Scanner use in the UK
 

Hi, this is my first post on this site!

I'm interested in buying a airband scanner so I can listen in on my local aerodrome - I live right next to it.

The thing is, the law on listening in is all very complicated (Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006) and I'm confused. The law keeps on talking about "having a licence" to do it.

Is it talking about the normal RT license you take when you're doing your PPL - which I'll soon have - or some other license?

The scanner I would buy is only a receiver and cannot transmit, could someone please clarify the law for me please?

Thanks,
Dan

You can read all about it on-line but, basically, what you are proposing is illegal. Even if you hold a Flight R/T Licence it only entitles you to use the airband in the course of your flying. It doesn't matter if it is only a receiver and it doesn't matter what licence(s) you hold if you are not using the airband in the course of your duty.

However, there are many, many people who listen to the airband and although the authorities tend to turn a blind eye to such activities it is as well to know where you stand. A separate offence is talking about anything you may hear on the airband..

HTH

I've a strong personal feeling this law is contrary to common sense.

One can listen to live feeds from all over the world, but not the UK.

I would really like to see one of the safety organisations make moves to allow licensed pilots at least to listen in via scanners or via the net legally.

Taking breaks from flying the one thing that takes by far the biggest hit is my R/T. Absorbing CAP 413 doesn't help much in the real world. It would be so much better if we could simply listen in to local procedures etc. :)

Read all about it here. :rolleyes:

Ok technically it's not in accordance with the Wireless Telegraphy Act.

In practice so long as you're not up to any criminal intent or feed anything to the media, you're very unlikely to get convicted unless you walk down the road past Mr. Plod with your scanner blasting out and the frequencies of the local police etc loaded in the memory.

It's not illegal to own a scanner! Just be sensibly discrete (use headphones?) and enjoy listening in.

As has been said previously the law is the law but I also cannot understand why HMG cannot relax this one but, there again, we are now living in a police state. You'd have thought the first to make it illegal would be USA but I can sit listening to JFK tower/approach etc on live atc on line but cannot, legally, listening to the puddle jumpers doing circuits at the local airfield.

There are plenty of other things on the market via ebay etc which are far more hazardous to a/c ops which nobody does anything about.

fireflybob. The airband is a "utility" band, like the safety services, electricity board, taxis, etc, etc. It's a blanket law which covers them all. Also keep in mind that when you are sitting at home taling on your cordless phone, there may be somebody along the road listening to every word. Must admit that when I was working and things got a bit fraught that went through my mind.. and the inevitable headline next day "4 seconds from disaster", or something!

Right, once listening to the airband has been sorted, how about all you car drivers protesting about the stupid speed limits. Millions of people break those laws every day but how many get nicked?

HD, with respect, you are teaching grandmother to suck eggs!

As a society we have got so used to so many stupid petty rules and regulations that when you question one it's almost like denying the holocaust.

And yes I think there is a case for having a root and branch review of modern speed limits but my hallucination is that the UK stasi want us to go slowly so they can keep tabs on us - a journey I often make in the early hours from my local city to home usually means having to stop at every traffic light which is at red for no rhyme nor reason as there is no other traffic on the side roads! We have lots of modern technology to maintain surveillance on all and sundry but cannot keep traffic flowing even when it isn't busy - Orwell must be looking down at us laughing or maybe crying.