[EricH]

Originally Posted by dellagd

So that would exclude using one just to listen into a already in use channel?

If you need to know something, you'll be told over the PA, or someone will come talk to you. Otherwise, you don't need to know it.

Personally, I don't think some of the comments that would be made during a downed field would be very good listening. Plus, much of that sort of thing would be "X, can you come to the field" or not spoken at all, as the FTA and his crew would be all hunkered around the problem part of the field.

Not to mention that they operate on multiple channels. If you need person X, then the call goes on channel Y. Person Z to get team A for a match, channel W. I've seen this personally, while working as an inspector. Even if you--in violation of the walkie-talkie prohibition--managed to listen in on one channel, you'd only get part of the story.