Back when a switchboard operator was required to place long-distance telephone calls my sister worked as operator on one of those old multiple plug switchboards, in a room full of them along with their human operators. Lots of wealthy folks had summer houses in the beautiful Great Smokey Mountains where we lived. One day Bert Reynolds placed a long-distance call to someone, and Lisa said every operator in the room plugged in to evesdrop. We had what was called a party line at our house and found out after a few years that a nosy neighbor had been monitoring calls for years, discovering that a couple of college girls living in our basement were lesbians. Scandalous! Local rednecks did not approve! We thought it was mildly interesting but other people’s sexual preferences ain’t none of our bidness.
Telephone technology improved a bit and eventually I reckon everyone had a private line, with the equal expectation of “privacy” in what they said on the phone. In the US, law enforcement officials were, and I do believe still are required to get a search warrant to monitor and record individual conversations. That said, a pal whose brother is an FBI agent noted his brother has repeatedly stated “it is wise to assume that the government knows everything about you including what you’re saying”. Perhaps the distinction is that unless a warrant was in place while the written email or verbal conversation was being monitored and recorded, the evidence is not admissible in court. Since 9-11 Americans have relinquished much of their personal privacy in the name of “keeping us safe”, and perhaps in some cases our lawmakers sold us down the road.
Often voice and data communications are transmitted using microwave (radio frequency or RF) data links rather than wire or fibre optic. We all use our cell phones with the presumption that we’re not being monitored and recorded. Osama Bin Laden knew that was just plain silly and used handwritten notes carried by trusted runners.
RF communications using single sideband (SSB) or HAM radio are in the PUBLIC DOMAIN. Internet connect receivers all over the world often provide real-time feeds to anyone out of RF range or without radio equipment. Any pilot knows and accepts that all RF communications with air traffic control are recorded. A pal of mine called 911 once and the recording of his call actually made the local TV news.
Recently we had a kerfuffle with our local SSB net when one net controller elected to record, curate and post our net to a closed Facebook group. His objective was to create digital access for current or former cruisers, family, etc. to listen on their own schedule rather than our silly time zone. Perhaps otherwise disconnected folks might find comfort in hearing our voices during the pandemic. Unfortunately he didn’t feel it necessary to poll the net participants, hear and address their concerns and build concensus before going live. A revolt by the “anti-Facebook, anti-recording” boats ensued, the net administrator quit, then the guy who had hatched the project quit. In the middle was the rest of us who either didn’t really care one way or the other or wanted to make sure we better understood the project controls. Somehow I ended up as the “temporary net administrator”. Now we’re short of net controllers and it’s safe to say my diplomatic skills won’t land me a post in the foreign service.
The poor behavior and downright petulance demonstrated by everyone who quit was disheartening and counterproductive. The point that the “anti” side made about how this was probably illegal and might keep folks who might SOMEDAY finally participate in the net rather than listening without ever contributing was downright ridiculous.
Cruisers use VHF, SSB and HAM RF to communicate with maritime officials, seek emergency help, or just to check in with their friends. If you’re afraid of radios or who’s listening, this isn’t the life for you.
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