yes, pretty much any radio scanner you can buy in NZ

Got a Uniden UBC93XLT that I am pretty happy with. You can find a list of frequencies used in NZ here: https://www.john.geek.nz/scannerfreq/Frequencies/

jarledb:

 

Got a Uniden UBC93XLT that I am pretty happy with. You can find a list of frequencies used in NZ here: https://www.john.geek.nz/scannerfreq/Frequencies/

 

 

According to that list you can listed to the cops? I thought they used encrypted comms these days to stop the bad guys listening in.

Also have a look here (www.radiowiki.org.nz) for frequencies etc.

The Wiki is likely more up to date. Still a few active people update it, and even uniden itself had given up on local administering and linked to it (via nzscanners which has now lapsed and dead) for a few years now

The unidens have fair reception in the airband. But best on UHF. A2G is usually petty good but if the transmit site for G2A is not airport based and at a far location it may be a bit scratchy. I get clear operational within 5K of airport, but scratchy ATC further out even on a beefy gain antenna.

Not all police comms are encrypted as costs more.

Combination of population, area to cover and geography. More hills means more transmitters and more costs.

Central Otago and Dunedin are not encrypted but will use cell phones for confidential stuff.

A.

Scanners interesting. Managed to find the stump Mic frequency at Dunedin test match last year, plus easy to hear sky commentary there too, including them talking off air during ad breaks. Nothing controversial though.

Besides listening to voice comms, you used to be able to decode

ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) on a PC (using a soundcard) from a scanner.

Get lots of info on the aircraft... even plot the aircraft position on a map... Real time stuff...

Looks like there is still plenty of info on ACARS when doing a web search...

Gordy7:

 

 

 

Besides listening to voice comms, you used to be able to decode

 

ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) on a PC (using a soundcard) from a scanner.

 

Get lots of info on the aircraft... even plot the aircraft position on a map... Real time stuff...

 

Looks like there is still plenty of info on ACARS when doing a web search...

 

 

 

Theres a few threads here I started on it too. And ADSB. Heaps easier now, and infact if the OP wants to spend $20 and get a DVBT stick he can do ATC from home too :)

kandjc:

 

I live 10 Km from an airport and aircraft fly overhead regularly.

 

Is there a basic hand held scanner/radio that would enable me to listen in to landing/takeoff chatter?

 

Thanks. 

 

It's pretty boring chatter I can tell you. 

Tower: XYZ cleared for take off runway 25

XYZ : Cleared for take off runway 25 XYZ

Tower: XYZ cleared to land runway 25

XYZ: Cleared to land runway 25 XYZ

There you have it, the Take off/Landing chatter.

There's some other chatter too, but it's just as boring.

Gordy7:

 

 Get lots of info on the aircraft... even plot the aircraft position on a map... Real time stuff...

 

That's what FR24 and Flight aware are for

FlightRadar24 is pretty good.... but...

From FR24 FAQ:

Why don't you show routes for all flights?

The flight route is not transmitted from the aircraft. Flightradar24 is using the callsign of the flight and compare it with big databases of airline and airport schedules to find the matching flight number. Not all airlines are submitting their schedules.... etc.

Acars is direct from the aircraft. I doubt if FR24 was around 20 or 30 years ago... back then it was fun doing your own stuff...

I am sure a keen DIYer could still have fun with Acars...

Gordy7:

 

FlightRadar24 is pretty good.... but...

 

 

 

From FR24 FAQ:

 

Why don't you show routes for all flights?

 

The flight route is not transmitted from the aircraft. Flightradar24 is using the callsign of the flight and compare it with big databases of airline and airport schedules to find the matching flight number. Not all airlines are submitting their schedules.... etc.

 

 

 

Acars is direct from the aircraft. I doubt if FR24 was around 20 or 30 years ago... back then it was fun doing your own stuff...

 

I am sure a keen DIYer could still have fun with Acars...

 

 

 

The reason FR24 doesn't show all flights is because not all aircraft will be on a flight plan and or transmitting a unique radar code.

You can see plenty of aircraft on FR24 that have nothing to do with airline databases or airport schedules. I've just had a look now (21:54) and seen three targets that are not airline related.

I don't think ACARS has anything to do with plotting an aircraft's track.

You can actually apply to have a Flightradar24 receiver. See: https://www.flightradar24.com/apply-for-receiver

Or ask a geek if you wanna know more ;)

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?topicid=85871

I gave up on ACARS. Unless you intercept thelikes of the cricket request the other day, it's pilots sending SMS via gateways or telemetry data from where its been and any engineering info. Of which with ADSB now prominent, is usually well behind

HF acars however, you can get GPS data from the likes of the Skiers headed south

Acars certainly did send out live position info... May not do these days.

There are some nice illustrations in the link below of Acars messages showing position info:

http://america.pink/aircraft-communications-addressing-and-reporting-system_282487.html

All that was needed when I was playing about was to plot the coordinates on a map using a PC.