[kwlug-disc] listening to the airport

[Khalid Baheyeldin]

I was going to suggest an RTL SDR dongle too.
I have been using it for years to decode signals from the weather station,
and other devices.

Yes, the prices on Amazon are now $55 and up.

I remember buying it for $25 or so (I think it was from eBay then, also try
AliExpress).

There used to be a Linux live CD that had everything bundled for RTL SDR.
Things like: the identities of the planes are flying above, NOAA satellite
images in real time, and much more.
(In Europe, the alternative to ATSC over the air TV is DSB something or
other, and such a dongle allows you to view TV on a laptop, but not in
North America).
A quick search shows something called Dragon OS, but I don't remember that
name as the one.

Anyway, there is a lot of fun stuff you can do with that dongle.
Go for it ...

On Tue, May 26, 2026 at 9:32 AM Matteo Golin <matteo.golin at gmail.com> wrote:

> It is completely legal to listen to ATC broadcasts (just don't transmit on
> those frequencies!). There are actually lots of websites that should let
> you listen in without having to buy any radio equipment.
>
> What I use personally is the RTL SDR
> <https://www.amazon.ca/RTL-SDR-Blog-RTL2832U-Software-Defined/dp/B0BMKB3L47/ref=sr_1_9?adgrpid=1357897093579801&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GINbOorF9bamI8N4_J0T0xvo4tuJKY7MLPqOMBT_vCYTFqQLEFQK0EBUwKjRB1INGmy-MO-QMWUoyk-C8Q-oAgXRWdzIw4IUWYlwzW6qH1IDFXT9LmY3wno4RSOV4YZ-490XG8bPi_zVN9Aw63JR6mW60mIrRHsTg3XaeE9ckihT8ezBTESMWKaiWBMo367-vlZlYSlrA-DGwFDr3yRCgzf5lqRIGVoVBWH0B2yDdTj31EYz-ZylCUse-mSZPKna5IVXUYMHNj_-_wXSNv5mOcyCzFnAFSs5rd8LNQPjkN4.57QJmQkK3kLFDOC1Rd2vQ1OFYC_H-8la1ZYtZUWH15Q&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84868723111792&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=124144&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84868738382124%3Aloc-32&hydadcr=4517_10135798&keywords=rtl%2Bsdr&mcid=4cecfe3edcce379095be562ea7fb88b2&qid=1779802146&sr=8-9&th=1>
>  (https://www.rtl-sdr.com/about-rtl-sdr/) and GNU Radio to decode the
> signals. Seems to be a lot more expensive then when I originally bought it
> :( It's a receiver only.
>
> On Tue, May 26, 2026 at 9:04 AM CrankyOldBugger <crankyoldbugger at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Wifeski likes it when I take her to the airport on a sunny day so she can
>> watch the planes take off and land.  We part on Otter Ct, near the WR
>> International.  It's a good spot with a view of most of the runways.
>>
>> But I was wondering... how does one tune into the chatter between
>> the tower and the pilots?  Is there a special radio I need to buy?  I did
>> manage to no-AI-DDG (notice I didn't say "google") what frequencies they
>> use, and they seem to be way out of reach of my truck's AM/FM radio.
>>
>> Any radio experts in here have any ideas on what I need to buy?  Is it
>> even legal to be snooping on the radio traffic?
>>
>

-- 
Khalid M. Baheyeldin
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