'Pirate' infiltrates Queensland police radio network

[Vkfour]

And this, gentlemen, and possibly ladies, is why we should condemn and not laud the actions of idiots like this who openly boast about their illegal exploits on this, and other forums. This article appeared in the Courier Mail and will be seen all over Queensland and anyone with a radio may now find themselves in an unenvidious situation and subject to suspicion from the great unwashed population who don't know the difference between a CB, and amateur transceiver, a scanner and say, a banana! Yes, I know that the comms centre should have picked it up, but they didn't, and it should be noted that they shouldn't have had to. They shouldn't have because this moron, this fool, this absolute d*** head did what he did. And because he did what he did, we can all expect the possibility of imports drying up or having to answer questions we shouldn't have to answer. I personally am taking the step of having my licence copied, certified and carrying it with me.

[chanjyj]

I personally am taking the step of having my licence copied, certified and carrying it with me.

Are the police that draconian in Australia?

[rochedalescan]

Unfortunately when you provide a forum like this for the hobbyists with all the best intentions those few that want to do the wrong thing will also use information on forums etc to their advantage. There is no way to filter those that are doing the right and wrong things and as written in that article radio equipment is so easy to source now they will never get on top of it unless they implement the encryption everywhere.

It is a shame and its people like those that give us a bad name and push those agencies to make their airwaves more secure, which is highly understandable.....

[brisescannerdude]

Yeah - it has been 12 months or so since the last of of these stories surficed in Logan.

I'm surprised there was nothing said about the GRN will fix this!

I think the cops should be a little more afraid of chineese hackers taking to there digital network in brisbane and using faults in the p25 protocols and short commings of motorola technologies to cause issues when they get around to building there trunked network.

[SteveO]

People stupid enough to do the wrong thing will get caught.

[Vkfour]

All police officers, irrespective of their jurisdiction, have a right to seize anything which they believe to be contrary to the law. All police officers, in Queensland at least, are deputised radio inspectors. This sort of thing has been known to happen in Logan, Bundaberg and now on the Sunshine Coast. Whilst a police officer may seize communications equipment, the Radio Communications Act is Federal Law and this necessitates setting up a special Federal Magistrates Court using the local magistrate, assuming there is no existing Federal Magistrates' Court.

This is a lot of time, effort and cost. However, seeing as this has happened a few times now, we may expect some police officers to be a little more interested in radios. I would hazzard a guess that police officers, like the general population, couldn't tell a hand held radio from a ham burger, or any other radio from a TV dinner! In the case of legitimate equipment, it shouldn't have to go this far to get it back, but I would rather not have to jump through hoops. I am not as sleek and as fit as I used to be!!!

The fact that these mono browed, knuckle dragging Neanderthals, and I am talking about those that deliberately break the various laws, or those who won't take advice, are getting caught, or will be caught, is of small comfort, (included in this description or those who cheer these malodorous malignant morons on). The fact that they have done it is enough for the great unwashed public, (those ignorant of the radio hobbies and interests), to tar us all with the same brush, and I don't know about you, but I don't like that!

[chanjyj]

All police officers, irrespective of their jurisdiction, have a right to seize anything which they believe to be contrary to the law. All police officers, in Queensland at least, are deputised radio inspectors. This sort of thing has been known to happen in Logan, Bundaberg and now on the Sunshine Coast. Whilst a police officer may seize communications equipment, the Radio Communications Act is Federal Law and this necessitates setting up a special Federal Magistrates Court using the local magistrate, assuming there is no existing Federal Magistrates' Court.

This is a lot of time, effort and cost. However, seeing as this has happened a few times now, we may expect some police officers to be a little more interested in radios. I would hazzard a guess that police officers, like the general population, couldn't tell a hand held radio from a ham burger, or any other radio from a TV dinner! In the case of legitimate equipment, it shouldn't have to go this far to get it back, but I would rather not have to jump through hoops. I am not as sleek and as fit as I used to be!!!

The fact that these mono browed, knuckle dragging Neanderthals, and I am talking about those that deliberately break the various laws, or those who won't take advice, are getting caught, or will be caught, is of small comfort, (included in this description or those who cheer these malodorous malignant morons on). The fact that they have done it is enough for the great unwashed public, (those ignorant of the radio hobbies and interests), to tar us all with the same brush, and I don't know about you, but I don't like that!

You have just managed to freak me out.

As a former LE officer the privileges were pretty much the same, but it was never employed in reality. We have better things to do. Damnit, having to carry a piece of paper around like a bloody passport..

Maybe it's time for me to seriously go into HF and forget my fascination with the higher frequencies. All said and done though, I wonder if a HF antenna set up in the Botanic gardens will freak out people even more than when they see my radio on my belt..

73
9V1CJ

[Vkfour]

Under normal circumstances, the police wouldn't give half a Subway sandwich, and in fact, probably don't know that they can seize these things, let alone are deputised as radio inspectors, and thus my comments are an extreme example. However, because morons will be morons and because the media publish whatever will sell advertising and because the public will believe them and because the police frequencies have been invaded, we can expect some of them to be a little more curious about people with radios.

Whilst my comments were towards the extreme end of the spectrum, but not impossible, it is possible that if the morons keep interfering with emergency services, and other commercial users, and whilst they keep modifying equipment away from compliance and to do things they shouldn't, that the authorities will start coming down heavily. And when that happens gentlemen, it will be you and I who suffer the most.

Whacking great tarrifs could be imposed. Private imports of equipment banned. Ownership of radios covering certain frequencies banned unless licenced. The piece of equipment registered as well as the user. These sorts of things already happen in some European countries, so why not here?! (When CB was first legalised in Australia, the licenced user was allowed to use only the piece of equipment with the right serial number that had been registered).

Lastly, the public can be paranoid about antennas. Set up a HF antenna in the City Gardens and peole will start to hear voices coming out of their toasters!

[chanjyj]

That was what I was planning to do unfortunately. My QTH is smack in the middle of the city and I can't get a damned thing in or out (short of FM radio!). The gardens are a short walk away and looking at the geography it looked tempting as an alternate location..

I was thinking a vertical antenna, since I dislike wire antennas, but even then I had my reservations. Heck, one lady asked before if my DMR Motorola was connected to a satellite. In retrospect I guess it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that, since you could hear South Africa to CONUS on it.