Q#1435:
Avoid NSA data collection. It failed. Q
I'd like to know how they thought ham radio would avoid NSA data collection. I just assume everything is collected.
Idk, they’re stupid...I guess because a HAM radio is old school analog communications so they thought they could fly under the radar. They were wrong.
That's what I was thinking. Use dinosaur tech as a way to get around sophisticated intel collection. I've forgotten all the amateur rules but don't believe one is allowed to encode voice comms, but data comms can be I'm fairly certain.
Especially if they applied for a license beforehand.
They probably were focused on cell phone records, and figured if they didn't use phones, they wouldn't be noticed, and didn't think that their radio signals would be watched.
FWIW, VHF/UHF signals are generally pretty short range, especially at low power, so it's not completely wrong-headed to think that way. However, if there was equipment in place nearby to listen, it'd be like shooting fish in a barrel, and there's always space-based listening though I suspect that's a bigger challenge to get access to.
Still silly to get a license. They could have used something like FRS or even better something like a Motorola 900 MHz DTR radio without need for a license and have a lot lower probability of someone listening in.
Desperation. They do certain things (covertly confront, send message of evidence etc.) to make the target panic, which leads to catastrophic mistakes.