Scanner Use At Sensitive Sites

Has anyone had any experience either bringing or using a portable scanner at the observation decks of places like The Empire State Building. The Freedom Tower, or the "Top Of The Rock" (Rockefeller Center's observation deck) ?

I'd love to see what kind of reception I get at those places, providing that you can even operate a scanner up there. The other issue is the tremendous amount of front-end overloading you would get being in proximity to so many high-powered transmitters.

Anyone with any first-hand experience ?

I wouldnt as those are sensitive areas and you may bring undue attention to yourself ie a bunch of cops surrounding and questioning you.

I'm sure you will be fine. There's nothing illegal about it. If they ask what it is, just tell them. If they tell you to put it away, just put it away. I'm sure neither will happen though.

What KMA371 said.

I would be hugely, hugely surprised if anyone gave you trouble about bringing a scanner. Those aren't "sensitive" sites, they're tourist attractions. Naturally, you you might get in trouble for annoying people with the audio, but that's what earphones are for.

That said, almost no consumer grade scanner is likely to work very well at any of the places you mentioned. I've been at all three of those sites (in the radio rooms, which are not that far from the observation decks), and the RF environment at any of them can tax even high-grade test equipment.

Of the three, the GE building is your best bet. It's still in a heavily polluted RF environment, but no TV transmitters at least.

One time I went to the Empire State Building with one of my HT's. Before I put my stuff through the X-Ray machine, I told one of the Security Guards that I had a two way radio in one of my jacket pockets and he told me that was fine. Well once I grabbed my jacket from the X-Ray machine one of the female guards stopped me and said I had to leave my radio with them, as my radio would interfere with "stuff" I told them it was no different then me having my cell phone with me, but they didn't understand. I left my radio with them and picked it up from them when I left the observation deck.

The Empire State Building and The Freedom Tower are considered sensitive sites so I would be careful. The issue with the radio having to be left was because of the interference with the radios they have there. Cell phones dont interfere as much but anything in the 130 to 174 mhz range can interfere with their various systems. I asked someone I know who works in the building.

Hes talking about a receiver not a transmitter.

I don't think your friend knows what he's talking about.

For security guards, its always safer to say no then yes.

it's all about "cover your ***". Take the antenna off, place it face down in the tray with as much stuff as possible and use ear buds. Hopefully you have a small ie:BC 396 scanner.