Scanners (radio)

Associate
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Does anyone have/own/use or know anything about scanners that can listen to police/fire brigade/planes etc? Also, the law concerning this?

Just that for years i'v meant to get one and whipped out the old airband radio recently and got curious again.

Anyone have any info?
 
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Get yourself a Yupiteru MVT-7100, an excellent piece of kit which will enable you to listen to anything from analogue cordless home telephones to VHF and UHF airband. The official law is as follows:

Anyone who intends to listen to radio transmissions should be aware of the following:

A licence is not required for a radio receiver as long as it is not capable of transmission as well (The Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus (Receivers) (Exemption) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989 No 123). The exception to this is that it is an offence to listen to unlicensed broadcasters (pirates) without a licence. Licences are not issued for this purpose.

Although it is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanning or other receiver in the UK, it must only be used to listen to transmissions meant for GENERAL RECEPTION. The services that you can listen to include Amateur and Citizens' Band transmissions, licensed broadcast radio, and weather and navigation broadcasts.

It is an offence to listen to any other radio services unless you are authorised by a designated person to do so.

Which means....

In short you can use a scanner to listen to anything broadcast for general reception, radio amateurs, CB, weather and navigation broadcasts. Unless you are a police officer or work in the emergency services you are not allowed to listen to their communications.

You can only listen to other services if you have the permission of the sender. The air show is a good example where the control tower frequencies are publicised and that would be considered permission.


You can find out more about the law here - http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/ra_info/ra169r7.pdf

But...who's ever going to know ;)

Here's some Air Traffic Control frequencies (MHz) for you, you must have permission to listen to them though:
119.775 - London Control - London TMA Northwest Departures
118.825 - London Control - London TMA Northeast Departures
119.775 - Heathrow Director - Heathrow Approach (north stacks)
120.4 - Heathrow Director - Heathrow final approach director
123.9 - London Control - London TMA inbounds, Lambourne sector
120.625 - Essex Radar - Approach for Stansted and Luton

That's only a few of them, you might even hear me on some ;)
 
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LORD APOCALYPSE said:
Ah cheers. On a site just now, radioscan.co.uk that seems stocked up with stuff, including the model you mentioned, bit pricey though.

It's worth every penny, it really is an excellent piece of kit.
You can get cheaper airband only scanners for ~£50 or less. It depends on what you want though. Police and other emergency service communications are now mostly digital so you can't listen to them, not that it would be legal anyway.
 
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jonarob said:
Is the Yupiteru MVT-7100 a two-way affair or is it purely for listening in?

It's a receiver only. If you want a multiband transceiver you are going into big money. I think there are a few amateur radio bods on here. There are frequencies dedicated for citizens use (citizens band - CB i believe). Things like ATC and emergency services frequencies are something you really shouldn't broadcast on. You can get the kit to do it but it should only be used by people licenced to to so.
 
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Sorry to steal this thread a bit, but I'm looking for something that will let myself and a mate or two communicate on road trips. We've tryed cheapo Argos radios and the like and they go out of range too easily.

What's our best option?

Preferably after a good radio unit that I can buy, my mate can buy and then anyone else who wants to join in in the future can also buy and tune in. :p

We're not driving and radioing by the way. This is for when we lose each other and have to pull over or whatever.
 
Soldato
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jonarob said:
Sorry to steal this thread a bit, but I'm looking for something that will let myself and a mate or two communicate on road trips. We've tryed cheapo Argos radios and the like and they go out of range too easily.

What's our best option?

Preferably after a good radio unit that I can buy, my mate can buy and then anyone else who wants to join in in the future can also buy and tune in. :p

We're not driving and radioing by the way. This is for when we lose each other and have to pull over or whatever.

Mobile phone? :confused:
 
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Scuzi said:
It's a receiver only. If you want a multiband transceiver you are going into big money. I think there are a few amateur radio bods on here. There are frequencies dedicated for citizens use (citizens band - CB i believe). Things like ATC and emergency services frequencies are something you really shouldn't broadcast on. You can get the kit to do it but it should only be used by people licenced to to so.

Ahhh CB radio :) Back in the 80's that was massive. Where did it all go :confused:
 
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