Call Sign OPSEC...

Started by roscoe, September 02, 2012, 11:24:36 PM

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roscoe

It's common practice posting one's call sign at ham sites and I don't see much harm in that,
but at prep sites, where you wouldn't normally want your name & address accompanying
all your posts there, it'd probably be best not to use your call sign there either, with how
easily they can be looked up to reveal your name, address and a map to your front door.

MIA

It's just not anything that I worry about. I live in a rural location, and most people around here are preppers, and most don't even realize it. We all raise animals, grow gardens, hunt, preserve our own food by canning, dehydrating, etc. We have big dogs and we have children and wives that shoot as well (or better, in most instances) than we do. I live a half mile off of a dirt road, and you can't see the antennas from the road. For that matter, we don't even have a name or number on the mail box, 'cause we all know where everyone lives.


roscoe

Quote from: MIA on September 03, 2012, 12:39:58 AM
It's just not anything that I worry about. I live in a rural location, and most people around here are preppers, and most don't even realize it. We all raise animals, grow gardens, hunt, preserve our own food by canning, dehydrating, etc. We have big dogs and we have children and wives that shoot as well (or better, in most instances) than we do. I live a half mile off of a dirt road, and you can't see the antennas from the road. For that matter, we don't even have a name or number on the mail box, 'cause we all know where everyone lives.

That's great, but my point was that for any that would hesitate to put their name & address at
the bottom of their posts here, or anywhere for that matter, they might oughta think twice before
posting their call sign there, too, cause it's essentially the same thing, even if one can't see antennas
or mailboxes, if they have the address, looked up from a call sign, google map then shows/tells all.

BTW, my concern is less about ham radio operators being an attractive target and more about what
they might inadvertently reveal about their preps on-line erroneously thinking they were doing so
anonymously and safely, when they really were not at all if they had also included their call sign.

ScottHW

I completely agree.  After I got my license, it quickly sunk in that if I jump on the online camaraderie thing and post my call sign, I have violated OPSEC.  Really torn over this as it seems counterproductive in pure HAM terms, but makes overall security sense.

roscoe

#4
Quote from: ScottHW on September 03, 2012, 07:52:36 AM
I completely agree.  After I got my license, it quickly sunk in that if I jump on the online camaraderie thing and post my call sign, I have violated OPSEC.  Really torn over this as it seems counterproductive in pure HAM terms, but makes overall security sense.

For me, I don't have any problem using my call sign at ham sites that talk about typical (non security sensitive) ham stuff.

If somebody wanted to target hams, just cause they were hams, which I don't rank or worry about as a very high threat,
they could look up and see all those registered in any county of their choice.

It's just where I need to stay anonymous on-line to speak freely, like at prep, gun and hard money sites, that I don't post
my call sign there.

MIA

If you are truly worried that some nefarious characters will arrive on your doorstep to try and take your preps, then by all means don't post a call sign or any information that may identify you. All I am saying is that I am not worried about that prospect. I personally don't believe that people searching online forums to find preppers will be a problem for the vast majority of us. There certainly could be someone compiling a list of those near them now, but city folks may have more to worry about in that case.

I'm of the opinion that if the SHTF in such a way that the ROL has broken down to the point where people would be attacking you for your preps, then the internet would probably be history also. In my particular area, the "bad guys" would certainly find themselves in a world of hurt. I have a 200 yard field of fire in any direction from the house, although I may have to shoot through a couple of rows of corn to the south...  ;)

YMMV

Jonas Parker

I guess it depends on the site. I can always send my call-sign to an individual member via a PM...

Frosty

Quote from: MIA on September 03, 2012, 11:45:45 AM
I personally don't believe that people searching online forums to find preppers will be a problem for the vast majority of us. There certainly could be someone compiling a list of those near them now, but city folks may have more to worry about in that case.

I keep a spreadsheet with the names, addresses, and sometimes phone numbers of all the hams in the counties surrounding mine.  Also do an occasional full site rip of local ham clubs websites, some have their member call up information there as well.  Some are also kind enough to provide their repeater models, in which case I also search that to find the instruction/maintenance manual for it which will often list the DTMF control codes.  Never know, the information might come in handy some day.

Scott

Seriously.  Don't be an idiot -- putting your callsign anywhere on an unsecured site with untrusted wild users like this one is just a really dumb idea.

You won't find my call anywhere near this place. 

MIA

Quote from: Scott on September 05, 2012, 12:32:41 AM
Seriously.  Don't be an idiot -- putting your callsign anywhere on an unsecured site with untrusted wild users like this one is just a really dumb idea.

You won't find my call anywhere near this place.

Ummm... OK

RadioRay

#10
Well -

For me, I have lees than the average home for someone wanting to steal. The largest threat that I can forsee are the huge number of 'entitlement' types, going without two meals after the government checks stop.  THEN they hop in their shiny , chrome covered cars to go 'grazing' on the rest of society in person, rather than indirectly by taxation.  Like some here, I live waaaya back on a single lane remote country road which is isolated from the rest of the world by a few water crossings on one side and a mile of open water on the other.  If 'they' are coming here to steal my TV - I don't own one. For food, they can wait for the harvest, because nature cannot be rushed and my experience is that most of those guys prefer KFC or McDonalds to vegetables and rice, with occasional meat or fish, which is how I eat.

"They" also face the problem of a bunch of armed citizens, most of whom are veterans and know every car and face that "belongs" in this area. Never under estimate the power of 50 old guys with combat experience and rifles defending their families.  Napolian said that a man defending his family is worth ten professional troops on the assault - and he should know. Looters are worth less than troops on the assault. Once mobilized, that gives us about five rifle companies worth of actual fighting power to defend one skinny, two lane road and to rotate sentries on the water. Remember too: Looters are not valiant soldiers, willing to die for their objective - we are.

As for my callsign and Google searches - it's a fact.  I've made my decision.


de Ray
W7ASA ..._ ._
"When we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can."  ~ Matthew Henry

Jim Boswell

     Your call sign and address is public record. Anybody can find that information. When it comes to prep items, most people have more food and guns than I do. Guess I just don't worry that much about a confrontation. My main worry is weather prep. The ability to take care of ourselves when there is a major storm or power outage.
     I may be wrong, I can't kill another human fighting over a can of beans or someone stealing my TV.
     If someone thinks about harming my family, that will be a very different story!!!
73'S  KA5SIW

fastback65

You can renew/change your call sign and use a P.O. box.

Gambrinus

Posting your call sign that leads to your name and address on an internet forum is nuts, prepper or not.  There are a lot of reasons to try to keep your personal info off these forums as much as possible, worrying about someone taking your prepping supplies after the SHTF is the least of them..

I would suggest to anyone getting their license is to get a P.O. Box and apply for their FCC FRN number prior to going for your exam.  Even with a P.O. box your name and town are posted on our friendly FCC site, idiots.

Idiots!, on one site the gubmint tells us how important it is to safeguard your personal information while on another site they give it away, idiots!

gil

Gambrinus, I agree. Posting addresses is ridiculous, borderline criminal. Oh well, it will stay there until someone sues. You can't get an address from a license plate, why a call sign?

I will not be posting mine here or on any other web site...

Gil.