they pretty much have laws similar to the UK. OFCOM in the UK pushed through the British Telephony Act of 1949 (and subsequently updated it in 2004) to state that any radio communications not directed to you or intended for you to hear is illegal to rebroadcast. This is why there aren’t any ATC feeds of any UK-based airport. India must have taken it further in saying that it is illegal to listen to them period. Sad.
The TSA can’t do anything about it. It’s beyond their scope. If anything, the FCC would regulate this one, along with the FAA. But since all of those are taxpayer-funded, they would be hardpressed to find any support in limiting that.
They could find support by saying terrorists are listening in finding out traffic patterns and the public would go ballistic. Sorry, I didn’t mean to give the government ideas.
They tried that back in 2002. It didn’t get far at all. Not only did the AOPA and NATCA get involved, but ham radio operators got involved as well, as they saw it as an infringement on their right to operate their radios. It really fell flat on their faces…
The only frequencies in the US that I know are specifically banned from being monitored are cell phone frequencys. I assume that rule was created due to lobbying by cell phone providers to ease fears of eavesdropping.
This is right. You can listen to ATC band, Police band, EMS band, Ham, or any non-classified military band frequency in the US. Monitoring of any phone-based frequencies are banned due to wiretapping laws, and require a warrant (yes; screw the Patriot Act. they require a warrant).
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be the 20something iPhone and BB apps that do this, and LiveATC.net, ATCMonitor.com, and others would have been shut down years ago.
Correct, the FCC jealously guards its position as the only government agency authorized to regulate the airwaves.
State laws regulating the use of radar detectors have been overthrown in court. VA is the sole remaining state that attempts to criminalize the possession of a radar detector. If pressed, they will drop the charge rather than allow the matter to go to trial where they would be sure to lose.
The same goes for various state laws that attempted to criminalize the possession and use of CB radios by motorists back in the 70’s.
(* The prohibition of the use of radar detectors by holders of commercial truck driving licenses [CDLs] is a Federal law.)