Scanners

Moderators: admin, hwybear, Radar Identified, Reflections, Decatur, bend

Post Reply
facelikedog
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined:

Scanners

Unread post by facelikedog on

Are those handheld or mobile radios people refer to as 'police' scanners legal in Ontario/Canada? Are they legal in your car?

Has anyone had any expiriences with the police with respect to their scanner being in their car?

Any LEO's here care to comment?

Thx
Top

User avatar
hwybear
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2933
Joined:
Location: In YOUR rearview mirror!

Moderator

Unread post by hwybear on

I do not know.

Having said that, I think I remember something that one can not intercept communications for personal gain and/or prempt to committ a criminal offence. Such as using a scanner to know where police are to go do a B&E.
Above is merely a suggestion/thought and in no way constitutes legal advice or views of my employer. www.OHTA.ca
Top

User avatar
racer
VIP
VIP
Posts: 959
Joined:
Location: Guelph, Ontario
Contact:
Contact racer

Unread post by racer on

Police radios are encoded, so commercially available scanners (I know you're thinking NASCAR scanner or similar) wouldn't work.
"The more laws, the less justice" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"The hardest thing to explain is the obvious"

www.OHTA.ca & www.OntarioHighwayTrafficAct.com
Top

User avatar
hwybear
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2933
Joined:
Location: In YOUR rearview mirror!

Moderator

Unread post by hwybear on

One can buy a scanner (new) which is able to get any police frequency for around $600.
Above is merely a suggestion/thought and in no way constitutes legal advice or views of my employer. www.OHTA.ca
Top

User avatar
FiReSTaRT
Sr. Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 371
Joined:
Location: GTA

Unread post by FiReSTaRT on

IIRC there were ways to convert even regular radios to scan the police frequencies. If they're encoded, that's a different story. You'd probably need a computer too.
What kind of a man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.
Top

User avatar
Squishy
Sr. Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 709
Joined:
Location: Orillia
Contact:
Contact Squishy

Unread post by Squishy on

Any scanner capable of receiving non-broadcast digital signals requires a licence from Industry Canada. 'Broadcast' meaning that it was intended for the use of the general public, like non-subscription television signals.

Analog scanners are exempt from licensing requirements, but under the Radiocommunication Act, you cannot divulge or make use of intercepted communications unless you have permission from either the recipient or the originator, or if the recipient was not in Canada at the time of transmission.
         Image
Top

User avatar
ticketcombat
Sr. Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 486
Joined:
Location: Toronto
Contact:
Contact ticketcombat

Unread post by ticketcombat on

I was in a tow truck that had 11 radios: police, ambulance, transit, taxi, CB, I don't remember the rest. He had five on the dash and the rest in the arm rest compartment. Plus all the tow drivers were hooked up on Mike (Telus). But I bet you his wife could never reach him 8)
Fight Your Ticket!
Top

User avatar
Radar Identified
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2881
Joined:
Location: Toronto

Moderator

Unread post by Radar Identified on

Squishy wrote:under the Radiocommunication Act, you cannot divulge or make use of intercepted communications unless you have permission from either the recipient or the originator, or if the recipient was not in Canada at the time of transmission.
100% correct... although almost no one complies. Allows for funny stories when my co-workers are talking shop and someone mentions a really goofed-up transmission or incident they heard on the radio. :lol:
Top

tdrive2
Sr. Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 346
Joined:

Unread post by tdrive2 on

Back to his question what do you mean by a "scanner"

Like a CB radio or a Radar Detector.

RD's are illegal.

CB radio i believe is not illegal, although not sure if you were listening in on Police.
Top

User avatar
Squishy
Sr. Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 709
Joined:
Location: Orillia
Contact:
Contact Squishy

Unread post by Squishy on

tdrive2 wrote:Back to his question what do you mean by a "scanner"

Like a CB radio or a Radar Detector.

RD's are illegal.

CB radio i believe is not illegal, although not sure if you were listening in on Police.
Police don't use CB. I don't think the CB emergency channel (9) is even monitored anymore, except maybe in remote areas with hiking or skiing trails. If you got into trouble and had a CB, you'd be better off calling for help on channel 19 (the highway channel).




         Image
Top

Post Reply

Return to “General Talk”