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Frequencies- Heathrow

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Old 26th Mar 2009, 15:10
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Frequencies- Heathrow

Hi guys,

quick question here regarding listening to Airband frequencies. First of all listening to airband frequencies is illegal.

However my cousin's mate's aunties grandson wants to know something.

After take off on 118.5/7 whatever, how long after take-off are you passed to the next frequency?

And what is that/those frequencies. Does it depend if you are departing north/south/east/west?

Any help would be great thank you!

Also, if you are coming into Lamboune Hold, at what point are you passed to the director on 119.725? Is it at brasso/logan one of these places or further out? And what is the frequency before being passe dover to the director?
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Old 26th Mar 2009, 17:01
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You are right that it is illegal to listen to the airband - and it's a separate offence to talk about anything you may have heard. Make sure your auntie's milkman's cousin's mate's vicars' godson is aware of that.

The time at which departing aircraft are transferred to London Control depends on various factors but it's usually within a minute after take-off. The frequency depends on the direction of flight and can be any one of half a dozen.

Transfer to Heathrow Director at LAM can be 40 miles out, or actually within the hold... sometimes after the hold! It depends on the traffic situation.

HTH
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Old 27th Mar 2009, 09:02
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I'll tell him your advice.

however as per the message, where would I find a list of those "hal fa dozen" london frequencies? You have a website link?

And how about the frequency before the director?

thank you!!!
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Old 28th Mar 2009, 16:55
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Frequencies given by number of websites, such as this one:

Heathrow Airport Frequences

Rhys.
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Old 28th Mar 2009, 17:47
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I'm pretty sure listening to the airband is not an illegal activity.
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Old 28th Mar 2009, 18:24
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Turningfinals.... You are pretty wrong, I'm afraid. Monitoring frequencies for which you do not have authority contravenes the WT Act. A further offence is to talk about or publish anything you may hear. Having a flying or ATC licence authorises one to use the airband in the course of one's duty, but not otherwise. Check the "Sticky" in the ATC section...

I know that thousands of people do it and I know that the authorities turn a blind eye. Nevetheless, it is illegal.
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Old 29th Mar 2009, 00:02
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The sheer amount of recent legislation means that a MASSIVE amount of laws on the statute books are idle and never used. Labour has introduced more legislation in the last decade than ever before and much of it is ill thought out and seldom used.
There has never to my knowledge been a single prosecution of a spotter for having or using a receiver certainly in recent years. HOWEVER please be sensible and don't do anything that is likely to make the people in bright yellow jackets get even more self righteous !
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Old 29th Mar 2009, 07:01
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One of those idiotic laws passed by idiotic people for a reason long lost in the past.

No amount of discussion can refute the fact that companies make air band radios for enthusiasts to listen with great interest to ATC. For decades enthusiasts have been visiting airfields, including LHR, with their radios enjoying their purchase without interuption or enforcement, or little of it.

It was once against the law to listen to BBC broadcasts unless you had a licence, so it was and is with TV. The latter of course is revenue required by aunty BBC.

The most pedantic of people would be hardpressed to support this paticular law and it, with thousands of others needlessly and aimlessly still in the statute books, should be listed and repealed.
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Old 29th Mar 2009, 07:57
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It is most certainly NOT an idiotic law, it's just that there are few resources to police it just like speeding on our roads. I'm always amazed at the way spotters argue that they should be able to listen to the airband and wonder if, on other forums, there are people arguing as ferociously to be able to listen to police or ambulance transmissions?

I'm a professional controller and a licenced radio amateur and have been interested in radio communications all my life. I have great respect for radio regulations and I believe that the policing of the radio spectrum in the UK is virtually nil, wheareas 30 years ago it was fairly strict. The result of this is that ANYBODY can buy radio equipment for use on frequencies for which they are not authorised - not only receivers by transmitters too. It is not unknown for some idiots to use such transmitters to "play" at being air traffic controllers. I know, from bitter experience, so just consider that for a moment..

You only have to look at some spotters forums - even PPrune for that matter - to see the rubbish written by people who are illegally monitoring the air band. What they, in complete ignorance, write has been picked by newspapers resulting in the usual "Four seconds from disaster" type headline, which is not fun for those involved.
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Old 29th Mar 2009, 12:04
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I wonder if it's the actions of the few thoughtless people who are making it harder for all the genuine spotters. I also believe that us spotters have to accept that terrorism is going to change the way we have to do our hobby. I accept that police have a resposability to try and stop terrorism. Unfortunatly most terrorists in this country appear to be ordinary people until the day they commit their dreadful act, thus making it, I believe, harder for the authorities to detect them.
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Old 29th Mar 2009, 14:55
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I consider myself a responsible Aviation/Aircaft Photographer.
Ex RAF 1956-1971 ,Ground Radio/Telegraphy.
Semi professional Hobby in Aircraft Photograpy since mid 1970s ,today still very Active.
I have used an Airband Radio and still do.
My understanding was that you could listen as long as you did not act on what you may hear, I now realise that it is not the case.
However I did involve myself quite a few years back when I lived near Marshalls Airport Cambridge.
During a week end late afternoon I was scanning to pass the time when my Scanner locked on to 121.5.
I could hear very fiently a distress beacon going off.
What to Do!!!!
I called the local boys in blue,I explained in detail who I was and my concerns that someone somewhere was in Trouble.
The were very appreciative and said they would investigate.
A short while later I got a call from the Search and Rescue Centre asking me to let them hear over the phone the exact nature of the Signal.
I then received a big thank you call later on from them saying that they were able to pinpoint the Source and it came from an Aircraft under "Service" at Marshalls and that a Technition had left a Distress beacon Switced on.
I then asked them how they viewed my scanning and the response was
"Carrry on with the good work , and dont worry about the act of "Scanning"

I have openly used my scanner here in The UK with no problems, but beware
the Continent, In Particular I know France and Belgium enforce the law against Airband Radios to the letter.
I have witnessed a confiscation of a very expensive Scanner at CDG ,but now at CDG Paris the local Spotter group "Kerazen" have negotiated a very local agreement with the Police.
To the effect Airband Radios are allowed witin a very defined area around CDG.
Maybe this is the way forward??
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Old 29th Mar 2009, 19:21
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Proof that responsable scanning can be usefull/helpful, but the question that I think is hard to answer is how to distinguish between the likes of yourself (ie the ordinary law abiding person going about a legitamate hobby) and a potential terrorist.
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Old 30th Mar 2009, 21:23
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Why exactly is it illegal? Listening to some pilots say "Speedbird 274 cleared to take-off runway 27R". Does that constitute a threat to national security? I am not being facetious by the way, I genuinely would like to know what the problem is.
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Old 31st Mar 2009, 10:07
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Radio is and has been used for all sorts of communication and yonks ago it was decided that Joe Public should only have access to BBC, commercial radio, radio amateurs and one or two other services. Many radios provide access to "illegal" bands..... just like some cars give you "access" to illegal speeds on 70mph roads. It doesn't mean you should use them illegally.

As a retired professional user of radio I found it slightly galling that any old Tom, Dick or Harry could be listening to me working - and sometimes flog stupid stories to newspapers (look at some of the tripe on here and spotters forums). Radio is simply a method of communicating between people doing their jobs so why should anyone need to eavesdrop on pilots or controllers? Would you walk into a bank or hospital and simply stand there listening to people going about their business?

Some aspects of airband radio communications, as with police and other services, ARE confidential and should not be heard by other than those doing their duty.
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Old 31st Mar 2009, 10:24
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Why exactly is it illegal? Listening to some pilots say "Speedbird 274 cleared to take-off runway 27R". Does that constitute a threat to national security? I am not being facetious by the way, I genuinely would like to know what the problem is.
Something doesn't need to be a threat to national security to be wrong. Let's suppose that you wire the house next door with microphones to listen to their private conversations. This is not likely to endanger national security but is it right?

Indeed there are security implications in following the movements of aircraft, not because of what you do with the information but what a bad guy could potentially do. There are also privacy considerations. Some private owners of aircraft are even annoyed by reggie spotters because they feel that their movements are being watched.
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Old 31st Mar 2009, 11:11
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Presumably those countries which allow ATC over the internet at sites such as Live ATC (predominantly US but also I believe Ireland and the Netherlands among others) have a different legal situation?
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