Scanning Europe

[aaronp]

I'm thinking about a trip to Europe this summer (July 06). I have a Radio Shack Pro 96 handheld scanner.
Would it be a good/bad idea to bring it with me?
If there's a chance it could get confiscated at customs or something like that, I'd just as soon leave it home.

Countries I may visit include:
UK
Italy
Germany
Spain
Switzerland

and possibly any neighboring countries I have to pass through.

Any advice?

 

[scanjunkie]

I'm thinking about a trip to Europe this summer (July 06).

Any advice?

My advice...take a trip around the good old United States of America and take your scanner with you!!
But either way have a safe trip...

 

[Archie]

REPLY -Scanning Europe

Isn't most or all of Europe on the TETRA system which is fully encrypted ?????

 

[sailor]

If there's a chance it could get confiscated at customs or something like that, I'd just as soon leave it home.

Hi,

at least here in Germany it is not illegal to own a scanner but it is illegal to listen to certain transmissions. The Customs Dept would have no legal argument to confiscate any equipment. In the few cases that went to court, the best argument of the indictment has always been "certain frequencies were programmed in the scanner that one is not allowed to listen to". So, as long as you don't walk around with the scanner in your hands at full volume there shouldn't be any problems.

Fred

 

[Sinager]

Hi,

at least here in Germany it is not illegal to own a scanner but it is illegal to listen to certain transmissions. The Customs Dept would have no legal argument to confiscate any equipment. In the few cases that went to court, the best argument of the indictment has always been "certain frequencies were programmed in the scanner that one is not allowed to listen to". So, as long as you don't walk around with the scanner in your hands at full volume there shouldn't be any problems.

Fred

Same in Italy, where you are likely to be questioned by airport security if you have that in you hand baggage (happened to me with a Scout as well).
BTW Tetra is still in expermintal phase and all traffic is still in plain old analogue.

 

[Raccon]

Isn't most or all of Europe on the TETRA system which is fully encrypted ?????

Encryption in TETRA is optional though most if not all PSS organizations will use it; there are however some non-PSS networks in Europe.
As well there are many Tetrapol networks (a proprietary digital trunking system) in Europe. Those might use encryption, too.

BTW Tetra is still in expermintal phase and all traffic is still in plain old analogue.

You mean TETRA in Italy only or TETRA in Europe? AFAIK it's not in any experimental phase at all but rather in full operational use in many countries across Europe (Finland, UK, Belgium etc.)

 

[Arcticpeak]

BTW Tetra is still in expermintal phase and all traffic is still in plain old analogue.

This is correct.
In most european countries the battle contiues about what technology to select (it will probably end up with TETRA and/or TETRAPOL in most countries or GSM-R) and about who shall pay the enourmous cost..

 

[Sinager]

You mean TETRA in Italy only or TETRA in Europe? AFAIK it's not in any experimental phase at all but rather in full operational use in many countries across Europe (Finland, UK, Belgium etc.)

I'm talking about Italy only.
Here police forces are still using analogue and only switch encryption on for the most sensible bits of conversation. More often, however, in those cases they use a cellphone to call back to control room.