U.S. Chief Magistrate C.J. Williams made the decision Sept. 11 after the magistrate found in a hearing that there was probable cause to support charges of unauthorized radio transmissions levied against Randy Thompson in early August.
The 55-year-old man was arrested after Union Pacific police and telecommunications engineers compiled evidence that that between December 2016 and March 2017, Thompson made more than 75 unauthorized transmissions on railroad-specific frequencies. The interference ranged from dial tones to racial slurs to holding the transmission button down for an extended time and preventing any other employees from using the frequencies.
The railroad eventually traced the transmissions back to Thompson’s apartment in Cedar Rapids and seized a number of different electronic devices capable of transmitting on railroad frequencies.
The day after the search, Thompson is alleged to have threatened railroad employees with an aluminum baseball bat and saying, “come and get it if you guys hate me so much. You know who I am, I’m the radio man.”
Railroad officials testified that since the crews using the frequency were involved in moving trains on and off of the main line, Thompson’s interference could have caused two trains to crash into each other.
Thompson was previously being held at the Linn County Jail. His trial date has not yet been set.
“In most municipalities, there are laws and regulations that require you to register with the local police department in order to own or listen in on a police scanner”
Really? I haven’t heard that, at least here in the US.
Many have gone digital, making the older style of scanner obsolete. That’s about the extent of encryption I’ve seen, but it wasn’t done to foil listeners, but to make more efficient use of the frequencies available.
I hope the UP fully prosecutes the idiot. Stupidity like this is what louses things up for all responsible rail fans.
Nah, it won’t go as far as having to register your scanner. A lot of municipalities now encrypt their radio transmissions to foil ambulance chasers and criminals who may be using scanners to find out where the nearest po-po are. It would only take a directive from the FRA or an enterprising rr company to put encryption in place and put an end to railfanning with scanners. In fact, this could be something a future upgrade to PTC is capable of.
Once again we have a case of a lunatic creating an unsafe and dangerous condition and which gives a bad name to serious and responsible railfans who use railroad radio frequencies to track their favorite train or railroad
and take photos, Whether this person was a railfan or not, he was using the radio for an unauthorized and sick purpose, In the fuure, his actions are only going to make obtaining railroad raidios or frequencies all the more difficult if not banned unless you work for the railroad and use the radio for work.
In most municipalities, there are laws and regulations that require you to register with the local police department in order to own or listen in on a police scanner, Such will be the case now with any scanner or frequency used by
railroads, airplanes and trucks,
Our hobby and pastime of following and watching trains is being hijacked by irresponsible and often dangerous
indivuals who have a grudge or some other dark and hidden agenda to cause death and estruction
What an idiot.
Whacko with a radio.