Scanners in China

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Radiobern

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Has anyone taken with them a GRE or Uniden scanner to China? I know it's not quite legal as I've seen a scrolling sign at the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport (CAN/ZGGG) listing prohibited items. Two that caught my eye were "two-way radios" and "radio receivers".

I've been to Guangzhou and Hong Kong with my Yaesu VR-120D without issue on any of my previous visits, most recently last year. While I haven't been able to hear a whole lot while in Guangzhou, I have managed to pick up the security used at the gated community where we stay (Guangzhou Country Garden). I have also been able to find frequencies for some restaurant staff. I think I've also found truckers talking on some UHF frequencies I didn't bother saving.

Anyone have any general band plans for China? I know I won't be able to hear police or fire as they are most likely on Tetra. I am interested in hearing the subway/metro staff. They all use handhelds that sound analog, as I can hear static and doesn't seem to be on a repeater due to the scratchiness. I've tried searching 136 MHz to 174 MHz and 400 MHz to 600 MHz on my Yaesu but I think the scan speed is too slow.

This time, I'm tempted to bring my GRE PSR-500 but I don't want it confiscated or who knows they'll do to me for having a prohibited item. I do have a general class ham radio license from the FCC but I doubt that helps at all.
 

krokus

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I would check with the consulate or embassy, before taking the radios with you. When I visited Hong Kong, I left my radios on the ship. (For a number of reasons.)
 

Raccon

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This time, I'm tempted to bring my GRE PSR-500 but I don't want it confiscated or who knows they'll do to me for having a prohibited item. I do have a general class ham radio license from the FCC but I doubt that helps at all.
You are quite optimistic if you think they will only confiscate the scanner. Taking them out is also forbidden without proper declaration.

BTW: Several metros in China are now on TETRA, too. Out of my head Guangzhou, Shenzen, Zhengzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin and Nanjing. And Hong Kong.
 

Radiobern

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I am back from my trip to Guangzhou and did not take the PSR-500. I did take my VR-120D as usual and listened to some business users.

I also took it with me to Macau on my short visit there but I didn't find anything of interest. The taxi had a scratchy mobile with a brand I can't remember and didn't figure out the frequency during the short ride. Most casino staff had Motorola digital looking radios of some sort with color screens, as did the police.

Guangzhou Country Garden Security: 461.5 repeater (Kenwood handhelds that are labeled "channel 15")
Guangzhou Taxi: 464.9 repeater (Kenwood mobile that was labeled as such)

I still was not able to figure out the Guangzhou Metro or subway system frequencies. I noticed station staff carried with them a Motorola digital radio with color screen that was not used and a Linwei brand handheld that was mostly used. It was analog as I could hear static or users transmitting over each other. The subway driver would also make a brief transmission at each stop on this Linwei radio.

At the Canton Fair, there were a fair share of analog Motorola handheld radios in use but I didn't get a chance to find their frequencies. The police there used these digital radios with color screens. It would show a color picture of whomever was transmitting. The uniformed people in green had scratchy analog radios that would pick up noise as they walked around. It was usually one radio per pair of people. Some fellow attendees used FRS to keep in touch.

I picked up some other UHF chatter but couldn't figure out who they were.
 

CqDx

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Rules and regulations aside, there are a number of TETRA systems in the 350 MHz range in China. I have also seen (and heard) a number of business users trunking systems in the 850-870MHz range, both Motorola and EDACS systems.

Keep in mind that TETRA is big in HK and China, luckily they use a fairly standard frequency structure so if you search in the 350-430 MHZ range you will find something there.

Since the last time I scanned in the area you mentioned, there is significantly more MOTOTRBO systems in the UHF and VHF bands so you may want to keep an eye out for those.
 

CqDx

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All those color radios you referenced are the Motorola MTP850 series TETRA radios. Macau, Guangzhou metro and police are users of them.
 

Raccon

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Rules and regulations aside, there are a number of TETRA systems in the 350 MHz range in China. I have also seen (and heard) a number of business users trunking systems in the 850-870MHz range, both Motorola and EDACS systems.

Keep in mind that TETRA is big in HK and China, luckily they use a fairly standard frequency structure so if you search in the 350-430 MHZ range you will find something there.
HK doesn't have 350MHz TETRA systems but some in the 806-824//851-869 MHz band (beside the 380-400MHz band).
 

AB9IL

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Definitely be careful bringing radios into China. They're sensitive enough about computers, and definitely prohibit things with coverage beyond broadcast frequencies. You can see consumer grade shortwave receivers in many electronics shops, but not true communications receivers.

I've gotten away with tuning the company aircraft's HF to a few interesting frequencies, and hear a limited amount of broadcast DX. The Firedrake jammer can be very loud and splattery on the bands, for foreign media is hated by the government. Maybe I can get in with a RTL-SDR dongle and see what's on the bands there. Dabbling a bit with other gear, I can say one hears a lot of QRM from a million dirty RF sources, so weak signal listening wouldn't be easy in a city or even moderately sized town.

VHF and above would be interesting on good equipment, with a decent antenna - you would uncover the real happenings in the middle kingdom.

As an aside, the VHF Air band is pretty junked up with Chinese anti-stealth radar. There's a lot of it along the coast and near military bases.
 

takheng

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Hello I live in Guangzhou and I can provide some information to you.
Guangzhou Metro and police use TETRA around 850MHz.
You can find taxi repeater at 440~443MHz and 850MHz. (Analog)
Amateur radio at 435~440MHz.
Railway Coummunication at 457~458MHz.

Sorry for my poor English.
 

mikewazowski

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Wow, compared to a lot of people on this site who's native language is English, your English is excellent!

Welcome to the site.
 

CqDx

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Not a whole a lot to listen these days, you can always rely on airband for some English and mayyyybe marine channels.

UHF starts at 350 MHz there, you will find TETRA and Mototrbo in the UHF band as well
 
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