[FedCom] Re: Follow-Up: Monitoring Status

[Arthur-Bryan E. Phelps]

OK, Chill.  I am not a doom and gloomer. 

-----Original Message-----
From: fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:fedcom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Chris Parris
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 2:33 PM
To: Discussion of Federal Government Communications
Subject: [FedCom] Re: Follow-Up: Monitoring Status

>>>
I merely gave an observation. 
<<<

And I noted some pessimism in your observation and wanted to try an
encourage those who might be new to this...

>>>
The statement "the tide is turning" was made said to me by a DEA agent.  I
don't know how broad-based his comment is.  
<<<

And not to dismiss his statement completely, but one only needs to look back
at the history of our little hobby to see that every new step in technology
was going to end it all for scanner listeners. I still recall the doom and
gloomers wailing about trunking finishing off the scanner business, but here
we are today with digital trunk tracking scanners readily available. Another
thing to remember is that federal agencies have had the technology for years
to prevent us from listening. They could have gone all full-time DES
encrypted twenty years ago, but many have not done so, and even those with
the capability often don't use it. 

There's an old saying in this monitoring hobby - If they don't want you to
hear them, you won't. They know that there are people out there listening
and they usually take appropriate steps to keep the sensitive stuff off the
air. But the interesting part of monitoring is catching them when they
don't!

- Chris
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