4 ms·

ATC is not meant for general reception. radio stations, weather/navigation broadcasts, amateur radio bands, etc. are intended for general reception. ATC is inte

by cmsj 4y ago

ATC is not meant for general reception. radio stations, weather/navigation broadcasts, amateur radio bands, etc. are intended for general reception. ATC is intended for airport staff and aircraft, so it is technically illegal to listen to it in the UK. See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/interference-enforcement/radio-interception https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/interference-enforcement/r...

wpietri 4y ago
I love this "meant for". It seems very in line with British politeness to treat certain broadcasts you receive as things that just weren't meant for you, so let's all pretend that you didn't get them.
- traceroute66 4y ago
  > It seems very in line with British politeness to treat certain broadcasts you receive as things that just weren't meant for you, so let's all pretend that you didn't get them. That's basically how the actual law on this matter is worded, i.e. "don't listen, but if you did listen, don't tell anyone". Section 48, Wireless Telegraphy Act[1], notice the clever little "or" at the end of (1)(a). So 48(1) is telling you: "don't use it with intent"(1)(a), but if you do don't be that person who "discloses information"(1)(b). [1] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/section/48 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/section/48
traceroute66 4y ago
> ATC is not meant for general reception Not quite so black and white. One easy example I can think of in the UK is uncontrolled/semi-controlled airspace (class E/G) and uncontrolled airfields. Parties transmitting on those frequencies are basically sending broadcast messages for the benefit of anyone listening in order to inform those unknown parties of their location and intentions. See also, for example, this reply to an FOI request[1], I quote: Whether or not an aeronautical transmission was intended for general reception would depend on all of the circumstances of the transmission. We cannot therefore say, generally, whether or not listening to these transmissions would be an offence. [1] https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/air_band_listening_and_the_law https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/air_band_listening_an...
tim333 4y ago
We used to have a plane with a radio in designed to listen to ATC for the usual reasons. I see no great difference to listening to it for flying the plane of listening to it for no particular reason when sitting around, legally speaking. Transmitting to ATC is of course quite a different thing.

by cmsj 4y ago

wpietri 4y ago

I love this "meant for". It seems very in line with British politeness to treat certain broadcasts you receive as things that just weren't meant for you, so let's all pretend that you didn't get them.

traceroute66 4y ago
> It seems very in line with British politeness to treat certain broadcasts you receive as things that just weren't meant for you, so let's all pretend that you didn't get them. That's basically how the actual law on this matter is worded, i.e. "don't listen, but if you did listen, don't tell anyone". Section 48, Wireless Telegraphy Act[1], notice the clever little "or" at the end of (1)(a). So 48(1) is telling you: "don't use it with intent"(1)(a), but if you do don't be that person who "discloses information"(1)(b). [1] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/section/48 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36/section/48

traceroute66 4y ago

> ATC is not meant for general reception Not quite so black and white. One easy example I can think of in the UK is uncontrolled/semi-controlled airspace (class E/G) and uncontrolled airfields. Parties transmitting on those frequencies are basically sending broadcast messages for the benefit of anyone listening in order to inform those unknown parties of their location and intentions. See also, for example, this reply to an FOI request[1], I quote: Whether or not an aeronautical transmission was intended for general reception would depend on all of the circumstances of the transmission. We cannot therefore say, generally, whether or not listening to these transmissions would be an offence. [1] https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/air_band_listening_and_the_law https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/air_band_listening_an...

tim333 4y ago

We used to have a plane with a radio in designed to listen to ATC for the usual reasons. I see no great difference to listening to it for flying the plane of listening to it for no particular reason when sitting around, legally speaking. Transmitting to ATC is of course quite a different thing.