[sci.electronics] How to receive FM subcarrier service

fktsun@violet.waterloo.edu (Frankie Kim-Tak Sun) (05/10/88)

I am interested in receiving an ethnic FM subcarrier service in Toronto.  Is 
there anyone out there who knows how I can add FM subcarrier reception  
capability to my present FM receivers?  I am thinking of allowing either my
FM tuner or my boom-box type portable AM/FM radio cassette recorder to get
this kind of broadcast.  Since I don't really have the technical knowhow to
build a kit to do this (although I'm sure it would not be too difficult for 
elcetronics hobbyists), I'm mostly interested in ready-made products for this
particular purpose.

And let me mention that the FM subcarrier service that I'd like to hear has 
posted an ad in a local paper telling people to buy a certain radio for some
Cdn. $110 at some authorized dealers.  I am positive that the amount asked for
is a rip-off.  Eager as I may be to hear that service, I am not about to be 
taken in that easily.  This reminds me of another thing.  Does anyone have 
some kind of listing of FM subcarrier services in Toronto?  If not, is there 
anywhere I can acquire such information?  I know that the FM Atlas by Bruce
Elving tells one that a subcarrier service is carried on a certain frequency,
but it does not tell one which.  I'm quite sure that if I can receive all
the FM subcarrier services, I will find a lot more interesting broadcasts other 
than the one that I have in mind right now.

Any help will be appreciated, either by posting to the net or e-mailing me.
Thanks.

Frankie Sun
fktsun@violet.waterloo.edu

Phillip_M_Dampier@cup.portal.com (05/12/88)

Make sure that it is legal to listen to subcarrier services in Canada.  The
CRTC may be upset with you otherwise.

Here in the USA, unless you are blind, a doctor, or a muzak-loving store,
the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes listening to sub-carrier
signals illegal.

Hopefully, a Democratic administration can reverse the Reagan Administration's
oppressive behavior.

dan@speedy.wisc.edu (Dan Frank) (05/13/88)

In article <5330@cup.portal.com> Phillip_M_Dampier@cup.portal.com writes:
>Here in the USA, unless you are blind, a doctor, or a muzak-loving store,
>the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes listening to sub-carrier
>signals illegal.
>
>Hopefully, a Democratic administration can reverse the Reagan Administration's
>oppressive behavior.

   Well, why don't we check our facts before we go blasting away?  The main
House sponsor of the ECPA was a knee-jerk liberal Democrat with an ADA
rating of about 100.  The Reagan administration had nothing to do with 
promoting that bill.
   And, if we want to discuss oppressive behavior, we could discuss the
override of the President's veto of the so-called Civil Rights Restoration
Act of 1988, which you probably think had something to do with restoring
civil rights.  But, since this is the ham radio newsgroup, I will dispense
with further comments.

   -- Dan, W9NK

mitch@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Mitch Collinsworth) (05/13/88)

In article <5330@cup.portal.com> Phillip_M_Dampier@cup.portal.com writes:
>Make sure that it is legal to listen to subcarrier services in Canada.  The
>CRTC may be upset with you otherwise.

>Here in the USA, unless you are blind, a doctor, or a muzak-loving store,
>the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes listening to sub-carrier
>signals illegal.

>Hopefully, a Democratic administration can reverse the Reagan Administration's
>oppressive behavior.

What rock did you just crawl out from under?  The Reagan Administration isn't
responsible for the ECPA.  It was created and pushed by the cellular telephone
industry and passed by congress before ever getting to the white house.
Granted, Reagan should have vetoed it, but failing to override the foolishness
of our elected senators and representatives doesn't make it oppressive
behavior on the part of the administration.

-Mitch Collinsworth, K2VD
 mitch@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu

mrapple@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) (05/17/88)

In article <5330@cup.portal.com>, Phillip_M_Dampier@cup.portal.com writes:
> [...] 
> Here in the USA, unless you are blind, a doctor, or a muzak-loving store,
> the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes listening to sub-carrier
> signals illegal.

I don't think that's true. As far as I know, anyone can listen to
anything they want, but according to the secrecy of communications
part of the Communications Act of 1934 it IS a crime to divulge the
contents or existance of any electronics communications to a third
party or make commercial use of same if you are not a party to the
communications (unless the communications was transmitted by
a broadcaster, amateur, CBer or someone in distress).

> Hopefully, a Democratic administration can reverse the Reagan Administration's
> oppressive behavior.

Hey, leave it behind, ok? This isn't alt.flame.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Nick Sayer | Packet Radio: N6QQQ @ WA6RDH | CMS: SYSOP@STOKTON%STOCKTON
uucp: ...!sdcsvax!ucbvax!ucdavis!uop!mrapple | Fido: 161/31
Disclaimer:   You didn't REALLY believe that, did you?
cat flames > /dev/null

henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) (05/18/88)

> > the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes listening to sub-carrier
> > signals illegal.
> 
> I don't think that's true. As far as I know, anyone can listen to
> anything they want, but according to the secrecy of communications
> part of the Communications Act of 1934 it IS a crime to divulge the
> contents or existance of any electronics communications...

Unfortunately the ECPA is a very different story and much harsher than
the 1934 law.  Yes, it IS illegal to listen to sub-carrier signals in
the US unless you are properly authorized.  The ECPA was passed last
year, if memory serves.  An amazing number of things are illegal under
it.  I'm amazed that you missed hearing about it; the uproar on the net
was deafening.
-- 
NASA is to spaceflight as            |  Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
the Post Office is to mail.          | {ihnp4,decvax,uunet!mnetor}!utzoo!henry

cook@Alliant.COM (Dale C. Cook) (05/19/88)

In article <5738@spool.cs.wisc.edu> dan@cs.wisc.edu (Dan Frank) writes:
>In article <5330@cup.portal.com> Phillip_M_Dampier@cup.portal.com writes:
>>
>>Hopefully, a Democratic administration can reverse the Reagan Administration's
>>oppressive behavior.
>
>   Well, why don't we check our facts before we go blasting away?  The main
>House sponsor of the ECPA was a knee-jerk liberal Democrat with an ADA
>rating of about 100.  The Reagan administration had nothing to do with 
>promoting that bill.

Don't you just hate it when a raving political discussion breaks out in a
legitimate (actually several) hobby-oriented newsgroup?  I was hoping that
we'd get a few gramatical buff posting about the original posters use of
"hopefully" just to round things out.  I've no quibbles with a good Reagan
vs the evil liberals bash, but there IS a group dedicated specifically to
political sniping -- two if you count alt.flames :-)  Gentlepeople, please,
can we go back to silver speaker wires (rec.audio) or 10 meter propogation
theory (ham-radio)?
.
.
.
.

-- 
	- Dale      N1US		VOICE: (617) 486-1343
ARPA:	cook@alliant.alliant.com	SMAIL: 1 Monarch Drive
UUCP:	...linus!alliant!cook			Littleton, MA 01460

jim@mnetor.UUCP (Jim Stewart) (05/20/88)

In article <1469@uop.edu> mrapple@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) writes:

>> Here in the USA, ...
>> the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes listening to sub-carrier
>> signals illegal.

>I don't think that's true. As far as I know, anyone can listen to
>anything they want, but...

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

BTW, that's true in Canada, but not in your "home and native land".

-- 
Jim Stewart, VE3SRJ
UUCP:  {decvax|allegra|ihnp4|linus|utcsri}!utzoo!mnetor!jim
ARPA:  mnetor!jim@seismo.css.gov
BELL:  (416)475-8980 x303

spectre@cisunx.UUCP (Robert Sillett) (05/30/88)

In article <1469@uop.edu> mrapple@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) writes:
>
>I don't think that's true. As far as I know, anyone can listen to
>anything they want, but according to the secrecy of communications
>part of the Communications Act of 1934 it IS a crime to divulge the
>contents or existance of any electronics communications to a third
>party or make commercial use of same if you are not a party to the
>communications (unless the communications was transmitted by
>a broadcaster, amateur, CBer or someone in distress).
>

I wish that it were true.  The new ECPA act, pushed through Congress
by the cellular industry, makes even the act of listening to certain
radio broadcasts illegal.  You cannot listen to cellular telephone
conversations (why Tandy omitted that band on its new scanner).  Also,
you cannot listen to Ham relay conversations where a private phone
is involved.  However, it is legal to listen to cordless telephones.

There are probably other things you can't listen to, but I can't
remember them.


Robert L. Sillett, Jr.                      spectre@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu
University of Pittsburgh                    spectre@pittvms.BITNET
"Don't ask me -- I only work here."         ...!pitt!unix!spectre
-- 
Robert L. Sillett, Jr.                      spectre@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu
University of Pittsburgh                    spectre@pittvms.BITNET
"Don't ask me -- I only work here."         ...!pitt!unix!spectre