Legalities of scanners in Asia

[questnz]

FYI, I travelled to Philippines with the scanner at least 3 times, twice with VR500 last time with Uniden 396T. Everything is xrayed on both domestic and international flights, in addition on International flights most hand luggage is hand inspected before boarding. Only once I was questioned boarding domestic flight in Manila. They have a look at Uniden and ask me can I transmit, when I told them it is a radio scanner they let me go but ask me to remove the batteries. Actually there is not that much traffic to listen to, simillar thing happened in Australia during transit. However, despite Singapore have strictly no scanning Law I travelled with the scanner via Singapore few times as well. When you land in Singapore on some flights there is actually NO customs check after you pickup bags from carusell. Straight thru the exit door. In Singapore there is plenty Air and Marine traffic to listen to. One day my luck may run out and some Security official will confiscate my toy, maybe next trip will be with cheap Uniden BC95. They can have it.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Thanks for the update!

 

[PCJMedia]

Restrictions for Taiwan are not enforced.

I spend lots of time in Singapore and it is not common and no one listens to shortwave. Yes it's true finding a shortwave radio to buy is fairly easy. But these are sold in shops where mainly foreigners from other parts of South East Asia or tourist. Of all the years I have been going to Singapore I never met another who listens to shortwave. Even AM radio vanished from the city state nearly 20 years ago.

Israel, Burma,Vietnam, PRC, ROC, Turkey and Japan are for obvious reasons.


----

Republic of China:
No rules in Taiwan, but apparantly there are restrictions on reception of specific frequency bands. Government listing of radio licensee holders not available to the general public. Information on these restrictions is not known at this time, but I'll post them when I find them out.

Singapore
In Singapore its illegal to own a scanner or a radio that can receive above 30 MHz. There is a fine of $100,000 and up to two years in prison, or both. However, having a shortwave receiver is very common, and many people like to listen to foreign broadcast services. (thanks Thunderbolt)

Israel
Illegal (details forthcoming - thanks mlevin)

Myanmar
Illegal to own a radio that receives anything but the standard broadcast bands w/o government permit. (thanks Thunderbolt)

Japan
No restrictions on scanners, except reception of Cell Phones are forbidden.

Thailand
Illegal to use any radio/scanner capable of recieving public safety frequencies.

Vietnam
Illegal to use any radio/scanner capable of recieving public safety frequencies.

People's Republic of China:
No information yet on Mainland China, but in Hong Kong it's illegal to own a radio capable of receiving frequencies over 30MHz or commercial broadcast without a permit. (thanks CqDX)

South Korea
Illegal

Turkey
Illegal

 

[spock00]

It's not illegal in Israel. Discouraged maybe but not illegal and certainly not enforced. The Ministry of Communications (MOC) likes people to register the receiver with them. The MOC their version of FCC doesn't enforce much unless you cause radio interference with business, police, fire or military comms. They'll also track down pirate radio stations especially arab ones. I read about a pirate arab radio station being shut down last week here. It was broadcasting anti-israeli propaganda from the west bank area. There is plenty to listen to here. Police is 800 MHz trunked, fire/EMS VHF hi, air comms, marine, amateur radio 2m/430, PMR446, and businesses VHF hi/UHF/800 MHz. I've also heard what sounds like UN troops on a VHF high repeater. You hear plenty of arab stations on AM radio and the BBC from Crete.

Restrictions for Taiwan are not enforced.


Israel, Burma,Vietnam, PRC, ROC, Turkey and Japan are for obvious reasons.


--
Israel
Illegal (details forthcoming - thanks mlevin)

 

[Raccon]

Singapore
In Singapore its illegal to own a scanner or a radio that can receive above 30 MHz. There is a fine of $100,000 and up to two years in prison, or both. However, having a shortwave receiver is very common, and many people like to listen to foreign broadcast services. (thanks Thunderbolt)

[...]

People's Republic of China:
No information yet on Mainland China, but in Hong Kong it's illegal to own a radio capable of receiving frequencies over 30MHz or commercial broadcast without a permit. (thanks CqDX)

How do such laws work when FM radios (like those installed in your car) receive 88.5-100MHz?

 

[KC4RAF]

Our FM radio frequency, (broadcast)

isn't used world wide. Same goes for our AM frequencies

 

[Raccon]

isn't used world wide. Same goes for our AM frequencies

That FM band is widely used in Asia, too, including Singapore.

 

[burrz]

Morning,
Anyone have a Scanner Freq. list for he Philippines that they would email me??

 

[peguin78]

Anyone with Singapore and Malaysia Scanner Freq. please email me. By the way where in Singapore I could buy a decent shortwave radio?

 

[questnz]

Singapore have a highly regulated radio market, (you can't buy scanner in Singapore) not sure about the shortwave radios. Your best bet is to visit Sim Lim Square there is a factory Motorola shop on the first floor and Funan Centre there is a few radio shops on the basement floor. Buy from authorised shops or dealers only there is plenty fake/copy radios in Singapore

 

[qwertypoiuy]

Singapore
In Singapore its illegal to own a scanner or a radio that can receive above 30 MHz. There is a fine of $100,000 and up to two years in prison, or both. However, having a shortwave receiver is very common, and many people like to listen to foreign broadcast services. (thanks Thunderbolt)

Oh dear!

 

[rapidcharger]

Sounds like a great storyline for an episode of Locked Up Abroad.

Instead of some idiot trying to smuggle drugs, they can show me with a scanner trying to listen to the po-pos and getting locked in a thai prison with cockroaches crawling in and out of my ear while I sleep on a concrete floor in a 20' wide cell with 100 other inmates for a life sentence.

It could be cross promoted with Parking Wars and I'll say "But there was no sign posted!!!"

 

[burrz]

What is the law in The Philippines Please?

 

[503733238]

Hi all,

India - Before 2010 you need to posses SWL license to use shortwave radio or other receiving equipments, noways you don't need license to radio receiver (i.e. scanners).

but still avoid using scanner in public places or keep low profile. scanners like HP-1 can be used as FM radio receiver, If anyone asks you tell them its funky FM radio and play some FM station to prove it.

Still most of Gov/Business/utility users use local languages (16 office languages in India) and use VHF/UHF frequencies big cities use radio trunking (Delhi - Tetra, Mumbai - EDACS)
hope you can get along with scanner, have happy scanning experience.

Regards,
503733238

 

[jmayson]

Malaysia

According to the sign in the customs area of Penang airport it's illegal to import "broadcast receivers capable of receiving radio, communication within the ranges (68-87) MHz and (108-174) MHz".

 

[Golay]

After looking at jamyson's post, did a bit of googling.
Looks like Penang, and all of Malaysia, has many two meter repeaters in service.

 

[jmayson]

After looking at jamyson's post, did a bit of googling.
Looks like Penang, and all of Malaysia, has many two meter repeaters in service.

They do. The traffic in Penang appears to be Hokkien. Which I don't speak.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Golay]

Two meters in the Phillipines

They do. The traffic in Penang appears to be Hokkien. Which I don't speak.

The reason I mentioned the two meter machines is I was curious how it is legal to possess two meter radios, yet the sign says having a receiver capable of receiving 108-174 MHz is illegal?

 

[Your_account]

That mean Radio Amateur stuff to?!

Cyprus: (no information)

WTF its Europe expect the Part who is occupied by Turkey.

 

[scan_madison]

In Nepal, one has to get a permission from the Ministry of Information and Communications to own a receiver that covers 30 KHz to 3000 GHz.
https://www.moic.gov.np/upload/documents/radio.pdf