Radio Scanners

Martin
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat 09 Aug, 2003 20.01
Location: U.K.

Has anyone got/used one of these radio scanners that pick up on local signals such as taxi companies or emergency services (with an appropriate licence)? I was looking on ebay as I'm thinking of buying one out of curiosity/boredum.
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martindtanderson
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue 23 Dec, 2003 04.03
Location: London, UK
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aren't they illegal in the UK?
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Si-Co
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu 13 May, 2004 23.17
Location: Blaydon, Tyne and Wear

I have a (legal) scanner which I use to pick up air traffic control. You can pick up some taxi firms and some police transmissions with that. A lot of the police stuff is scrambled now I believe.

Depending on what you want, you can pick up a scanner / air band radio for as cheap as £20.
Boughton
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri 22 Aug, 2003 16.48

Mmm ... well, I can remember when you could pick up the police by tuning up to the top end of the dial on your normal, domestic VHF (that's FM to you, kids...) radio. You could usually only hear one side of the conversation though.
Martin
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat 09 Aug, 2003 20.01
Location: U.K.

I was actually interested in picking up the radio signal for the city's buses (long story). If you can pick up a taxi signal in theory could you do the same for that? Other than that I was just interested in seeing what could be picked up.
fusionlad
Posts: 370
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.21
Location: Plymouth
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I've got a scanner which picks up the local bus company, as well as emergency services.

It's not illegal to own a scanner, but it is illegal to listen to emergency services, so I obviously steer well clear ;)
Jamez
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Joined: Sun 30 May, 2004 23.02
Location: Bristol

hehehe! I used to listen to the Police when I had a scanner a few years ago (1997-ish).

I used to be able to pick up Police conversations from Swansea - even though I was 50 miles away at the time.
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markyboi
Posts: 150
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 20.22
Location: Lanarkshire

Boughton wrote:Mmm ... well, I can remember when you could pick up the police by tuning up to the top end of the dial on your normal, domestic VHF (that's FM to you, kids...) radio. You could usually only hear one side of the conversation though.
lol, we used to do that years ago
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tvmercia
Posts: 601
Joined: Sat 10 Jan, 2004 03.15
Location: Low Birk Hatt

back in the day i used to be able to pick up the talk back from the bbc midlands OB van. i think its probably still possible, but i've forgotten the frequency. at around 5.30ish you'd hear a loop of the extended titles music (patchwork era) with a voiceover. at around 6.00 you'd hear the "this is bbc one, we're sorry we cannot bring you your local news" (or something like that) - then the london headlines.
Big Brother
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.21

Is it not just illegal to act upon the information you hear. So if you hear there is a drugs raid about to happen down the road and decide to go along you break the law.

I have an old radio alarm clock which actually picks up the signal from one of my neighbours (or around this area) house phone, probably a cordless phone. I recall one evening in which one of them was on the phone talking about bringing some fags and booze over from somewhere. Quite interesting & clearly they were all deaf as they were shouting... or was it just turned up load. lol
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Nick Harvey
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Location: Deepest Wiltshire
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Correct, Big Brother. It's legal to own a scanner and it's legal to listen in, but it's illegal to act on the information you hear, or pass it on to a third party.
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