Allan_Love_Jr
Member
Are Radio Hobbyists allowed to take on board a Radio such as Handheld Radios? Scanners? Handheld CB Radio? E.T.C.? Thanks.
Taking a Radio on the plane.
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marksmith
Member
I have carried them in luggage, but never in the cabin. Don’t know.
Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others
Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yes, and you don't have to be a hobbyist.
Are you talking about a commercial flight?
You usually cannot transmit, sometimes they won't even want you to turn it on. There can be some restrictions on lithium ion batteries. I've had work radios in my carry on baggage, no issues.
Private aircraft?
Some amateurs like to operate "aeronautical mobile".
Are you talking about a commercial flight?
You usually cannot transmit, sometimes they won't even want you to turn it on. There can be some restrictions on lithium ion batteries. I've had work radios in my carry on baggage, no issues.
Private aircraft?
Some amateurs like to operate "aeronautical mobile".
Scanners aren't that big of a deal. Transmitters more so, because they can interfere with aircraft systems if you key up in flight. I would leave TX-capable radios in checked luggage, and only take a handheld scanner on the plane. I would also program it with a FL with FM broadcast frequencies, and have that be the only enabled FL when going through security, in case they want you to turn it on.
Allan_Love_Jr
Member
Thank you guys. I will be taking a flight sometime in October.
Allan_Love_Jr
Member
I carry two radios and a scanner in my carry on, and I have never been questioned. Follow the same rules as other electronics. Even the receiver section of a radio can emit RF, so any radio should stay off once the plane leaves the gate and stay off until the pilot gives the okay for cell phones and transmitting devices after landing. If flying to a foreign country, get written permission from their ARRL equivalent before taking a radio. When departing Guatemala the first time, the army was checking bags, and I might still be there if I hadn't gotten a letter of approval signed by lthe head of their radio league.
I just flew Southwest last week, carried a handheld scanner and a dualband HT in my carryon pack. No questions, no issues. I did not use either in flight...
Best bet is to call the airline you'll be flying with and ask them their policy. Usually, carry on stuff that's prohibited will be listed somewhere on their website.
scanmanmi
Member
Does anyone understand the logic in this? Wouldn't you rather know if a device is going to cause interference before you left than 7 mile high? I don't know of any systems differences at altitude. There is a time in flight they let you turn them on right?
The logic is simple. At 30,000 feet, worst case scenario you have about 5 minutes to resolve a major problem before you go splat. During takeoff and landing, you may only have 5 seconds, or even less, to resolve a problem before involuntarily becoming poorly-cooked hamburger.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Which part?
Most radios have a local oscillator that can interfere with other electronics. Aircraft radios should be able to handle this, but I suspect it's erring on the side of caution.
For cell phones, it can cause issues for the system since control channels and get reused. A cell phone at 35,000 feet could be trying to connect to one cell site, but be heard by several.
The other reason for it is that it keeps passengers paying attention to the crew, rather than staring at a screen. Takeoffs and landings is when they want the passengers aware of what's going on.
With the small windows, a transmitter probably isn't going to do much good. UHF and higher might work, but still having RF in the cabin with little place to escape isn't an ideal situation for the aircraft.
Mostly I think it comes down to keeping passengers aware during the transitions.
First of all, this question has been discussed many times, yet always is a subject of endless speculation.
The rules are made by the FAA. The TSA has nothing to do with it and the airlines will do what the FAA says. TSA doesn't seem to care about radios. I've been on dozens of flights in the last few years and not once did they even look at my radios. They x-rayed my camera lenses once.
Do not put radios in checked baggage. They might disappear. More importantly the FAA says it is forbidden to check lithium batteries in luggage. Fire danger. Fire danger in the cabin too, but easier to deal with.
As for operating radios in flight, you could ask the captain and do it with permission. However, you are not likely to get permission. After all the captain is responsible for everyone on board and will not take a risk. I've done it on private planes, but that's a different story.
You cannot operate some electronics below 10,000 feet on commercial flights. Radios are a no-no period (see exception above). Computers and Bluetooth are OK at altitude. Of course, lots of planes have their own wi-fi. They even stream movies.
Don't waste time asking the airline. They do what the FAA tells them to and, considering liability issues, they won't budge.
Last, unless you had an outside antenna, you won't get many contacts anyway. Your scanner probably wouldn't hear much either.
Relax, watch a movie and enjoy your bag of nuts and free soda.
The rules are made by the FAA. The TSA has nothing to do with it and the airlines will do what the FAA says. TSA doesn't seem to care about radios. I've been on dozens of flights in the last few years and not once did they even look at my radios. They x-rayed my camera lenses once.
Do not put radios in checked baggage. They might disappear. More importantly the FAA says it is forbidden to check lithium batteries in luggage. Fire danger. Fire danger in the cabin too, but easier to deal with.
As for operating radios in flight, you could ask the captain and do it with permission. However, you are not likely to get permission. After all the captain is responsible for everyone on board and will not take a risk. I've done it on private planes, but that's a different story.
You cannot operate some electronics below 10,000 feet on commercial flights. Radios are a no-no period (see exception above). Computers and Bluetooth are OK at altitude. Of course, lots of planes have their own wi-fi. They even stream movies.
Don't waste time asking the airline. They do what the FAA tells them to and, considering liability issues, they won't budge.
Last, unless you had an outside antenna, you won't get many contacts anyway. Your scanner probably wouldn't hear much either.
Relax, watch a movie and enjoy your bag of nuts and free soda.
ecps92
Member
Using a TV, Radio [AM/FM], Cellphone, Two-Way and scanner are generally listed as items specifically prohibited from being used while airborne.
Most list these in the back of the flight magazine.
I've seen some now begin to allow GPS, where others still listed them as a No-No
And yes - do not CHECK them, things disappear easily
Most list these in the back of the flight magazine.
I've seen some now begin to allow GPS, where others still listed them as a No-No
And yes - do not CHECK them, things disappear easily
N4KVE
Member
Whenever I fly on vacation, I carry a small HT in my laptop bag. Once we land, and are taxiing to the terminal, I do contact the person who will be picking me up to let them know I am on the ground. I do not use my cellphone in a foreign country, & the HT gets the job done. Never had a problem.
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Actually the rules are made by the airline and pilot not the FAA and not the FAA in the sense that the pilot has last say.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_on_aircraft (see section Regulations and practice in the United States. Also see:
https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/ped/
D
DaveNF2G
Guest
Any source, particularly Wikipedia, that gives an airline employee more power than the FAA is just wrong.
The FAA permits the "operator" of an aircraft to decide about onboard electronics. In the case of a Part 121 or Part 135 carrier, that is the airline, not the pilot-in-command. Airline policy trumps crew authority, and in turn is controlled by FAA regulations.
The FAA permits the "operator" of an aircraft to decide about onboard electronics. In the case of a Part 121 or Part 135 carrier, that is the airline, not the pilot-in-command. Airline policy trumps crew authority, and in turn is controlled by FAA regulations.
Check the website of the carrier you plan to use. Each should provide a more definitive answer than this forum. Still, if a crew member instructs me to do something, I comply. As long as they are not beating me with a stick, I am easy going on what I perceive are my "rights as a passenger".
I see no reason to transmit as a passenger while on a commercial airline. I have enjoyed using a scanner or an AM radio while flying domestic or international. As previously mentioned, if the antenna/device is not right at the window it will not work very well, if at all.
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When I went on a Southwest Airlines flight to Florida I asked the Pilot and he was okay with it, I only had the GMRS repeaters with travel tones programmed at the time, didn't put in any amateur systems before I left. I was able to hit quite a few systems, full quieting haha, didn't ever get any response but it was neat.
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