Radio Scanners
 

Where is the best place to get one from that's not too expensive and what am I looking for if I want to listen to ATC

Just Google "How to buy an Airband Radio". I just did, wealth of info out there.

Im sure ATC will be over the moon you wish to illegally eavesdrop on them:yuk:

How do you feel about planefinder? Does that make you sick too?
flightradar24?

You're strangely anti spotter hmmm

I swore by my Yupiteru VT-225 for years, you can still get one on ebay for a good deal.

I'm a fan of Uniden products.

Also, as someone who would be being 'eavesdropped' on (although not a controller) I really don't care and if it gives people who are interested in aviation something to enjoy then all the better.

One more thing to add, you might want to budget for an antenna depending on range. I have a handheld scanner and the rubber duck antenna that it comes with is not great, I bought a little mag-mount antenna and I keep it plugged in at home and stuck beside a window and it makes things much better. Make sure you get one optimised for the VHF(air) band.

Scanners and antennas
 

Please do be aware that there are places where listening to aircraft related comms is not legal. It's well known in the UK but some US areas have similar laws for use of a scanner in a car, even when not driving. Look for local scanner groups online- they can also give you lots of frequencies to listen for. In the US, having a Ham license overrides all local laws covering the use of scanners within the US, so I don't worry but you should.

And if you find a deal on a 2M ham band antenna which has an adjustable whip, by extending the whip as far as it will go you will come pretty close to what you need for AC traffic frequencies. Not perfect but works well enough and these can be found used at Hamfests for just a few bucks. You'll likely need an adapter for the antenna connector too, again just a few bucks. The tiny 'rubber duck' antennas are about useless, find a longer one and if it's for a handheld make sure it's very flexible. Not only so that you don't break it, but to keep it from piercing someone's eye if you or them move quickly. For outdoor home antennas, a "discone' antenna will serve you well and covers darn near anything else you might want to listen to as well. And with the internet comes many live rebroadcasts from scanner enthusiasts, and this can include AC traffic.

If you're looking for equipment to listen to AC with, remember that AC use AM, not FM, and a lot of radios which cover AC frequencies are FM only. Some do a fair job here anyway based on their receive circuitry if you're close enough. Once the radio bug bites you, you're hooked for life, but there are a whole lot of more evil things to waste your time and money on out there so maybe it's a blessing :ok:

Yawn.

Every now and again a newish member posts drivel like this. Don't take my word for it, do a search and make your own mind up. Quite frankly, it's been done to death and back.

spottilludrop: So this website is illegal? Listen to Live ATC (Air Traffic Control) Communications | LiveATC.net

You might like to have a look at their Ts and Cs which fairly concisely explain what you may, and may not, in respect of listening to ATC comms.
Terms of Use | LiveATC.net

Get with the programme Capetonian. It is illegal to "eavesdrop" on ATC in the UK. That is the law, end of.

No need to be so obnoxious. The UK is not the world, some of us may have wider horizons than the UK, and I didn't say it was legal to listen in the UK. I made a general statement and as this is a globally used website, people can work out how it may apply in their own territories.

I am not sure (open to correction of course) that it is illegal to listen to ATC in UK, I believe it is illegal to act upon or pass on anything heard.

It is not always illegal to listen to ATC, even in the UK, so maybe you should get your facts right before you hit out.

The law regarding listening to UK air traffic. | Heathrow Airport Information

Obviously. Maybe you should be before you decide to share your uninformed opinion on a subject done to death here already. It is illegal to "eavesdrop" on ATC in the UK. End of discussion.

Never use "end of" in a debate, it's not clever.
It is technically the law of the land, it remains archaic and unenforced. Most airshows have stalls selling air band radios within earshot of the patrolling Police. In the wider world, particularly the US it is common to eavesdrop via the net. Tracking movements in real time is possible via planefinder and flightradar24, both of which are perfectly legal.

Indeed the BBC broadcast a fair bit of ATC recently on their recent LHR show on prime time telly. In short, whilst technically on the statue books, a blind eye is turned so long as no extreme violations occur. In this globalised world, I have no knowledge of what extreme violations may be. It would be interesting to list the number of air band radio handbooks currently printed in the UK to do something so terribly illegal....

So you're right, it's illegal, we're all naughty boys. However it does no harm and has been and remains a tolerated pasttime. End of :)

You mentioned the UK. I didn't. As I said, some of us have broader horizons than the UK.

The original poster didn't say he wanted use it in the UK (I note however that his stated location is in the UK but we are a pretty mobile community in case you hadn't noticed).
He may have a legitimate reason for wanting to listen to certain ATC comms, in that respect you may wish to look at the link I posted.
It's a grey area. Your use of 'end of' is incorrect, inappropriate, and aggressive.

Then there is nothing more to discuss. End of.

Some people would argue that black was white to suit themselves!

Contributors might wish to review this Sticky, with regard to the position in the UK, provided by our very own mods:

http://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/206...tions-law.html

Or, for those who can't be bothered, here's the conclusion:

"In practical terms, you are unlikely to be prosecuted for simply listening in, if discrete and sensible. However, if you pass on information from what you hear, through Bulletin Boards, the press, or by setting up a live feed, then it's entirely feasible to feel Ofcom's hand on your collar and an appointment before the beak."

So do I have to shut the little ADS-B receiver that I set up to feed info into flightradar24 then? It's 'passing on information'. Can I expect PC Plod to knock my door down? :}

Dad?
It depends, some people insist it's all terribly secret squirrel whilst blabbing tales from the office on a regular basis. All very confusing.
I recall BBC news also broadcasting the ATC from Manchester when a birdstrike was recorded on film of a departing Thomson B757. Do the BBC have a license to broadcast ATC? In short, Ofcom have much bifgger fish to fry. No one cares unless you do something mind bogglingly stupid.

I have been searched by Plod as with camera and scanner numerous times when the panic, er terror alert was high and not once, on any of those occasions was I marched off to Ofcom. Go figure.

Well if you didn't before, you can now. :O

Clue: what does the "B" in ADS-B stand for ?