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[Mr Skrunts]

Been popping by the odd airport watching takeoffs/landings, often quite a crowd there and some of the guys using scanners.

Is it legal to listen in.

If it is legal then any recomendations for a portable scanner.

Admin - If this post is against any forum rules then please accept my apologies and delete the post - Thankyou.

[Bigron]

I don't think it's illegal as they are not police/MOD communications you are earwigging, but in view of the paranoia about possible terrorist threats these days, someone in uniform might offer you some advice!

Ron.

[Lincs Robert]

I don't think it's illegal as they are not police/MOD communications you are earwigging, but in view of the paranoia about possible terrorist threats these days, someone in uniform might offer you some advice!

Ron.

You couldn't listen to the Police etc even if you wanted to. It's been on its own digital/encrypted network since 2005. The days of listening to plod on a scanner are long gone 

[Lazydocker]

Perfectly legal and still encouraged when learning radio craft 

[Kevin Wood]

Technically, it's a breach of the WT act to listen to a transmission for which you are not the "intended recipient". It is also an offence to disclose the contents of such a transmission.

Generally, the former is not policed, but the latter is, so, unless you make recordings of what you hear and post them on YouTube, you'll be fine. You are also not required to have a licence to own / operate the receiver.

[Mr Skrunts]

Cheers everyone.

So any recomendations for a scanner?

[zirk]

Cheers everyone.

So any recomendations for a scanner?

loads out there, stuff I use for work is Commercial so mega expensive, but if your going to part with money probably getting a half decent one on the specs side, min I would be looking for a Hand Held at is up to at least 1Ghz frequency, scans all frequencies without gaps, AM/FM poss SSB, Wide and Narrow Bandwidth switching, a good scan rate and one that lets you scan between programmable points rather than the whole band or up and down, Memory scan and Priority channel scan, and good selection of Channel spacing, 50, 25, 12.5, 10, 6.25, 5 and 1 khz, external antenna socket (ie removable antenna), Headphone socket and rechargeable battery, other options would be nice if it had PC interface, or other options are to buy a China black box scanner that is USB driven from a laptop or similar but not as portable.