Scanner while in the airport?

[ki4fuv]

I'm sure this topic has been covered before but I have searched google and the forums and can't find anything about listening to your scanner while waiting to board your flight, I can only find information about listening in flight.

It seems like getting a scanner into the airport in your carry on baggage is no problem and I know you can not listen while in flight, but will anyone give you problems listening to it while inside the airport? I'm specifically referring to ATL and FLL (Ft. Lauderdale).

I have also seen to program in the weather band in case you are asked to show that it works. Any other suggestions/tips?

[Jay911]

I have been in many airports around the world including ATL (but not FLL, sorry) with any number of scanners or radios in use. I wasn't given any grief in any way.

[kc0wkp]

I've never had a issue using a scanner in a Airport, SFO, MKE, MSP, OAK, SAC. etc....

I have even brought my Tk-5210 through in my carry-on, I just never really used while inside though.

[AlertNewEngland]

Same here. Everyone assumes it's the kind of thing that will get you in trouble, but as long as you're in the US, there's no law against it and I doubt you'll even be asked about it. For international travel, I'd probably leave it at home, unless I had done a bunch of research first.

[RIVERSMVP09]

never anyissues at SAN LAX or DTW neither.

[shanny19]

I do it all the time, if I have a layover that's 90 minutes or longer, I'll even build a new system in Freescan and download it to the scanner while I'm sitting there. Seems like 90% of the population has earbuds in, why would anybody give you grief for scanning???

[Jay911]

Originally Posted by shanny19

I do it all the time, if I have a layover that's 90 minutes or longer, I'll even build a new system in Freescan and download it to the scanner while I'm sitting there.

I search for trunk CCs and run UT, PRO96COM, or the HP's built in analyzer on them.

[MikeOxlong]

I've never had a problem sitting at the gate listening. Helps pass the time waiting for the plane to board.

[Jimru]

So long as you are discrete and use earbuds. I use a stubby antenna too, as it draws less attention when using the BC396T.

When I use the Icom IC-R6, using the menu, I set the antenna to "ear", which enables the scanner to use the earbud cable as an antenna. I then remove the rubber antenna altogether. It's not the most efficient, but it's fine for near-field use.

Like the Mama's and the Poppa's sang in the 60's, "be discreet!"

[jimlawrence]

Same experience all over North and Central America including listening while waiting for flights in PDX, YVR, JFK, SJU, STT, JAX and dozens of others. Never ever had a bit of trouble at any location with going through security either. Now, let me tell you about the dried kale leaves I brought through security at JAX....that drew far more attention than my radios!!

[tahoekid77]

I sometimes take a small pocket scanner with me on flights and used it to listen in on the pilot. Though it means swapping frequencies on the fly when ATC orders. No problem through security. Earbuds of course. Really easy to hear the captain, since his transmitter is just feet away - ATC comes in easy as well. At the airport (some) you can just use your smartphone and scanner app.

[W8RMH]

Just be sure there are no "local/state laws" prohibiting scanners.

In Kentucky for example, possess a scanner outside of your home, and you may get it confiscated, if you don't have have an amateur license or a valid LE/PS occupational reason.

Be very discreet.

[gmclam]

I've listened to scanners in airports all around the world. I usually just listen to air traffic control, and always with earbuds. Never been bothered at all. Then I take the antenna off and remove batteries before putting it into my carry-on. Still no issues whatsoever.

[kny2xb]

I flew home in mid-January

I listened to my scanner at both Tampa, FL - TPA & Rochester, NY - ROC

I used my compact PRO-84 with a an 8" Diamond RH519 and a set of slim headphones

No one questioned me at all, neither airport personnel nor passengers took notice

Everyone had their noses buried in a book, newspaper or their laptop or tablet

I packed it in the end pocket of my carry-on, so it wouldn't look to TSA like I was trying to bury it or conceal it

If I had been questioned, I would have shown them that it was a receiver only, not a transmitter,
what frequencies were programmed in and I would have stated that I'm an aero-fan and a rail-fan

I agree with the other scannists, just go low-profile, you'll have no problems, and then enjoy yourself

[poltergeisty]

When I was younger I flew several times between Denver and Salt Lake and had my scanner with me. I didn't use earbuds at the time and I attracted the attention of a pilot and a security guard. So, like many have said already, be discrete.

[Michael-SATX]

The last time I flew from SAN to BALT I brought my Pro-107 iScan that doesn't even look like a scanner
with it's short antenna and lack of a traditional keypad with me in my carry-on. I had earbuds and since
I had a window seat and family next to me I decided to do a little signal stalker while waiting for our push call,
The flight attendants made a least 89 trips up and down the aisles and did not spot my iScan
hidding under my leg on the seat cushon feeding to my earbud wire under my shirt to my hidden ear.
So I'm glad that I was monitoring because the next thing I know the ground crew was frantic when they called out
that our plane could NOT take off because of major leak of hydraulic fluid gushing out of the
left landing gear comparment. So our push back call was canceled and next thing I know the pilot was on his
cell phone making several trips from the cockpit to the outside of the front door of the 737-300 SWA jet.
By then I slipped one of the earbuds to my brother in law so he could hear all the drama unfold about how bad our leak was.
We both got a kick out of the crew coming on the intercom with the official annoucement "Ladies and Gentleman we are expiriencing
a "MINOR" technical problem at this time and we ask for your patience and we hope to get under way soon." So much for our 6am
take off time. I had picked up the Southwest Maint ground crew saying that there was no o-ring in stock here in SAT
and that they would have to fly in some mechanics with a 60 cent o-ring on the next flight in from their Dallas LUV field.
An hour later the restless natives were deplaned. We watch from the terminal gate windows as the mechanics replaced
the hydraulic o-ring seal and pressure checked the system OK. A cool 4 hours later at 10am minus alot of passengers
that were rerouted on other flights we were then airborne without further interuptions. I am VERY thankfull that I was in the know
as they say and that the ground crew spotted that problem in the pitch darkness outside or else we might have take off
with this masive leak and perhaps then had a crippled jet with either no ability to control flaps and rudder
or put down the landing gear once we got to our destination. I had visions in those old WWII movies
of the crew having to hand crank down to lock our landing gear in place or worse a "no flap landing"

What did this rule breaker learn that day. Hmm, I found the Southwest-Maint freq 460.6625 w/371 DCS
and got to hear our pilot talk with ARTCC-HoustonZHU on 126.4250 and later various other A/D freqs.
One thing I thought was ingenius on my part while in flight about 8 miles up was I used the NOAA-WX
service to nicely identify our basic location. As the WX channel would say the names of the various cities
in their waether forecasts I could easily track our flight progress just for kicks.
I'd take my Pro-107 iScan that lQQks like some kind of funky MP3 player to travel with me again ... anytime )

[oregontreehugger]

Have brought one while traveling for years. Like others posted, if you use a stubby antenna and a set of earphones, you probably won't get so much as a second glance. Great way to pass the time while waiting.

[Michael-SATX]

Besides, who has time to bother and question a well behaved, descrete and quiet scanner listenner ?
They have more important things to worry about like pocket knives AGAIN, baseball bats and more
Good gried is this a step backwards in security or what? It's like they are setting us up for something?
My TSA and flight attendant friends are shall we say less than thrilled about this as if they didn't allready
have enough to deal with in their hectic jobs without now also having to worry about any back-stabbers

[Jay911]

I actually had out my RTL-SDR in Tampa, with the little magmount antenna on the metal wall of the "workstation" cubicles at the gate. Picked up virtually nothing though, on PlanePlotter, just a pair of planes at the gates.

I also appear to have accidentally left my HP on conventional discovery mode in the air band when I put it in my carryon, On a 2 hour flight it only got 20 hits.