[RFI] cops zero in on noisy grow light ballasts

Wed Feb 3 16:57:59 EST 2016

Almost fully off topic, but a ham friend's daughter in Denver,
an accomplished true glass blower, has seen the price of
her propane gas triple because it is in high demand to create
the hash oil use in vapes (electronic "cigarettes", that
eliminates the particulates in smoke).

Barry, W5GN Dallas, and W5GN/0 Keystone, Colorado

-----Original Message-----
From: RFI [mailto:rfi-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Dave Cole
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2016 2:37 PM
To: rfi at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] cops zero in on noisy grow light ballasts

Hi Ed,

Having worked directly with a "legal" grower, his main concern was exactly what you stated...  He was shocked myself and another ham could locate him so quickly...  

Evidently there are people called "Rippers", who visit the grow houses, and as per this fellow, "beat hell out of you, and steal all the pot."

This evidently happens a lot in legal states.  I get the impression that the grower was more worried about the "Rippers" than law enforcement.  

I have learned a lot about pot growing as a result of RFI hunting.
 Strange world we live in...

I can only hope full legalization happens sooner than later, and the tobacco companies get in the business of growing.  That way, the home operations will slowly be reduced, and the big companies will be easier to regulate.

Oregon is implementing testing of the pot grown for recreational use, hopefully this will help reduce the number of home grows, the testing is not cheap, and the record keeping requirements are large.  

I also see the DOJ is cracking down on the "special" states to insure adequate controls are in place...  Hopefully these sorts of rules will make it harder for the guy in his garage to legally grow...    

--
73's, and thanks,
Dave

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On Wed, 2016-02-03 at 17:17 +0000, Hare, Ed  W1RFI wrote:
> Actually, the formal name of ARRL now is ARRL, with American Radio 
> Relay League still maintained, of course.
> 
> Now, as to the noisy grow lights, in some areas, growers are concerned 
> that law enforcement may find them, but they are even more concerned 
> that people can use RF noise to identify that there is a growing 
> operation in a particular house.  With the 16hour on/off cycles during 
> the growing season and a switch to 12 hour cycles as the crop is 
> nearing harvest, they not only know what it is, but they know when it 
> is ready for harvest. That has gotten the attention of growers even in 
> states where it is legal to grow under state law.
> 
> Ed Hare, W1RFI
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RFI [mailto:rfi-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of John 
> Brosnahan W0UN
> Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2016 7:47 PM
> To: Joe Wolfe; RFI at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RFI] cops zero in on noisy grow light ballasts
> 
> Joe,
> 
> RE:    ARRL and National Association for Amateur Radio
> 
> I understand your concern about confusion with the name, but I would 
> only question the capital letters, because the name American Radio 
> Relay League is a bit quaint.  When I was first license in 1959 it did 
> not seem to be all that relevant to the actual role of the national 
> organization, even though I even made BPL once.
> While traffic WAS relayed at the time, it was such a small percentage 
> of what hams do and needed in a national organization, that the name 
> seemed inadequate at best.  And certainly difficult to explain to 
> non-hams.
> 
> In 2016 the name is even less relevant to what the role of the 
> national organization is now about.
> While I am a traditionalist in many senses of the word, I would not be 
> against the ARRL changing their name to better reflect what it is they 
> are and what they do.
> 
> Just google "National Association for Amateur Radio" and you will see 
> it reference the ARRL and used to explain what the ARRL actually is 
> not only on social media but by the ARRL itself.
> 
> 2 cents worth.
> 
> 73  John W0UN
> 
> 
> 
> On 1/15/2016 8:27 PM, Joe Wolfe wrote:
> > Least the article could have done, is get their facts straight, I 
> > mean, the author is supposed to be a law enforcement officer.
> > 
> > "National Association for Amateur Radio"  Who the heck is that?  I 
> > guess he means the ARRL.
> > 
> > I know! I know!
> > 
> > The gist of the story is the RFI we have been dealing with, is now 
> > being used by the police to find illegal grows, which, once word 
> > gets out, could be a big boon to us...HEH, the farms will shut down 
> > and in the end, quiet radio returns to our communities!
> > 
> > Joe - W7RKN
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: RFI [mailto:rfi-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rob 
> > Atkinson
> > Subject: [RFI] cops zero in on noisy grow light ballasts
> > 
> > Old story but only heard about it today:
> > 
> > http://www.policeone.com/drug-interdiction-narcotics/articles/82242
> > 80-
> > How-co ps-are-catching-grow-ops-with-AM-radios
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > RFI mailing list
> > RFI at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
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