o.g-palmer Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Now before I start I want to make it clear that I am making no accusations towards anyone. Myself, my brother and a good friend spent many hours trawling the trade stands at this years w&p. I found quit a few iffy items for sale by seemingly legit traders. The items in question as the title states, is the bowman radio that is currently in use by the HM forces. Odd bits like like antennas, Remote PTTs, PTT Switch Assembly’s and complete head sets. One trader even had a hard carry case with about four or five of the things. All working complete, and fully operational. Now being somewhat surprised and I know I was not the only one. Are these things being legally sold onto civi street or is it another big Caveat emptor. What’s your take on things? Ollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 (edited) If you are talking about the personal role radio, then yes they are legal to own - I believe you can buy one direct from the manufacturer. Headsets, radio bodies and even complete radios go through the mod sales all the time. Edited July 28, 2010 by sirhc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I've used a freinds PRR radios in convoy off roading and they are really excellent quality and easy to use. The Bowman kit is all based I believe around the Harris radios from America, pretty much everything is available including the laptops etc. This doesnt mean you can access the army chat of course as its all digitally encrypted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Best to contact the RSGB http://www.rsgb.org/ They wil give you all the details, including how to get a foundation licence. This will alloew you to use the kit legally and explain the procedures. The Radio Licencing Authority seem to be getting rather human latley. They will allow the use of such things as 19 sets, subject to certain common sense rules, such any interference with commercial or public bands, SWITCH OFF! Illegal transmitting can be 1) Expensive in fines 2) boring in jail time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I suspect that of course, any Bowman manuals you come across will be marked "Restricted" and suggest that you hand them in to the nearest Police station! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Restricted = Might not loose, Confidential = should not loose Secret =Must not loose Top Secret= Will appear in the Sun after two weeks. :-D Top Secret UK eyes only= will appear on you tube after one week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Any radio's you use must only operate in the frequencies allocated for ameteur use and at the designated power out puts. Getting the Foundation Licence which I did over a weekend is only part of the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewroberts.1953 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I seem to remember talking to a MOD and an OFCOM man, and even PRRs are not legal even to own. I am sure ALL Bowman kit is in fact not owned by MOD, but by GD. You can buy a PRR from Selex etc, but NOT for use in UK the items MUST be exported. But to be sure i will ask the people I know in MOD and OFCOM again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iltisman Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I am not sure about PRRs some of the channels are in the 2.3 ghz amateur band and the transmission is not encrypted so may be legal for hams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 There is lots of stuff that finds it's way to the stall holder that sometimes shouldn't. I have it on very good authority that the Military Police (SIB) were at the show this year as "exhibitors" showing some vehicles. I'm sure if anything was dodgy for sale then these guys would have seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I am not sure about PRRs some of the channels are in the 2.3 ghz amateur band and the transmission is not encrypted so may be legal for hams. Out of curiosity I just wonder what those channels are? I used to operate on 13cm when the band went down to 2.300 GHz. We used to centre on 2.304 GHz. About 25 years ago I suddenly started getting trouble with an unmodulated carrier appearing for about 30 mins a day. It was sometimes difficult to get a bearing until I twigged it was coming from above. As I lost contact with it a Dutch amateur was able follow it for a further period. After a few months the UK licence allocation changed with the seizure of this part of the band which now started at 2.310 GHz. A real problem working other countries where the allocation remained & a major problem for people using 1152 MHz to multiply up to all the microwave allocations of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Folks - I wonder if we're in danger of getting confused between "legal to own" and "legal to operate"? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Folks - I wonder if we're in danger of getting confused between "legal to own" and "legal to operate"? Andy Andy I don't know how things have changed over the years but the cornerstone of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 was that without the necessary licence it was not only illegal to use the equipment but also to establish or install it. In a similar way, it would be no defence to say you had a shotgun with no licence but had no intention to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Out of curiosity I just wonder what those channels are? I used to operate on 13cm when the band went down to 2.300 GHz. We used to centre on 2.304 GHz. I can tell you the answer (in excruciating detail) as I've measured it - but you'll have to wait as the numbers are at work and I'm off sick at the moment. ISTR it was just under the normal 2.4GHz band used by WLAN networks as they use a very similar protocol but are slightly detuned. I understand the newer version (Soldier System Radio) are very different though, no idea with them. Some PRRs are legal to own as they've been sold to many different places, even the Yanks use them and they get swapped for kit while on ops etc. Obviously you'd want to investigate before buying any - if they'd been stolen off the MoD it wouldn't be very wise to be advertising them around, I've seen them on eBay with the serial numbers ripped off and all sorts! I'd be very surprised if any of the newer models showed up though. Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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