Scanning In Flight

[flyingwolf]

Im sure the crew aint allowed to do that either. But man I bet he got some DX. Cant get an antenna much higher then 30k feet.

 

[N_Jay]

Don't bother emailing the airlines, just start with their web site and in-flight magazines.

If you find one that says it is OK< let us know (you won't).

I would guess the pilot can use what he wants because if he sees odd nav readings he can correlt it to the radio and shut it off.

Why you can't sheild the equipment, is BECAUSE much of it is RECEIVERS, than need to be sensitive to 108 to 136 MHz. (May I add a "Duh!" here?)

Rememeber 1 mw at 100 feet is aboiut the same as 1000W at 25 miles. !!!!!

 

[scanfan03]

I think a person on this board a long time ago said that one of the pilots of his plane said that he could use a scanner while in flight. I believe the guy said that he didn't pick up very much stuff on the scanner, I think he said he could pick up one of the weather channels or something like that.

 

[rhutch]

Use to talk to a pilot and co-pilot flying for a major courrier company all the time. Remember when you fly it is not a democracy, you have no rights and they (the airlines can do just about anything they want).

 

[DPD1]

Interestingly enough, a couple of years ago I had a late night contact on 146.520 Mhz (the Amateur Radio 2m simplex calling frequency) with the pilot of a Chicago-bound airliner. He had the antenna attached to the cockpit side window using a Radio Shack suction cup mount. I won't name the airline, but their rules do not allow this sort of activity by the passengers.

Believe it or not... I actually heard someone getting into a 2M repeater once, using a handheld while the airliner was climbing from the airport. A passenger that is. The other people on the repeater were a little dismayed when he said where he was.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Custom Scanner, MURS, & Ham Antennas-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

 

[trimmerj]

I used one once on a US Air Dash 8 flight with earphones, attendent asked me what it was. I told her it was video game. Searched 460-461mhz lots of activity.

 

[elk2370bruce]

Okay, at least one lavatory lawyer will use the scanner on an airplane and play the usual BS word games as to "legality" versus "airline policy", and personal rights with the aircraft commander and crew. Do we start the "Get the Dummy Outta Jail" fund now or wait for the plaintive cry for bail money that is sure to be posted later? This topic keeps resufacing and the answers still remain unchanged. Just more wasted memory on Lindsay's hard drive. Perhaps we should retitle it Shakespere - Much Ado About Nothing.

 

[captaincraig44]

Technically, it is illegal, regardless of what the captain says. Refer to the FAR's (Federal Aviation Regulations): http://tinyurl.com/alfs4

And you will not hear much of anything since you are surrounded by a large metal tube that will attenuate just about any external radio signal to nothing by the time it gets into the cabin. There is a reason the antennas are placed outside on the bottom (and top) of the aircraft. Especially enroute, you will hear just about nothing. Around the airport you might barely hear the ground portion of comms and maybe nearby aircraft, but not much else.

 

[Al42]

FWIW, I got busted in March 2001 on a flight when I used my GPS. It was very cool for the 5 minutes when I got to use it!

Ask. A lot of pilots know what they are, and that they won't interfere with the avionics.

Of course now that mine looks like a PPC (because it is a PPC [with a GPS sleeve]) they don't look twice at me. Especially since my wife is in the aisle seat, watching a movie on her laptop.

 

[Voyager]

Interestingly enough, some airlines specifically allow GPS, others specifically note it with the "Not Allowed" equipment.

That's one that is really odd. The only reason I can figure is that they don't really want you knowing where you are (as a trigger as to when to take over the plane or something).

Joe M.

 

[Voyager]

I just saw on the news that SouthWest Airlines kicked a passenger off after she refused to change her t-shirt which had what was deemed an obscene word on it.

Interestingly enough, a couple of years ago I had a late night contact on 146.520 Mhz (the Amateur Radio 2m simplex calling frequency) with the pilot of a Chicago-bound airliner. He had the antenna attached to the cockpit side window using a Radio Shack suction cup mount. I won't name the airline, but their rules do not allow this sort of activity by the passengers.

On the T-shirt, that's another example of a really stupid policy. You can see it in public, but not on their airline? What next? You have to be clean shaven before you board? They allow 6" pencils, but not flexible nail files. They allow eyeglasses but not plastic letter openers. They allow keys, but not a keychain 1" screwdriver. I know someone who lost one of those screwdrivers his father gave him. Big deal? The guy is in his 70s (maybe older) and his father passed away many years ago. There were no provisions for packing it in a safe box to get it back on the 'other end' - no postal service to mail it to himself. And the kicker? Everything was fine on the trip away where he could have given it to his family who was seeing him off. It was on the return trip where he didn't have anyone who could take it that they said this was unacceptable. I'm sure it's warming the pocket of some security guard now. And they say the terrorists won't win... THEY ALREADY HAVE! But I digress...

On the radio subject, the difference is that the pilot (or anyone in the cockpit) would know if there is interference and could terminate the communications immediately.

BUT, if it's company policy that such devices not be operated while in flight, that person could be fired for violating company policy. The employees are more under the control of the company than anyone else. I've operated on 2M as well, but it was aboard a private aircraft. I even had an external antenna since the pilot was also a ham. I've also talked to many private pilots on 2M.

Joe M.

 

[Voyager]

Believe it or not... I actually heard someone getting into a 2M repeater once, using a handheld while the airliner was climbing from the airport. A passenger that is. The other people on the repeater were a little dismayed when he said where he was.

Now that IS illegal (or at least prohibited) on ALL airlines. If it's an electronic device, it had better be something to keep you alive if it's on at that time. Takeoff and landing ALL nonessential electronics are to be off. They even tell you when it's ok to use this or that.

Not all airlines prohibit scanner use. I'm not going to mention any that don't because sure enough some do-gooder will see fit to make a stink about it. As was said, read the company's policies. If it allows consumer electronics (except during takeoff and landing), your scanner is a piece of consumer electronics.

Joe M.

 

[BaLa]

Technically, it is illegal, regardless of what the captain says. Refer to the FAR's (Federal Aviation Regulations): http://tinyurl.com/alfs4

And you will not hear much of anything since you are surrounded by a large metal tube that will attenuate just about any external radio signal to nothing by the time it gets into the cabin.

I have used my scanner onboard an aircraft and was able to pick up some kind of Police Departments.

 

[JoeyC]

yawn... what more can be said about this?

 

[N_Jay]

. . .

Not all airlines prohibit scanner use. I'm not going to mention any that don't because sure enough some do-gooder will see fit to make a stink about it. As was said, read the company's policies. If it allows consumer electronics (except during takeoff and landing), your scanner is a piece of consumer electronics.

Joe M.

Are you back to the "It is not a RADIO" Argument? :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[eorange]

Ask. A lot of pilots know what they are, and that they won't interfere with the avionics.

I never got past asking the flight attendant; she pretty much shut me down right there. I explained that the antenna was just for receiving, but she lumped that device in with everything else radio-related that wasn't allowed. I figured it wasn't worth it and that was that.

Erik
KA3FYU

 

[mrhowes]

Legal or not, radio or not, birdie or not, I think many are missing the point. In this day of terrorism and post-9/11 using a scanner on board of plane, or arguing that you can use/take a scanner on board plane is only asking for trouble at that moment. Use caution and common sense when traveling with a scanner. If stopped at Security, be honest, calm, and answer any questions they have about the scanner. If you are told not to use the scanner on board the plane, then don't do it. Arguing and debating the legality of it's use, of if it will or will not interfere with the planes communications or navigation will only cause trouble. If the flight attendant says you cannot use your comb/hair brush on board the plane, do as he/she says. To do otherwise will only get you a private meeting with theFAA and FBI, no matter how silly the request of the flight staff. To not listen to what they ask or to interfere with them is only going to ruin your vacation.

Food for thought.

 

[N_Jay]

I never got past asking the flight attendant; she pretty much shut me down right there. I explained that the antenna was just for receiving, but she lumped that device in with everything else radio-related that wasn't allowed. I figured it wasn't worth it and that was that.

Erik
KA3FYU

LOL, Dude, have you not figured out yet the RECEIVERS are not allowed? :roll: :roll:

Yes, your scanner IS a radio! :roll:
Yes, some airlines call it out specifically, and others lump it in with AM/FM radios. :roll:
No it is NOT allowed on any US commercial airline that I know of.
Still waiting for someone to tell me what airline does allow radios in flight.
(except the person who claims to know is paranoid it will get disallowed, or they were LYING!) :wink:

 

[N_Jay]

Legal or not, radio or not, birdie or not, I think many are missing the point. In this day of terrorism and post-9/11 using a scanner on board of plane, or arguing that you can use/take a scanner on board plane is only asking for trouble at that moment. Use caution and common sense when traveling with a scanner. If stopped at Security, be honest, calm, and answer any questions they have about the scanner. If you are told not to use the scanner on board the plane, then don't do it. Arguing and debating the legality of it's use, of if it will or will not interfere with the planes communications or navigation will only cause trouble. If the flight attendant says you cannot use your comb/hair brush on board the plane, do as he/she says. To do otherwise will only get you a private meeting with theFAA and FBI, no matter how silly the request of the flight staff. To not listen to what they ask or to interfere with them is only going to ruin your vacation.

Food for thought.

Food for thought.

The issue is too many people are trying to make this a terrorism/security/TSA/Post 9-11 issue and it is NOT! :roll:

It is the SAME rules about radio equipment that have been in place as long as I can remember (Longer than the No-Smoking rules).

 

[elk2370bruce]

CLIFF NOTES VERSION CONCERNING ALL OF THE ABOVE:

DO NOT DO IT OR GO TO JAIL. DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT COLLECT TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS. Why keep rehashing this revolving door discussion for which nothing will be gained.