*KA9QJG KA9QJG at COMCAST.NET <amsat-bb%40amsat.org?Subject=Re%3A%20%5Bamsat-bb%5D%20Captains%20and%20Passengers&In-Reply-To=%3C02d501d2d8bd%2470a6e4d0%2451f4ae70%24%40COMCAST.NET%3E> Wrote:*
*As We all know the World has changed since 911 , As a big Scanner user **all of us use to be able to take a Scanner , Recorder . Camera , Binoculars **Etc to an Airport , Rail Yard , Boat Yard to Listen and find Freqs . if **we try that now Homeland Security will drag our butts in for Questioning .*
Oddly enough, the above is what got me into amateur radio (satellites came along for the ride) - the government slowly starting to encrypt their communications. But the rest of it (being questioned by homeland security) is not true (or, at least, is illegal). If you are on public property, and are not breaking any laws (of which there are none when it comes to binoculars or cameras), then homeland security CANNOT detain you. If they do, you have a very winnable court case.
See: http://www.photoattorney.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Photographing-the-Ex...
The above applies to private entities, as well.
If scanning is legal in your locale (and it is in MOST states), then local and federal police can't do anything about it - at least not without violating our (USA) constitutional rights.