Another Fair Warning

[imported_Tom Aiello]

I suspect that NPS personnel monitor radio transmissions from civilian radios (like the Motorola Talkabouts we all know and love).

I recommend finding an alternate, or encrypted, method of communication in NPS land.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@mac.com

[E Raist]

That's the problem with anything unencrypted, it's freely available to anyone who is looking for it. And evidence does lead to the rightful suspicion that the NPS does scan radio traffic.

I own a pair of Audiovox radios with built in hardware encryption. The problem with this setup is that the radios must be bought in pairs by the same manufacturer. I haven't tested buying two sets of pairs (4 radios total) and seeing if they can talk to each other. Has anyone else tried this?

[Neil UK]

Just a thought, we use US Motorola's in Europe as most jumpers seem to have them and they are not compatible with UK radios. So would using the UK PMR type radio help you guys?

Tech details here:

http://www.transmission1.net/pmr446/pmr446_intro.html

Be safe

Neil

[d-dog]

A (perhaps less than ideal) alternative is to resort to rudimentary content ciphers. For example, if the team were jumping in one area of NPS land, it could be agreed in advance that all referrals to that area in radio conversations would be made by using a different area name. Thus, "I'm at the top of X" would actually mean "I am at the top of Y." Someone monitoring radio traffic who didn't have the "cipher" that decodes what means what would be left running in circles.

By extension, disinformation could also be spread. If we agreed that any sentence starting with "it sure is cold. . . " was disinformation, we could say on the radio things like "it sure is cold and we are now headed for {insert inconvenient backcountry landing area} to have a barbeque under the moonlight complete with lots of drugs and prostitutes." Off goes Smokey to bust the BBQ, while the real action takes place someplace else.

Sometimes, disinformation can be more powerful than no leakage of information at all.

Peace,

D-d0g
ddog@wrinko.com
www.wrinko.com

[Slick]

I just use the Motorola sabre radio issued to me by the FED's.
You can not beat the encryption........
Slick-out...............:+

[Jim C]

Quick Question,

Are GMRS or other FCC regulated radios that you need a permit to operate traceable back to the owner?

[guest]

The easiest answer to all this seems to me that if yer gonna jump in NPS terrirtory you should just have a fricken scanner! Talk in code and carry a scanner! Then the bastards will never have any head start on us. Oh yea, and guns to kill those sons of bitches if we feel like it.

[imported_Tom Aiello]

Scanners are good, if you don't get caught.

Using a scanner in the comission of any crime, even a misdemeanor (like Illegal Aerial Delivery) is a felony. So, if you're caught with a scanner after a jump, you're looking at one misdemeanor charge for IAD (nice acronym, isn't it?), and one felony charge for using the scanner.

I'll pass on the scanner, thanks.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@mac.com

[Mike]

"Using a scanner in the comission of any crime...is a felony."

That smells like classic california legislation to me...Or is it a federal regulation?

What's next? 2-way radios for sure. Then pocket knives and multi-tools, especially the "urban-assault" leatherman types (truly deadly weapons), then cigarette lighters (an extra 20 year sentence if it's not child-proof).

I guess I better shut up.

[imported_Tom Aiello]

>That smells like classic california legislation
>to me...Or is it a federal regulation?

California. I don't know if other states have similar laws or not.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@mac.com

[Tree]

I believe that this type of law is fairly universal. If you use a scanner just make darn good and sure that you don't get caught (with it).

Tree :D