Tim Jackson wrote:

WG wrote:
... scanners are so poorly put together that they can really screw up the
electronics in the aircraft just by turning it on.

What a load of total crap!

Aircraft avionics are, for obvious reasons, made to be very safe. This
includes a high degree of resistance to stray RF interference.

There are COUNTLESS devices on the ground that radiate FAR more RF
interference into the sky than a handheld scanner would and yet we do
not see planes falling out of the sky every time they get near a
built-up area.


Funny, I have several scanners and all of them radiate interference on
aviation frequencies, depending on what frequency they are tuned to. I
also have 5 VHF/UHF ham transceivers with wide band receive coverage and
all of them also radiate interference on aviation frequencies - any
receiver (with a few expensive exceptions) with an IF (a superhet)
generates signals strong enough to be picked up by another sensitive
receiver close by.

Also, every FM broadcast receiver from a walkman to an expensive stereo
also radiates on the civil aviation band. Try tuning a scanner to any
frequency in the VHF aviation navigation band 108-118MHz, if you are
near an airport you should be able to find a navigation signal. Then
place an FM broadcast receiver nearby and slowly tune down from the top
of the band - you should soon find a spot where you can interfere with
and probably totally obliterate the navigation signal.

Dave