]

In Shelby County Kentucky one of the Law Enforcement groups have a repeater with the local ham club. You can talk directly to Law Enforcement on the Two Meter band.
147.000 + 173.8 Shelbyville, KY KE4LR; Stubblefield Repeater Club; Direct access to law enforcement.

I'm impressed a uniden CB will do that.

 

[n8fgb]

I'm impressed a uniden CB will do that.

Yes, you will need to go through a crossband repeater, from 11 to 2 meter. Then you can access the 2 meter repeater the PD use.Simple, even a caveman can do it. LOL
Rich

 

[Onelasttime]

No because a cave man is not licensed so a CB'er can not legally use a 2m repeater. 2m is not CB!

Here goes a novel id....How about Uniden just build a really good CB one that is AM only and one that is AM/SSB. If they want it to sell it has to be modifiable even if it means swapping out a pll or installing an additional board etc. It does not need to be easy just do-able! If they make it completely unmodifiable especially the display than it will not sell well and people will keep buying black box aka rice box radio's. I do not buy CB's to modify them so it does not affect me but it seems to be the kiss of death in the CB world especially if you want a global product.

I would like an SSB FCC accepted CB that is at least as good as the old Uniden Grant XL Cobra 148 GTL. It would be nice if it was actually better.... better receive, better rejection, better fidelity, less white noise, selectable notch filters especially on SSB! Maybe DSP for the audio output, maybe built in adjustable compression and expansion or built in EQ??? A lot of this stuff is not that expensive if designed in from the beginning a lot of it can be handled with code not with additional hard ware. It could also be done as an optional board that you install that is menu selectable once installed.

Phase 2 scanners are expensive because scanners have always been expensive and the market is really small for them today. It is kind of like name brand high end metal detectors the components parts and materials used to make them are not at all expensive. The market is expensive because it has always been fairly expensive and because it is small. Generally the market for hi-end metal detectors is old fat gays with plenty of money and free time on their hands which drives up the price. They are sold primary through a small dealer network which again keeps the prices artificially high.

You always charge what the market will bear. The CB market will not pay $250 or $350 for phase 2 scanning ability + 40ch CB. If it is a 40ch only CB from Uniden it will not sell for more than $120 retail or it will not sell. More than likely more like $89. I doubt a lot of people want to listen to Campus Security or Park staff and the like. Maybe there is a market for listening to EMS and Fire Department but I do not see it.

They are dong it because it is cheap and easy to do it has been done before by companies like Royce, SBE, Hygain and other's long ago. Having UHF/VHF receive in a CB was done a lot. I do not think any of those models ever sold fantastically which is why many of them are so rare today.

The things that I really want and that people would really value after the unit has been in the hands of people for a while and built a reputation are all fairly expensive to add to a radio compare to adding a scanner. The things I want have to either be designed in and done in mass to get cost down or you have to plan for expansion latter on and build in the ability to add boards that can be controlled from the display menu latter on. Generally though if not built in often those expansion boards either never make it to market or fade from the market quickly. We have seen this in Amateur arena over and over again.

People pay insane amounts for radio's with the Pll 02A and uPd858 to this day. People will also pay big $$ for vintage unmolested SSB radio like the 148 and 2000. The key is "unmolested". The only reason the price is falling is because spare parts for the display, bezel and the control parts are drying up so if it not pristine a lot of people do not want them now. Soon people will be taking the boards and building hi-end custom bases with them to get around the lack of bezels and OEM style pot's!

Even a cheap Radio Shack clone of the Uniden PCC122 in working condition will outperform a Uniden Bearcat 980 and anything better than a Uniden PC122 will kick the death in on a Uniden Bearcat980. I have a Palamor SSB500 that is bone stock from the 1980's NOS I bought for $49 off ebay that crushes it. Even if you pay someone to modify a Bearcat 980 it can not compete. My Uniden Grant LT NIB $79 again Ebay will likewise kick it's teeth in!

If you want to play the game you have to come to win or go home. Uniden is just phoning in it's products. They might as well give up and just let Ranger, Galaxy, Connex have the market if they are not going to play to win. Same thing goes for Cobra! They crap they keep peddling is embarrassing to the brand's reputation. That latest Cobra 29 is a piece of junk! They do not have a single design worth owning!

 

[Clodhopper]

Toss all the manufacturers to the side, and get yourself a Stryker