Radio scanner
Radio scanners are radio receivers that specialize in monitoring many frequencies . To do this, the device searches the set channels or entire frequency ranges until a signal with a previously selected minimum strength is found. This signal - such as speech or music - is then output via a loudspeaker or headphones .
Applications
Such devices are suitable for listening to simply modulated analog signals. They are often used to search for active channels on amateur radio or to listen to police radio . Other signals such as B. from weather satellites can be received with a radio scanner and decrypted by programs on the PC. On the part of the technology and the manufacturer, there are generally no restrictions on these devices that prevent the eavesdropping of radio traffic by authorities and organizations with security tasks , the military and other security services , although this may be illegal depending on national law and, if intentional, it may result in criminal consequences can pull.
technology
Wireless scanners are available as handheld devices , mobile devices and station devices . Simple devices that are sufficient for amateur radio offer only FM as a modulation type and can only search within fixed frequency ranges, e.g. B. 26-30 MHz, 66-88 MHz, 137-174 MHz or 400-470 MHz. Higher quality devices, on the other hand, have a continuous reception range of a few kHz to 3.3 GHz in all types of modulation such as AM , FM , SSB (LSB and USB) and CW .
Legal
Everyone in Germany can acquire, own and use such a device. However, it should be noted that only amateur radio frequencies, weather satellites, etc. may be monitored. Listening to BOS frequencies (authorities and organizations with security tasks) is prohibited. Even if you are authorized to participate in the BOS radio, because you are z. B. in the police, fire brigade , rescue service, etc., the broadcasts may not be received with a radio scanner for private purposes.