Airband for receiving ATC (plane talk)

[#1]

I believe listening to ATC transmissions is illegeal in the UK.

[#2]

only talking to the ATC if you don't have a pilots license.
However if you have a license then you can listen and talk but only in certain circumstances

[#3]

Quote from: AndyH

What about radar scanning? Has anyone tried something like this - http://www.rtl-sdr.com/adsb-aircraft-radar-with-rtl-sdr/ ?

Or....
Try this .....
http://www.flightradar24.com/51.42,1.75/7

[#4]

Quote from: Oddball

I believe listening to ATC transmissions is illegeal in the UK.

so is using a mobile phone whilst driving... or .... growing/smoking canabis..... dealing drugs...... driving whilst under the influence....... et al...... 
Can`t say I have heard of anyone being prosecuted for illegally listening to Airband transmissions....

[#5]

NorthEasterner is correct
Strictly speaking you need a Radio Telephoney licence to be able for you as a person to use a RT set to transmit
(and you or someone needs a specific licence for the transmitter as well)
When doing a power pilots licence  this will be done as part of the course and the test (theory/practical) will be just one more exam to pass.
You can still fly non radio (mostly vintage) aircraft for which you do not need to posses a RT licence.
I fall into that category of having a flying licence without a RT endorsement on it
There is another category of glider pilots who use a few designated frequencies which for historical reasons they are permitted to use without a licence.
This dates from the time when glider only radios were built.
Whether it is illegal now to operate a full band capable radio transmitter in the glider but restrict yourself voluntary to only the specific glider frequencies I've no idea.
It might be because you are using a full band radio set you need a RT licence to use it.
In any event pilot licencing is changing in 2015 with new Euro licences and I expect RT will become compulsory for all pilots of all grades regardless particularly as class G airspace (basically totally uncontrolled) is becoming rarer and the ability or requirement to contact some ATC unit at some point more common.
Post 911 I'm afraid the days of being able to bimble about over the UK keeping clear of controlled airspace and not bothering anyone are fast disappearing.
Note also that I think in 2017 all the airband is being modified such that the Channel spacing is changing from 25Khz down to 8.33Khz.. So a lot more stations will be able to be squeezed in the frequency range
This will mean a lot of new radios have to be purchased  as the current ones go in steps of 25Khz and their frequency stability is probably not that good anyway - and a fully aviation grade approved and certified transmitter ain't cheap like £1500 plus of course the installation has to be done in an approved manner by an approved person and all signed off plus the installation licenced.

[#6]

Going to look on the well known auction site and see if I can get one of there.
Many thanks for your relies 

[#7]

Would this work with a PC/Mac - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DVB-T-DAB-RTL2832U-R820T-25MHz-1700MHz-SDR-E4000-Upgrade-Verion-for-Win-8-... ?

[#8]

With that antenna , indoors, next to, or near, so much RF interference... you would need to be on the airport control tower roof to hear anything useful....

[#9]

I'm still unsure how to pick up the signal from the tower/ground.
As I have mentioned before, that I live in an estate in a suburb, I'm crowded with houses around me.
Can someone please point me in the direction, of what types of antennas/handheld airband scanner would work for retrieving a signal where I live 5.5 miles from the airport.
I do occasionally go to a road where it's parallel to the airport runway and do some spotting but not often, I know a airband scanner would work then as I have had borrowed other people's scanners.
NE

[#10]

Read my reply number 12.... As you live in an urban area, with lots of houses around you, you will have difficulty with the ground ATC side of the conversation on a hand held... Having said that, id depends where the ground ATC transmitter antenna is located... It could be mounted on a high building 10 miles away, but if you have direct line of sight to that building, then it would be possible to hear the ground ATC on a hand held..
As you have already borrowed one, why not borrow it again, and see if it will pick up the ground ATC signals, in your home location?