Strictly speaking, on a UK registered ship or aircraft, or in the UK, it is an offence under the Wireless Telegrahy Acts to deliberately receive a radio transmission unless you have a licence, or that the transmissions are specifically exempt from needing one - these are transmissions by radio amateurs, duly authorised sound broadcasting station, transmissions in the Standard time and Frequency service, and transmissions in the Radio Determination service.

Article 17 of the international Radio Regulations (which is international law and a formal treaty) requires Administrations to "take the necessary measures to prohibit and prevent unauthorized interception of radiocommunications not intended for the genral use of the public".

So strictly, using an airband receiver is illegal anywhere except when it is being used for authorised purposes. Generally the authorities turn a blind eye to it, but 186 countries signed up to that treaty - including the US, who send a civil servant of Ambassador status to the conference to sign the treaty.

radeng knows precisely what he is talking about... a few others on here do not.

And unless it is CE marked, it is illegal to bring it into the EU, strictly speaking, as there is no guarantee that it meets the applicable Interface Regulations in each country.......

Ya mean CE doesn't stand for 'China Export'? :{

I had a mate of mine when i was at school on the IOM for a year and the guys at the airport didnt mind unless you didnt bother them, wasnt a security threat or wasnt taping it for private use or distribution. I used to sometimes get the bus to the airport with the friend and his airband radio and sometimes stand next to the Manx Airlines shed and watch the planes land and takeoff. This was about 1999-2000 ish when Manx Airlines where around I only lived on the island for a year with my parents before we moved

A case of une crise énorme de grandeur Americain, n'est-ce pas?


No, not really. But thanks anyway.

Bealzebub, I would argue that contrary to your statement, aircraft certified devices such as emergency VHF radios would definitely be covered by Sec. 91.21 (b) 5. Certification implicies "the operator of the aircraft has determined". If not, the aircraft can not fly since the operator has not certified its own aircraft.

Radeng, in case the general public is to be unaware of ATC communications, it would be illegal to sell VHF radio's and scanners to non-licensed individuals.

Amazing to see how the UK went from liberator during WW2* turned into a police state that makes Putin look like a girl scout. In the US, something is allowed until there is a reason not to allow it. In the UK, everybody is a terrorist until proven not to be. You guys even kill innocent subway passengers...

* and yes, Godwin's law applies here.

As my late grandmother would say, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Saint's Preserve us!"

1.It is illegal to use an airband receiver in the UK without an appropriate licence.
It is illegal to use an airband transceiver in the UK without an appropriate licence.
It is not illegal to sell either of those products to anyone who wants to buy one.

2.The UK CAA have restricted the use of certain electronic items (not fitted to the aircraft) at various stages of the flight. Some during the take-off and landing phase and some during the complete flight. Airband transceivers would definitely come into the latter and receivers most certainly into the former.

Now, if that's a real problem causing restless nights and wringing of hands contact these people and put your case:
Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
London
SW1A

I also enjoy watching a skillful troll wind up a forum.

The requirement on privacy and the action on Administrations 'to prevent unauthorised interception of radiocommunciations' have been in place since the first international radio telegraph conference in Berlin in 1906: shortly after that conference the first International Radiotelegraph Convention was signed, which incorporated that rule. So it is not exactly new. Doubtless, if you trawl through the US CFR Title 47 you'll find the same thing somewhere.

In the UK, it isn't often enforced, but it has been on occasion, back in the analogue days, when people had used it to intercept police messages during operations. In the US, however, once the news media had picked up on a few politicians using analogue cell phones to make dates with mistresses and prostitutes, the manufacture, import and sale of scanners capable of covering the cellular bands was banned.

Provided a piece of equipment meets the relevant regulatory requirements, it can be sold, but cannot necessarily be used. Same in the US. For example, you can buy private mobile radio e.g. for taxis, without having a licence, but you can't legally use it.

PAX Vobiscum, in this case CE shouldn't mean Chinese Export. However, a recent survey by the market surveillance committee of the EU (TCAM) found that a high proportion of CE marked professional radios didn't meet the requirments of the Radio and Telecommunications Terminals Directive, although most of the failures were in the paperwork, not the technical perfomance. Most of them are made in China anyway these days - except for those made in Israel.

Pilotsanonymous;

Do you use your right hand or your left hand?