Out1982
Member
Hi folks. My interest in scanning was sparked as a young teenager as a friend of mine had both a scanner and a CB radio. In my late teens I joined the military and was finally making enough money to buy my own scanner if I so chose to. Ironically, owning a none official scanner on a military base seemed like a one way ticket to getting myself into trouble (I'm not sure whether it would have been legal or not) so I dropped the idea and moved on with life. But having left the military a few years back, the idea of owning a scanner has again popped into my head and I am keen to follow up on this interest I had to abandon back then. (Call it a mid-life crisis if you will). My problem is this; my knowledge of the subject is extremely limited. So I was hoping by joining this forum I could pick a few peoples brains and hopefully get a steer in the right direction. I guess firstly I should be worried about legalities. What am I legally allowed and not allowed to do /listen to with a scanner? Do I need a license to own and use one? (No doubt the rules on this will differ from country to country.) Secondly, what sort of scanner should I be considering as a newbie? I've seen a number of handheld scanners for sale online but they all seem to be overly cheap and of dubious origin. Although I suppose it could prove a less-costly outlay of cash just to test the water and see if the interest is there. But if I were to opt for a more substantial unit that I could install at home, what would be the advice of the majority in terms of make, model, new, second hand? And where should I be looking to source one? Would the classifieds section of this website be a good place to start? And I guess I'll also have to take into account the necessity for antenna, size location etc? Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance.