Anyone else here a Ham (amateur radio ) operator and carry ?

Just wondering what kind of charges the JBT's in Marshfield could come up with . . . I'm the President of the local Ham club and constantly have a handheld two-way on my hip . I'm wondering if there could be an "impersonation" charge if I'm carrying a weapon and a radio . ( The 2-way would , obviously NOT be tuned to any public service frequency during this time .)


Questions , comments ?

The_Pennsylvanian said:

Just wondering what kind of charges the JBT's in Marshfield could come up with . . . I'm the President of the local Ham club and constantly have a handheld two-way on my hip . I'm wondering if there could be an "impersonation" charge if I'm carrying a weapon and a radio . ( The 2-way would , obviously NOT be tuned to any public service frequency during this time .)


Questions , comments ?

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Just carry your Amateur Radio License with you. If the "JBT" ask about your radio, you can explain and show your license. I believe we are required to have our (radio) license on us, if operating a Ham radio anyway.






Yes, this is only my second post. I have been lurking here for years.

Wisconsin Carry Member.

Ex-WB6AAZ, high school 1966. Quit when the code requirement went away. War surplus tube Collins California-kilowatt/Drake 2B.

Not Very Active....

Extra class. Current work / family demands don't really allow time for it now. I used to carry a portable with me all the time. Now I do it only when severe WX is expected.

I was once pulled over (years ago) for 'suspicion of impersonating an officer' when I was a mile or two from AES (milwaukee) on my way to the store there. The local officer said that they had been having problems with 'someone pulling people over and giving warnings'. Since I had all sorts of antenne, I was 'suspicious'. Never mind the Amatuer Radio plates and the Toyota truck (looks kinda like a Crown Vic ). Must have been a new guy that didn't realize that one of the largest ham stores is located in Milwaukee.

My current LEO (local and Fed) friends are of the attitude that if 'it' (whatever the activity is) isn't really causing a problem and it can be resolved without further action, then leave it alone. Save everyone the hassle and the paperwork if it isn't really nessasary. They actually believe, as I do, that if it can be resolved with only some stong encouragement on their part, we can all walk away with the problem solved.

I have no desire to be mistaken for LE. Its a very difficult job that I would not be very good at:shocker:. I would'nt make it 1/2 mile from the station before i'd have to return for more ticket books and to drop off prisoners. No tolerance for :cuss:idiots, as is required by someone in that occupation. Way too much patience needed.

There will be times that I have both a firearm and a radio on me. So be it. I will have both 'permits' on me.

Don't even get me started on the same Amatuer plates on more than one vehicle. That one has been a real interesting issue with LE:banghead:. Sorry about digressing from the topic.

Preferred Customer said:

Just carry your Amateur Radio License with you. If the "JBT" ask about your radio, you can explain and show your license. I believe we are required to have our (radio) license on us, if operating a Ham radio anyway.

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We are not required to have our HAM license on us in WI.

protias said:

We are not required to have our HAM license on us in WI.

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It's a federal issue, not state.

I checked and no, you don't have to have your document on you to operate.

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=about_1&id=amateur

Preferred Customer said:

It's a federal issue, not state.

I checked and no, you don't have to have your document on you to operate.

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=about_1&id=amateur

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Are there any states that do require you to have it? I could have sworn NY did (I'm sure there are others).

That's pretty much what I was figuring , anyway . I DO keep the mini copy of my ticket in my wallet , so it really isn't much of an issue , I was just glad to see the rest of ya share the inclination I have .

Thanks for the input . General class , after I upgrade to Extra I'll change the call to something with a 3 , maybe. Kinda like my first call .

73 !

Just an FYI, I wouldn't post my call sign here. I think you know why.

The is only one place that has my call sign, and it on that one forum that requires you to use your call sign as your login (I think you can figure it out).

Yeah , Protias , I thought hard about that before I clicked "ENTER" key , but then realized between my profile on "who's calling me? " , and the one on Plowsite.com , that I've already put the info out there. Still , I think I will ediut it , even though this IS the internet , and that stuff's there foreve:banghead:r now.

protias said:

Are there any states that do require you to have it? I could have sworn NY did (I'm sure there are others).

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If memory serves, there are a few states that require it; if you posess a receiver capable of receiving any law enforcement frequencies in a moving vehicle. Which most ham radios do. I think KY was strict about this a few years back. So I always have mine, just in case. Wisconsin does not have this requirement.

And,... I would not put my callsign out here either.:uhoh:

Links to check

Try these, info at your own risk:

http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/scanner5.html

http://www.fordyce.org/scanning/scanning_info/scanlaws.htm

So, IN says you can carry at 18, but don't ever have a scanner in your car:banghead:. KY can destroy your radio too. Hhmmff.

Helorob said:

Try these, info at your own risk:

http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/scanner5.html

http://www.fordyce.org/scanning/scanning_info/scanlaws.htm

So, IN says you can carry at 18, but don't ever have a scanner in your car:banghead:. KY can destroy your radio too. Hhmmff.

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A friend of mine was travelling through the South and had a KY Trooper stop him , he heard the scanner , seized it , and proceeded to flatten it with the front tire of his Caprice ( yes, this was QUITE a few years ago .)
My buddy went back later and collected the pieces to show us when he got home.

General class ham here also ... as for the radio, I was OCing and had a confrontation with a local LEO who mentioned that when i was aked aobut the side arm and how his wife thought i might be a LEO that she didnt know... I always have my ht on me, or at least close...

protias said:

Just an FYI, I wouldn't post my call sign here. I think you know why.

The is only one place that has my call sign, and it on that one forum that requires you to use your call sign as your login (I think you can figure it out).

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This.

Also, a gun and radio does not a police officer make. Anyone that wants either can have one

If someone mistakes someone with a gun and a radio for a cop, that's their problem. We've seen plenty of stories of people getting mistaken for a cop with just an open carried handgun. Now adding on that ridiculous license holder to your belt isn't going to do you any favors. IMO, even without a radio those make you look like you're trying to look like a cop.

SovereignAxe said:

This.

Also, a gun and radio does not a police officer make. Anyone that wants either can have one

If someone mistakes someone with a gun and a radio for a cop, that's their problem. We've seen plenty of stories of people getting mistaken for a cop with just an open carried handgun. Now adding on that ridiculous license holder to your belt isn't going to do you any favors. IMO, even without a radio those make you look like you're trying to look like a cop.

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I had 3 state troopers and 3 county deputies try and say I was impersonating them. Let's just say I'm glad WCI was around to help for that.

protias said:

I had 3 state troopers and 3 county deputies try and say I was impersonating them. Let's just say I'm glad WCI was around to help for that.

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I think there's some interesting psychology to go along with that that someone with a background in could explain more.

But it reminds me. I work in a hospital switchboard office and we have a handheld UHF radio we use to communicate with hospital security. We've got a guy that used to be a firefighter that works in our office and if he's on the shift, you better believe that the radio is going to be with him. And whenever we change policy that reduces our need to radio security (which we have recently), he's not happy about it.

Also, my fiancee's father is a police officer, and I don't know if it's something she picked up through association, but she has this thing about black semi-auto pistols, and that they feel like something police (her dad) wears (he carries a Glock), and something she shouldn't mess with. It's probably something instilled in her from when she was a kid. So I definitely think that the police feel like the gun and the radio is something that belongs to them, and that anyone else that's holding one (and definitely both) and doesn't have a badge is a threat to their authority.

I doubt many would admit that, including to themselves, but actions speak louder than words, and the actions we've seen would definitely point in that direction.

It is on my list!

The_Pennsylvanian said:

Just wondering what kind of charges the JBT's in Marshfield could come up with . . . I'm the President of the local Ham club and constantly have a handheld two-way on my hip . I'm wondering if there could be an "impersonation" charge if I'm carrying a weapon and a radio . ( The 2-way would , obviously NOT be tuned to any public service frequency during this time .)


Questions , comments ?

Click to expand...

I have been wanting to get a HAM license for decades...

Now is the time to do it, I guess.

Extra class here.

I went the long route Novice 1 year, tech 2 years, general 1 year, advanced for several years and Extra for the last 25 or so. But inactive for most of the last 10 years.

ccwinstructor said:

I have been wanting to get a HAM license for decades...

Now is the time to do it, I guess.

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Getting your Technician's license is pretty easy. There is no CW (Morse code) requirement anymore.