Wireless Privacy Enhancement Act of 1997 may affect scanner use
H.R. 2369, the Wireless Privacy Enhancement Act of 1997, introduced by Rep. W. J. “Billy” Tauzin (LA), may significantly affect the way volunteer firefighters have been receiving information about local emergencies, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) recently warned.
The objective of the measure is to strengthen and clarify [prohibitions] on electronic eavesdropping. But, the NVFC points out, “it goes beyond this purpose and would effectively shut down the scanner industry and potentially make felons out of anyone who uses a scanner or shortwave radio. Many volunteer emergency response personnel rely on scanners for information on how to respond–for example, whether to respond to the station or the incident scene (they can hear whether the apparatus has left the station). In many cases, banning scanners would leave many volunteers without communications or force them to buy expensive nonscanning radios, which would not perform as well.”
H.R. 2369 would require that many frequencies now used by public safety agencies be filtered–which, the NVFC says, “would result in a de facto ban on the use of scanners.” Competition for frequency spectrum allocations has forced many public safety agencies to operate outside the public safety ban allocations, into other commercial frequency pools. The situation is very prevalent in the 800 MHz bands as well as other frequency spectrums, which the legislation targets.
The NVFC maintains that “manufacturers would not be able to make scanners that filter all the frequencies the legislation encompasses and still provide the typical scanner purchaser with a useful product.” In addition, the Council says, even if such filtering could be technically accomplished, many scanner users may not be able to afford “such a revised and costly product.”
For additional information, contact the NVFC at (1-888) ASK-NVFC (275-6832).
