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This mysterious voice recorder - laws in VA

627PCFan

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2011
Messages
27
Location
Sterling ,VA
So I' m new to carry overall, and I'm in VA. Whats with everyone carrying voice recorders? What are the legalities?

I'm curious because of the event in the news where the woman was recording a arrest from private property and was told to stop, she didn't and was arrested (and cleared) I'm curious if you were told to stop recording by a cop who didn't want to play nice, how that could go down.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
As long as you're a party to or have the permission of a party to the conversation, it's legal in Va.
This is a one party consent state.
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
Carry a recorder and let it record everything constantly. You don't want to be fumbling to record a LEO or whatever situation may arise. If someone starts talking to you, you're a party so recording is A-OK!
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
What's with voice recorders? They eliminate the he said/she said-edness of things - whether it be an encounter with the local enforcer of the laws or your mother-in-law. The strategic employment of the recorded material may keep you out of the doghouse by proving what and how they said things. Also, as more and more of them (cops and mothers-in-law) become aware of your/our habit of running the things there might be a tendency to not do stuff that could cause embarassment when the recording is played back.

There are enough models that are shirt-pocket size or even smaller that have run times in excess of 24 hours on fresh batteries (bows to the gods of rechargable lithium ion AAA cells) and also provide excellent pick-up even when recording through your shirt.

Which reminds me - from experience: if your recorder has a good microphone and you are wearing it on a lanyard, make sure the mike is either above or below your heart unless you want to hear a constant thumping in the background.

stay safe.
 

Glockster

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2010
Messages
786
Location
Houston
What kind of recorder do you use? And where do you put it when you're wearing t-shirts (no pockets) in the summer?
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Olympus 6200-PC (now discontinued) on a lanyard under the shirt and turned on when I step outside (which of course means I am armed). Often goes around my neck while I am inside the house if stuff happening outside sounds "sporty" (yes, others say the neighborhood I live in is "not the best").

Backup is a Sony ICD-B600 (also discontinued) on a separate lanyard. It is bulkier so most often stays outside the shirt. Also a good way to let them grab one while not showing the other. (One is none and two is one applies to many things. ;>) ). This one also has a strip of material glued to the back of the battery door to make it friction-fit into a double-stack mag holder when I do not want it around my neck. If in the mag holder it goes where my mags are not so I do not try, under stress, to load it.

stay safe.
 

Glockster

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2010
Messages
786
Location
Houston
Is this the same Olympus 6200PC that you're talking about?
http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Digital-Voice-Recorder-6200PC/dp/B002DSHMA8

Olympus 6200-PC (now discontinued) on a lanyard under the shirt and turned on when I step outside (which of course means I am armed). Often goes around my neck while I am inside the house if stuff happening outside sounds "sporty" (yes, others say the neighborhood I live in is "not the best").

Backup is a Sony ICD-B600 (also discontinued) on a separate lanyard. It is bulkier so most often stays outside the shirt. Also a good way to let them grab one while not showing the other. (One is none and two is one applies to many things. ;>) ). This one also has a strip of material glued to the back of the battery door to make it friction-fit into a double-stack mag holder when I do not want it around my neck. If in the mag holder it goes where my mags are not so I do not try, under stress, to load it.

stay safe.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Good information. What kind of battery life are people getting?

I'm getting at least two days of being out & about, recording about 10 hours a day of the 70+ the LCD screen says I have available when I start with freshly recharged batteries and zero recordings. At the end of the day if there is nothing to save it all gets erased.

I keep a pair of spares in my pocket or carry-all for each recorder in case I get a low-battery signal. Inexpensive Nickle-Metal hydride 700 Ma rechargables that take about 2 hours to recharge and which get reconditioned/refreshed about every 3 months.

stay safe.
 
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