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> It is worth pointing out that you do not need an amateur radio license to receive signals, and indeed transmitting is not necessary for this experiment. I do
by anyfoo 5y ago
> It is worth pointing out that you do not need an amateur radio license to receive signals, and indeed transmitting is not necessary for this experiment.
I don't think that's true everywhere. There is a reason that at least in the 80s/90s, scanners were exclusively sold as "export equipment" in Germany, meaning you were not allowed to buy them for use within Germany. (Don't know if that's still the case.)
They still were advertised next to all the other non-export equipment in consumer electronic store catalogues, just with a warning. I would be shocked, shocked, if there ever were any customers who bought such a scanner without the explicit intent to export it to another country.[1]
[1] I didn't, like actually didn't. Not only was I too young to have that kind of money, at that age I actually thought using one might get me into serious trouble (I have no idea how).
- Aloha 5y agoA scanner and a shortwave receiver are not the same thing.
- anyfoo 5y agoI don't know if listening to this particular signal is legal or not in Germany or anywhere else, I'm just pointing out that for the general case (as I read OP's sentence) it may well depend on the jurisdiction.
- Aloha 5y agoThe only countries as far as I know that banned shortwave reception were the former eastern block countries and other similar regimes.
- LeoPanthera 5y agoReception of the entire HF band is legal globally, as defined by the ITU. You don't need a scanner to receive shortwave radio, and in fact most scanners can't receive shortwave radio.
- mlyle 5y agoITU doesn't get to decide what's legal in countries. If Cuba wants to tell you it's illegal to listen to Voice of America on HF, they can. ITU just helps countries agree on uses for spectrum and conventions for its use.
- Arnt 5y agoThe ITU defines what the bands are, but of course not the legality of using them.
- anyfoo 5y agoOP said you don't need a license to "receive signals". As far as I know that's not correct. Maybe OP meant specifically these signals, but that's not how I read it, and it's worth pointing out anyway.
- User23 5y ago> at that age I actually thought using one might get me into serious trouble (I have no idea how). Aber es war streng verboten!
- elzbardico 5y agoSo, my advice is: if is not legal to receive SW signals in your country: Build your own receiver if needed, but make a point of DO receiving SW signals and try to help as much people as possible while you make sure the State knows people are making it without letting know WHO is doing it.