Scanning in England

[PeterGV]

When I travel, I usually take my scanner.

For my next business trip, I'm going to England (the general London area). While I've been many times, I've never taken any of my radios.

What's the "scoop" with scanner use in England? I seem to recall reading, a while back, that there are some legal wrinkles to scanning in the UK??

Is there anything left to hear, or is all the PS traffic now Tetra??

Thanks,

Peter

 

[Slyster]

Google is you friend! (i.e. I'm sure some searching there will be productive)

 

[pickles37]

I believe that using a scanner is illegal in the UK, unless you have specific permission to listen to any particular channel - think of radio conversations like cellphone conversations. However this is not to say that people don't use them. Also I think all police are now on Tetra encrypted systems

 

[mciupa]

Hello Peter

The moderator of the UK Radio Discussion Forum posted this link as a "sticky" for those interested in legalities of monitoring in UK

Have a look: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/enforcement/ofw156x

 

[PeterGV]

Google is you friend! (i.e. I'm sure some searching there will be productive)

Ah, while Google is always my friend, it was not helpful in this case. I wouldn't have posted the question here if I hadn't QUITE THOROUGHLY Googled the topic first and found very little information, most of which seemed to be outdated and some of which appeared to be outdated.

Peter

 

[kb2vxa]

I'll save you all the trouble and just answer the question.

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General reception

This sets out the legal position about the reception of personal or business radio transmissions by unauthorised persons or groups.

A licence is not required to use a radio receiver or scanner as long as it is not capable of transmission. It is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanner or any other receiver but it must only be used to listen to transmissions meant for general reception. The services that can be listened to under the definition of general reception are:

a) licensed broadcasting stations
b) amateur and citizens' band radio transmissions
c) weather and navigation transmissions

It is an offence to listen to any other radio services unless licensed to do so, this includes listening to illegal radio stations (pirates) by virtue of the fact that they are not licensed radio stations.

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(Like you can get a license to listen to a pirate.)

Setting aside all the double talk, for all >>>practical intents and purposes<<< scanners are illegal in the UK so avoid trouble and leave it home. You don't want a Clash and get Undone In London. (London Calling, Radio Clash, Rockin' The Casbah, etc.)

 

[PeterGV]

Thanks to all for the helpful replies.

Sigh... I thought I remembered something like that. Seems I'll have to go sans radio.

Again, many thanks,

Peter