Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by bityard 1444 days ago
I wrote a longer comment about this elsewhere in these comments but the short version is: a Baofeng is a terrible scanner and can't be used to transmit on ANYTHING without a license of some kind. If you can't transmit, then you can't practice, and if you can't practice, you aren't prepared for an emergency.

If you just want to listen, a handheld scanner would be a far better option than a Baofeng (but of course cost a bit more).
1 comments
nibbleshifter 1444 days ago
> implying anyone actually cares about the "radio laws" besides HAM's.
link
bityard 1439 days ago
The FCC cares a lot, to the tune of $25k: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-ca-amateur-radio-oper...

Anyone who makes a habit of transmitting on a frequency they are not authorized on WILL be caught eventually, especially if they are interfering with police, emergency services, business users, and broadcasters. And all of these are very easy to do if you own a Boafeng and don't know how to use it.

link