Would I hear aircraft radio during a stay in London

[wbmkk]

I am visiting London in a couple of days and wonder whether I would be able to hear ATC - Aircraft radio communication during my stay, in central London.

Or maybe there are other interesting things to listen to while I am in London

I have an Icom scanner IC-R5

thanks

 

[G7RUX]

You will most certainly hear airband radio, yes. There are several major airports around the London area and the airspace is busy so the radio traffic is pretty busy too. Have a read around the London ATC channels and Make notes for them so you can switch around.
Which airport you might reasonably hear directly from depends on where you will be staying but in general, yes London is pretty good for airband monitoring.

 

[wbmkk]

Which airport you might reasonably hear directly from depends on where you will be staying but in general, yes London is pretty good for airband monitoring.

Thank you for your reply ... we are staying at the Premier Inn, near Goodge Street station.

Do the boats on the Thames use a certain frequency?

I used to listen to planes quite a lot, as I live near the NCL flight path, but more recently it's been marine traffic on the Tyne that I listen to

 

[G7RUX]

So around Goodge Street you’re pretty much under the approach for Heathrow so that’s a good choice. Also, City airport is a decent one to visit to listen and watch; there’s a nice walk along the North side of the dock by the airport with a decent cafe and a cracking Chinese restaurant!

Regarding marine traffic on the Thames, there are a set of VTS frequencies that the Port of London use so they would be worth having a listen on.

If you like, DM me and I can drop you a reasonable list of frequencies.

 

[RidingDownUnder]

Yes, Heathrow Airport is huge and you’ll have no problems receiving most tower Frequencies and over flying aircraft’s.

EGLL - London Heathrow Airport | SkyVector

skyvector.com

 

[wbmkk]

Yes, Heathrow Airport is huge and you’ll have no problems receiving most tower Frequencies and over flying aircraft’s.

EGLL - London Heathrow Airport | SkyVector

skyvector.com

many thanks

As a kid in the 70's we would always holiday in Devon / Corwall, but usually had a couple of days in London (Chertsey) on the way home. My mum liked the shops, but dad and I liked to visit Heathrow, either on top of the Queens Building on one of the multi story carparks. We didn't have a scanner, but many 'spotters' did and they were always keen to explain what was going on. I got an airline livery poster which I learned. Some of the destinations though on the departure boards I had never heard of at the time .. Muscat rings a bell.

Years later I flew to Johannesburg and followed out Concord and a Qantas 747 .. exciting stuff

Now with good old YT .. live plane spotting is easier .. drier too and all the apps are great.

 

[pinballwiz86]

Pretty sure what you’re planning on doing is illegal in England. Then again Mommy has made everything fun illegal there.

 

[G7RUX]

Pretty sure what you’re planning on doing is illegal in England. Then again Mommy has made everything fun illegal there.

Strictly, yes it is not legal. However the regulator has been very clear that there is no interest in prosecuting people for doing this unless they are using this in other offending. People can often be seen at air shows or around interesting airfields, plane spotting and listening on scanning receivers and neither civil nor military aviation bodies are in the slightest bit concerned about it.

 

[paulears]

Yep - anything they don;t want us to hear in encrypted and what's left is fine. London is also pretty active with our PMR446 licence free radios - but it's really shoe shops, restaurants, waiters and very short range stuff in London. There is still quite a lot of business radio between 165 and 170 and 440-470, with the busiest section probably 452-458 or thereabouts. Ham activity is 145-146 FM and 433-435FM - the actual bands are 144-146 and 430 to 440. Careful wth marine - any US marine lists you have will be wrong - we use many of the same, some duplex are simplex and some simplex, duplex. The busy channels tend to be 10-12-14-16, but then lots of others for specific purposes.

 

[Minus1]

Yes, Heathrow is within range, plus there is a main ATC transmitter at Greenford in West London, from which the following frequencies are transmitted.

118.825 AM EGTT London LTMA Outbound NE via BPK
119.775 AMn 119:780 EGTT London LTMA Outbound NW via Bovingdon
120.525 AMn 120:530 EGTT London LTMA Outbound SE via DET
121.275 AMn 121:280 EGTT London ATC [NW Bovingdon]
127.425 AMn 127:430 EGTT London ATC §2 Upper
127.95 AMn 127:955 EGTT London ATC (South)
128.6 AM London Volmet South
129.075 AMn 129:080 EGTT London ATC (S)
132.16666 AMn 132:165 EGTT London ATC §25
132.6 AMn 132:605 EGTT London ATC §26 SE Upr
133.175 AMn 133.180 EGTT London LTMA Outbound
134.125 AM EGTT London, 'Ockham' Portsmouth CTA
134.4666 AMn 134:460 EGTT London ATC - SE Upper

 

[G7RUX]

many thanks

As a kid in the 70's we would always holiday in Devon / Corwall, but usually had a couple of days in London (Chertsey) on the way home. My mum liked the shops, but dad and I liked to visit Heathrow, either on top of the Queens Building on one of the multi story carparks. We didn't have a scanner, but many 'spotters' did and they were always keen to explain what was going on. I got an airline livery poster which I learned. Some of the destinations though on the departure boards I had never heard of at the time .. Muscat rings a bell.

Years later I flew to Johannesburg and followed out Concord and a Qantas 747 .. exciting stuff

Now with good old YT .. live plane spotting is easier .. drier too and all the apps are great.

How did you get on with this and what sorts of things did you find to listen to?

 

[wbmkk]

How did you get on with this and what sorts of things did you find to listen to?

In the end, I didn't bring my scanner .. I actually forgot all about it.

We are going again though in a few months, so will bring it then. Only snag, my wife and I are sightseeing .. it would seem a little unfair if I started listing / watching planes. I could perhaps take a trip to Heathrow, while she goes shopping .. I'll have to ask her, when she is in a good mood.