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From: ins_atge@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Thomas G Edwards)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Detecting Radar Detectors
Summary: Radar Detector Detectors and ECPA!
Message-ID: <6112@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU>
Date: 15 Aug 90 19:41:06 GMT
References: <90081322451269@masnet.uucp>
Reply-To: ins_atge@jhunix.UUCP (Thomas G Edwards)
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
Lines: 27

In article <90081322451269@masnet.uucp> alex.szkabarnicki@f910.n250.z1.fidonet.org (alex szkabarnicki) writes:
>vv said => Of course, under the evil ECPA of '86 maybe the LOs
>vv said => of police radios are
>vv said => illegal to recieve...
>vv said => Anybody know anything real?
> Well I (thought) a radar detector IS a radio receiver. Since it is a radio 
>receiver, why should there be a restriction on a receiver? Is this not an 
>infringement on our FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

I think there should not be, but many others do, but it isn't an
infringement on FREEDOM OF SPEECH, but it is more a matter of
Right of Privacy, a less well specified right which many people 
believe they have (I think we should, be it in the Constitution or not).
The question is that does the government have the right to make a law
which can only be enforced by comming into your house and checking
up on your receievers when just listening typically does not effect
anyone.  Also, how can the government limit measurement of RF energy which
you are being exposed to?  This must be balanced with the need for
private communications (a serious economic issue).  Personally,
I think the ECPA is not good, and that those who use the "public"
airwaves must encrypt confidential communications.

However, are Police breaking the ECPA law by listening for
Radar Detector Local Oscillators???????????
(Or do law-enforcement types not need to follow it?)

-Tom