Anarchy in the Airwaves

Wireless devices have occasionally played havoc on society

NBC Universal, which got slammed with a $10,000 fine this month for using unlicensed walkie-talkies on a Law & Order set that interfered with real police radios, is one of the latest casualties in a radio spectrum crowded by an endless array of high-powered wireless products. Here's a look at other recent victims, some unintentional and some not.

THANKS, BUT NO TANKS

Garage doors nationwide started opening this spring--seemingly on their own--as nearby military radios began using the same frequency. Last week the Air Force asked a private company to devise a way to resecure America's airwaves.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

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