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[Turk]

I don't know if it was an urban myth regarding detector vans being non effective if they are not there p!ssing in the wind maybe someone can confirm?

My ex's mum dated a guy that works for them, so based on what I was told by him in the 80's they know the distance, and height from ground of each tv switched on the house, they also checked the angle (height/distance etc) then knocked on the door and told them what they were watching.


They generally sent some out on foot after several letters/reminders and if that fails then out goes the van.  He alao added it was quite a dangerous job and that he had been ataacked 3 times and they were trained not to retaliate. 

25 years on I bet the vans are quite sophicated.

That reminds me, my Grandad had some great stories about his days as a secret agent in the Cold War.   

[blackviper90210]

I can see going down the SORN avenue myself in the future, where you have to declare 'I dont need a Licence' or face a fixed penalty!

Chris.

With the determination of government, local government, NGO's and any other arm of the national bureaucracy (elected or not) to impose an all encompassing control of our every move, I can see this happening quite readily.

.......and this doesn't happen already? 

[davethediver]

The TV Licensing authority or what ever they are called these days was run through CAPITA and had a massive office in Darwen, Lancs.

Detector vans do exist but a lot info is collected from Currys, Comet etc when people buy a new TV hence the reason they always ask for your personal details.
 

[Turk]

The detector vans definately exist, I've seen them, but personally I reckon that's where it ends. They have no sophisticated TV detection equipment. Just ordinary vans with antennae and paint.   

[Vamps]

The detector vans definately exist, I've seen them, but personally I reckon that's where it ends. They have no sophisticated TV detection equipment. Just ordinary vans with antennae and paint.   

And not just Vans and not just TV's I got caught using the early, ilegal, CB Radio, 1981 ish, and the detector vehicle was a Renault 5 Car, I know because it was on Stockton High Street, I walked past the car and saw all sorts of electrical stuff in the passenger side and a few days later they visited the company I worked for, as I was in a liveried Landrover at the time and we had legit radio comms, the boss was OK about it.....

The CB Radio, I still have it somewhere.....

[Turk]

The detector vans definately exist, I've seen them, but personally I reckon that's where it ends. They have no sophisticated TV detection equipment. Just ordinary vans with antennae and paint.   

And not just Vans and not just TV's I got caught using the early, ilegal, CB Radio, 1981 ish, and the detector vehicle was a Renault 5 Car, I know because it was on Stockton High Street, I walked past the car and saw all sorts of electrical stuff in the passenger side and a few days later they visited the company I worked for, as I was in a liveried Landrover at the time and we had legit radio comms, the boss was OK about it.....

The CB Radio, I still have it somewhere.....

The issue would have been 'illegal transmission' (or whatever the official jargon is). A transmitted signal is relatively easy to detect.
CB radios transmit and receive, TV's only receive.