Plane spotters arrested in India

[Roland28]

BBC News reported that these men may have been using a scanner or a "virtual radar" receiver, both of which are illegal in India.

This was hardly somewhere like Iran or North Korea, but could the use of a Radarbox or similar be illegal in some countries?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8530062.stm

[Allocator]

Define illegal :-(

These days, I would be careful using an airband scanner near a UK airport.  I definitely wouldn't even consider using some of my hobby kit in many parts of the world.  Even taking photographs in some countries can get you in big trouble.

I think that the guidance here is to use common sense.

None of us would commit a criminal offence like exceeding the speed limit in a car would we .....

[colinhall]

I have just come back from Marrocco,my wife and myself had 10 nights there,great place. When we wre at the airport for our return to UK aI took a photo of a Ryanair and an Easyjet together,a security guard see me and he demaned the card out of the camera,after a lot of talking all he demanded was to take the pictures from the airport of the card and I got a severe warning not to do anymore!!.   Colin.

[radarspotter10]

Hi all
Beats me why its nearly always British people that get arrested,
do you think we could call  Plane-spotting "extreme sports".
First it was Greece now India,  whats country is next Iran?.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1685453.stm
from pat

[Jeremy]

Ireland, probably!!
J.

[radarspotter10]

Very good. air-fungus is our national airline.

[ScottecLEMG]

Many foreign airports have very strict guidlines on taking seemingly innocent pictures of aircraft.  In many cases this is due to the airfield also serving as a military base.  In my line of work for major aircraft leasing companies I am put in that position many times.  You can apply for a photo permit, which usually takes weeks but trying to sneek pictures can land you in trouble.

[anorak]

Culdrose has a viewing site and cabin with a super outlook.

[flanker]

Amazing when you think that bases like Waddington and Coningsby have viewing areas! Now I've not been to Lakenheath or Mildenhall since I was there on 9/11/2001 and I watched a full Wing recall of all the F15's that had gone out that morning (and wondering what it was all about at that point in time - and so were the pilots!). Do they still have their viewing areas open??

[abrad41]

flanker

Yes the viewing area's at Lakenheath & Mildenhall are still there and open.

Andy

[Southwest]

Culdrose has a viewing site and cabin with a super outlook.

With all due respect.....and nothing much to watch all day!

[anorak]

And getting worse if GB and co have there way!

PS Whats Bagram like?

[Marpleman]

Personally, I don't get it.........these guys have apparently been spotting for over 30 years if the reports are to be believed. I just cannot believe how niave they could be to go full tilt with camera/scanner/flight monitors in such a country with recently renewed sensitivity.

Allocator is spot on with his comments, otherwise our beloved hobby will only soon be available from your own home - pretty soon it won't even be possible to attempt organised tours that are "understood" if the minority spoil it for the majority

Rich

[nortonbeak]

At Teesside Airport it will be possible to get an ID card issued by the local police. At least it gives some indication of honourable intention when armed with notebook, camera scanner etc.

http://www.dtvmovements.co.uk/Info/Security.htm

[Paulc]

Not 100% convinced that these ID schemes are any good at all. They offer no advantage to those that have them and only certain airports offer them.