Taking scanner on airplane for vacation?

[FPO703]

Are there any rules/laws against taking a scanner along with you while flying from point A to point B for vacation?

What are the regulations for transporting it? Can it be in a carry-on? Should it be in my regular luggage in the cargo hold? Do I need to remove the batteries/antenna?

Anyone?

 

[Voyager]

Are there any rules/laws against taking a scanner along with you while flying from point A to point B for vacation?

What are the regulations for transporting it? Can it be in a carry-on? Should it be in my regular luggage in the cargo hold? Do I need to remove the batteries/antenna?

Anyone?

There are MANY threads with this info on the board. Carry-on seems to be no issue for any airline. Few will let you use it while aboard, and those that do only allow it after take-off and before landing.

I wouldn't put it in the luggage. Be prepared to show that it works. Program a local WX channel in the first channel or something. As such, don't take out the batteries or take the antenna off.

Joe M.

 

[FPO703]

okay. I'll be going from Cleveland to D/FW, then on to Vegas in 2 weeks and didn't know how to go about transporting my 3 scanners that will be going with me.

I'll make sure that the TSA frequency is not the first channel in the radio.

 

[n4voxgill]

I fly frequently and have never been questioned about having a scanner in my carry on bag.

Most airlines will not permit you to turn it on.

 

[FPO703]

You should be able to turn it on if you're using earphones. If they seriously believe the 'myth' about a scanner interfering with their instruments, they're crazy.

 

[safetyobc]

If antenna height is everything, what kind of reception do you get at 36,000 feet?

 

[FPO703]

Should be able to pick up half the country.

 

[banks]

Those who are not informed will most likely tell you to turn it off. Carry on isn't a problem.

Those airline officals who know anything about it should allow you to use it when the aircraft is above the "sterile cockpit" alt of 10,000 ft agl.

 

[FPO703]

So, once we've leveled off and they allow us to take out seat belts off, I should be able to turn it on?

 

[colheli]

You should be able to turn it on if you're using earphones. If they seriously believe the 'myth' about a scanner interfering with their instruments, they're crazy.

Scanners can most certainly interfere with aircraft electronic systems, albeit only in certain cases. Scanners that utilize a Local Oscillator circuit produce RF frequencies, even though they are thought of as passive receivers. If the L.O. is not shielded correctly, then guess where some of that RF energy goes? You guessed it..........into the air. If this RF is strong enough, it can cause trouble with electronic systems in the aircraft.

 

[JoeyC]

If I were the pilot I would be concerned with the possible leakage of RF energy affecting my instruments if the scanner in question were in the cockpit with me, ANY electronic device for that matter. In the cabin, chances are slim to nothing, although airlines would have you believe otherwise.

At the altitudes aircraft fly at, the only possible thing you are going to hear is the pilot of the airplane you are flying on due to the proximity of the transmitter. If you are lucky you MIGHT be able to hear the ATCs reply if you are near enough to the transmitter site and you have the antenna near the window. Monitoring from within a flying metal can is not an optimal listening arrangement.

 

[UPMan]

Reference Faraday Cage

 

[rcvmo]

Monitoring from within a flying metal can is not an optimal listening arrangement.

Ok, get all the airlines to install an external antenna for the scanner buffs.
You and I know as well, ther'll be a ham that wants to DX from 36k from his/her HT and while the other customers are listening to their scanners, this guy will blow the front ends to smitherines.
And then there's the WiFi and cellphone users too.

 

[n4voxgill]

violation of rules can you put off theplane in BFE. So if you want to get stranded in someplace midway to where you are going, then do what you want.

 

[Voyager]

So, once we've leveled off and they allow us to take out seat belts off, I should be able to turn it on?

If they allow it ONLY. If it's prohibited on that airline, it's prohibited at all times. If they don't dis-allow it, it should be fine when other electronics are allowed.

BTW, a laptop puts out a lot more potential interference than a scanner ever will, but I'm not going to debate the point. It doesn't matter. If the airline doesn't allow it, you can't argue the point with them - it's their right to ban anything they want. The ONLY reason they all don't ban laptops is because there is such a high demand to use them in flight and they don't want to lose John Q. Businessman's dollars.

Joe M.

 

[pocho]

As far as I know, the use of scanners inflight are prohibited, especially below 10,000 feet due to the possible interference it might cause to the navigation systems of the plane. The metal body of the airplane will act like a shield, so even if you were able to listen to it, you wouldn't hear much .. unless you put the scanner right next to the window. You'd probably hear 10 agencies talking over each other from 39,000 feet. :lol: Regarding taking the scanners along as carry-on, it shouldn't be a problem. :wink:

 

[colheli]

BTW, a laptop puts out a lot more potential interference than a scanner ever will, but I'm not going to debate the point. Joe M.

No debate here. You are absolutely correct. I wasn't trying to say that scanners are a big source of interference, just wanted to point out that they could be a source. Someone had previously posted something that seemed to indicate that they could not be. Another point: It doesn't matter where the scanner is located (the cockpit or the cabin). Many of the wires that are hooked to the instruments in the cockpit run in close proximity to the cabin.

 

[inigo88]

Federal Aviation Administration Regulations
14 CFR 91.21 - Portable Electronic Devices

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate, nor may any operator or pilot in command of an aircraft allow the operation of, any portable electronic device on any of the following U.S.-registered civil aircraft:

(1) Aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate; or
(2) Any other aircraft while it is operated under IFR.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to -

(1) Portable voice recorders;
(2) Hearing aids;
(3) Heart pacemakers;
(4) Electric shavers; or
(5) Any other portable electronic device that the operator of the aircraft has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication system of the aircraft on which it is to be used.

(c) In the case of an aircraft operated by a holder of an air carrier operating certificate or an operating certificate, the determination required by paragraph (b)(5) of this section shall be made by that operator of the aircraft on which the particular device is to be used. In the case of other aircraft, the determination may be made by the pilot in command or other operator of the aircraft.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, most airlines do prohibit the use of scanners at any time on board. The people saying the rule is stupid because you're sitting so far behind the cockpit don't know what they're talking about. The communications, VOR, ILS localizer and ILS glideslope antennas may be located very far back on top of or below the fuselage. Although the rule is still stupid in my opinion, I wouldn't want to tempt fate by sitting directly above the glideslope or localizer antennas blasting the scanner during a catagory II or III ILS approach in instrument meteorological conditions. Just common sense.

Still, the rumor others are saying that you won't hear anything unless you hold the antenna directly up to the window is also unfounded. A friend :wink: had no trouble listening to ATC TRACON and ARTCC controllers with headphones from a window seat, with the scanner under the seat in a backpack in a Boeing 737-700. The reception was not the greatest, but certainly very recievable.

 

[FPO703]

So, it should be alright to have them in the carry-on, just not turned on. That's understandable.

I just gotta find out about wireless access for my laptop.

 

[Audiodave1]

Hello,
Been there, done that with scanners on planes.
In the old days Delta said it was OK to use a radio receiver in flight (Above 10K)
Monitoring with my BC235 produced unlistenable results as most stations were stepping on each other. You could sort of tell where you were at scanning the NOAA freqs.

Monitoring the AC band was fun and sometimes you could hear the ground station...but not usually. Just the planes infront and behind you.

If you happen to be flying United just tune to Channel 9 on the IFE and USUALLY comms are routed there for your enjoyment.

Dave