The scanner mega-thread

[Slipstick]

I confess I bought myself an AR108 in my first year (£32 on EBay) but I do find I only use it occasionally. It depends a lot on the circuit and particularly on how many people there are on post.

A few times I've been working on my own at a point some way from the main post (often flagging) and then it can be extremely useful, and there's no-one to chat to anyway . But other times and particularly when I'm in a group I often don't bother. There's usually plenty to learn from watching what's going on immediately around you.

OTOH if you do circuits/meetings which are not exactly over-marshalled it's probably not a bad idea to spend some time getting used to the radio traffic ready for the day when someone says "Here's a radio, you can manage PostX on your own can't you ?". And it can happen, possibly earlier than you might expect.

Steve

[janeybobs]

First off
- Hi!!

Second - this has been my first season and have had no desire really to buy a scanner yet and I've not felt like I've missed out by not having one. Im easily distracted at the best of times *oooo shiny* so hearing a voice in my head so to speak would confuse me :-)

On the other hand when I've marshaled at the three sisters for the MBKC, they send you on post with a radio but that's slightly different as you would need to contact the grid etc to get trolleys for stranded karts and the like.


Enjoy!!

[Nick Brown]

Can any marshal here give me some good advice/info on a good scanner please ?

[Slipstick]

About 90% of the marshals I know use a Maycom AR-108. Mine was secondhand via EBay for about £25 IIRC. It works great.

OTOH more and more circuits are moving over to digital radio so at some time in the not very distant future scanners may no longer be of any practical use .

Steve

[Greem]

They've been "switching to digital" since I bought my scanner in early 2010.

Of course, now I've typed that, it will happen immediately!

[haystacks]

Brands Hatch have now got didital for PCs but at moment still on analogue for most other things..

[motorsportmarshal61]

Go with a transceiver like a puxing px777

[KayBee]

Originally Posted by haystacks

Brands Hatch have now got didital for PCs but at moment still on analogue for most other things..

Oulton also has digital radios for Post Chiefs.

[Cynic]

On a slightly unrelated subject, if anyone finds an AR-108 lying around post 19 at Thruxton, please let me know! I'm damned if I can think where else I might have left it. *fume*

[White flag man]

Scanners could well be a thing of the past, now that a lot of circuits are going digital. It may be worth getting a small FM radio, with decent earphones, as most circuits now have there own radio stations during meetings, from which you can get most information.

[skeee]

Brands is now digital for the PC but you can still pick up RC and Rescue/Recovery etc so still very useful.

[Peter Harding]

Nick - I am sure that, if they make one in the shape of a christmas pudding, you will buy it.

[Apple]

So out of interest is there no digital scanner produced?

[chrisjt1985]

Originally Posted by Apple

So out of interest is there no digital scanner produced?

You can buy them, but they are expensive, and if I understand them properly, rather then work off a frequency, you have to register each individual one with the circuits base-station. Something I don't think the circuits would want to spend an hour, or more doing at each meeting.

[b1ackcr0w]

One reason I hate working with people with scanners, is they're so busy listening to the scanner, they don't join in the banter. Which can make a long day awful boring.

[janeybobs]

Originally Posted by b1ackcr0w

One reason I hate working with people with scanners, is they're so busy listening to the scanner, they don't join in the banter. Which can make a long day awful boring.

I've never found that to be honest. I don't have one and no one has ever seemed busy listening to it to the point I felt ignored. It's handy to have someone with you who's got one if you don't. Im getting myself one. Didn't bother for my first season but think its time I got one.

[JimW]

Originally Posted by b1ackcr0w

One reason I hate working with people with scanners, is they're so busy listening to the scanner, they don't join in the banter. Which can make a long day awful boring.

Have you ever thought that they might just be ignoring you?

Jim

[LandieLad]

From the Ofcom website:

Legal position and common questions on Receive-Only Radio Scanners.
Introduction

This guidance sets out the legal position relating to the reception of radio transmissions by unauthorised persons or groups.
Radio scanners and general reception

A radio scanner is a radio receiver that can automatically tune, or scan, two or more discrete frequencies stopping when it finds a signal on one of them and then continuing scanning when that frequency goes silent. Generally, scanners cover the non-broadcast radio bands between 30 and 951 MHz using FM, although there are models that cover more of the radio spectrum and use other modulation types.
A license is not required to use a radio receiver or scanner as long as it is not capable of transmission. It is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanner or any other receiver but it should only be used to listen to transmissions meant for general reception.
The services that can be listened to under the definition of general reception are:

1. licensed broadcasting stations;
2. amateur and citizens' band radio transmissions; and
3. weather and navigation transmissions

Radio scanners should not be used to listen to any other radio services, including illegal radio stations (pirates) (by virtue of the fact that they are not licensed radio stations).
Unauthorised reception

There are two criminal offences, under section 48 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, relating to unauthorised reception.
Offence 1

It is an offence if a person "otherwise than under the authority of a designated person:
…. uses wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of any message whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not, of which neither the person using the apparatus nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is an intended recipient."
This means that it is illegal to listen to anything other than general reception transmissions unless you are either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been specifically authorised to do so by a designated person.
A designated person means:

1. the Secretary of State;
2. the Commissioners of Customs and Excise; or
3. any other person designated for the purpose by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

Offence 2

It is also an offence for someone, otherwise than under the authority of a designated person, to disclose any information as to the contents, sender or addressee of any message referred to in Offence 1. However, this does not apply where the disclosure is in the course of legal proceedings or for the purpose of any report of those proceedings. And, it does not apply where the information would have come to the person’s knowledge without the use of wireless telegraphy apparatus by him or by anyone else.
This means that it is also illegal to tell a third party what has been heard in a transmission a person has listened to illegally.
Other offences

With certain exceptions, it is also an offence under Section 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for a person:
"….. intentionally and without lawful authority to intercept, at any place in the United Kingdom, any communication in the course of its transmission by means of:

1. a public postal service;
2. a public telecommunication system."

It is similarly an offence to intercept any communication in the course of its transmission by means of a private telecommunication system.
These offences mean that it is illegal to listen to telephone calls, including mobile phone networks which are designated as forming part of the public telecommunications system.
Common questions answered

Question: Am I breaking the law by owning a scanner?
Answer: No, but you should not use one to listen to frequencies other than general reception transmissions.


Question: Can I get a licence to use a scanner?
Answer: No, there is no scanner licence. You do not need one for a scanner.


Question: Could I get authority to listen to emergency service transmissions, for example? I am interested and might be able to help.
Answer: No, authority is reserved for people acting under statutory authority. If you wish to listen in to messages, you should obtain the permission of the person sending them.


Question: Isn't it all right to listen as long as I don't pass on what I hear?
Answer: No, using radio equipment to listen in is an offence, regardless of whether the information is passed on.


Question: Isn't this all a bit heavy?
Answer: No. No-one likes their private or business conversations to be listened to. Parliament has passed these laws to protect the privacy of radio users.


For more information please contact:
Ofcom Contact Centre
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
Tel: 0300 123 3333
Fax: 0300 123 0811
Email: contact@ofcom.org.uk

[Slipstick]

So as a "race official" I'm going to assume I'm an "intended recipient" of information about the conduct of race meetings until some designated person tells me otherwise .

But in order to avoid getting caught for "Offence 2" I'm willing to stop being helpful and so I promise not to pass on anything useful I hear to my fellow marshals on post. Anyone without a scanner can guess what's going on.

That should cover it .

Steve

[m1fcf]

Originally Posted by Slipstick

So as a "race official" I'm going to assume I'm an "intended recipient" of information about the conduct of race meetings until some designated person tells me otherwise .

But in order to avoid getting caught for "Offence 2" I'm willing to stop being helpful and so I promise not to pass on anything useful I hear to my fellow marshals on post. Anyone without a scanner can guess what's going on.

That should cover it .

Steve

unless of course, the person you happen to be telling is a Post chief who has authorisation to listen to the transmission, but has not heard the message, either because he is busy doing other stuff, or was distracted by tea/coffee/pie. In which case, please do so in a loud enough voice for my whole team to hear so that we can save time in me not having to repeat it.

[Richard Duvall]

I take the view that there is an implied authority for marshals to listen in to broadcasts as more and more frequently we get messages from Race Control saying things like "anyone with a scanner on post x can you do whatever"!

[McSatan]

Even when they do move completely over to digital, you can still have a laugh listening to the local taxi firms

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by McSatan

Even when they do move completely over to digital, you can still have a laugh listening to the local taxi firms

Or at Donington Air Traffic Control

[Steve Milward]

Originally Posted by Richard Duvall

I take the view that there is an implied authority for marshals to listen in to broadcasts as more and more frequently we get messages from Race Control saying things like "anyone with a scanner on post x can you do whatever"!

Never act on anything you hear on a scanner, unless its Race control trying to get hold of the Post Chief

[White flag man]

Originally Posted by Peter Harding

Nick - I am sure that, if they make one in the shape of a christmas pudding, you will buy it.

Pete, if it was just chocolate coloured, I'd buy it!