picking locks

[Lyle Bickley]

While the Federal Communications Act permit the reception of radio signals by 
scanners, shortwave radios, etc. - there are exceptions to that privilege in 
both federal and state laws.  They typically fall into the following 
categories:

It is illegal to listen in on cellular and cordless phone calls.

It is illegal to intercept encrypted or scrambled communications.

It is illegal for scanner manufacturers to sell or import radio scanners that 
are capable of receiving cellular phone frequencies. (Note: This rule does 
not apply to sales by individuals and radio scanners made before 1985).

It is illegal to modify radio scanners so that cellular phone frequencies can 
be received.

It is illegal to use information you hear for personal gain. A common example 
is where a taxi driver listens to a competitor's dispatch channel for fare 
pick-ups and then races over and picks-up the fares.

It is illegal to use information you hear to aid in the commission of a crime.

It is illegal to disclose information you hear to other persons.

If you're really curious, here's a URL summarizing the laws on the subject 
matter:

http://www.panix.com/~clay/scanning/rules.shtml

Lyle
KF6ZGI

On Friday 04 March 2005 23:03, Eric Smith wrote:
> Chris wrote:
> > Last I knew, lock pick sets were illegal to own in NJ unless you are
> > someone that has a "legal" use for one. Of course, since legal use isn't
> > really defined, it leaves it pretty wide open.
>
> I own more than one hundred locks, and sometimes I can't find the key to
> open one.  In some cases, I purchase equipment with locks but no keys.
> So I think I have an entirely legitimate use for lock picks.  Whether a
> court would agree is an open question.
>
> > (It is also illegal to have a police scanner in your car,
>
> Contradicted by the Communications Act of 1934, which being Federal
> law should override it.
>
> > as well as carry a center punch...
>
> Now I'm baffled.  I can see reasons for banning lock picks and police
> scanners, even though I vehemently disagree with those reasons.  But
> why on earth should center punches be illegal?  I don't carry one
> routinely, but if I'm going somewhere that I expect to need one,
> I carry it.
>
> For that matter, I routinely have a bolt cutter in my car, and I suppose
> an overzealous police officer might try to contrue that as a burglar
> tool, but I can cite multiple occasions when I've had a legitimate use
> for it.
>
> Eric

-- 
Lyle Bickley
Bickley Consulting West Inc.
http://bickleywest.com
"Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"