Radio Shack 20-163 Scanner User Manual


 
48
Scanning Legally
Your scanner covers frequencies used by many different groups
including police and re departments, ambulance services,
government agencies, private companies, amateur radio services,
military operations, pager services, and wireline (telephone and
telegraph) service providers. It is legal to listen to almost every
transmission your scanner can receive. However, there are some
transmissions you should never intentionally listen to. These include:
telephone conversations (cellular, cordless, or other private
means of telephone signal transmission)
pager transmissions
any scrambled or encrypted transmissions
According to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA),
as amended, you are subject to nes and possible imprisonment
for intentionally listening to, using, or divulging the contents of
such a transmission unless you have the consent of a party to the
communication (unless such activity is otherwise illegal).
This scanner is designed to prevent reception of illegal transmissions,
in compliance with the law which requires that scanners be
manufactured in such a way as to not be easily modiable to pick up
those transmissions. Do not open your scanner’s case to make any
modications that could allow it to pick up transmissions that it is not
legal to listen to. Doing so could subject you to legal penalties.
In some areas, mobile use of this scanner is unlawful or requires a
permit. Check the laws in your area. It is also illegal in many areas to
interfere with the duties of public safety ofcials by traveling to the
scene of an incident without authorization.
We encourage responsible, legal scanner use.