Anyone take an ICOM on a commercial flight?

What are the odds I can get away with taking my ICOM radio and
listening to the cockpit?

"es330td" wrote in message
...
What are the odds I can get away with taking my ICOM radio and
listening to the cockpit?

Well, you didn't say what kind of ICOM. It is probably not on the approved
electronics list (but you know that). These days, there are so many consumer
electronics goodies in the cabin that there is no way the crew can keep track.
A fellow I work with actually got away with operating his ham 2-meter portable
radio on at least one flight. Needless to say: Transmitting on the air bands
from inside the passenger cabin would be a very dumb idea.

Finding and following the correct radio channel would be a problem.

Vaughn

es330td wrote:
What are the odds I can get away with taking my ICOM radio and
listening to the cockpit?



I fly with mine all the time, but I leave it off while onboard. The
radio fits into my bag better without the antenna. I have used it in
the terminal to listen to ground and clearance delivery.

The only time you'll hear the cockpit is if you're on an aircraft with a
comm feed in the entertainment system. The signal inside the aluminum
tube is nearly nil. Holding the radio up to a window, or using an
external antenna will probably get you in trouble as transceivers are
banned in the cabin on any airline I fly.

If you are a licensed pilot, just think of how stupid you'd look if you
got caught violating an FAA reg. If you're instrument rated, the reg is
something that appears on the written, so you'd look even dumber.

On Jan 31, 7:29*am, B A R R Y wrote:

If you are a licensed pilot, just think of how stupid you'd look if you
got caught violating an FAA reg. *

This is probably the strongest reason to not do it. I don't have my
license yet (working on cross country) so I'm still in the "fascinated
by it all" phase. Although I think it would be interesting just to
track the frequency changes and listen in on the conversations of the
pros, I am not putting my flying career in jeopardy doing something
like this.

In article ,
es330td wrote:
On Jan 31, 7:29*am, B A R R Y wrote:

This is probably the strongest reason to not do it. I don't have my
license yet (working on cross country) so I'm still in the "fascinated
by it all" phase.

Yah, me too. I would love to just sit back and listen to the chatter
during the flight, but the few times I've actually brought a radio with
me, the pilot said I couldn't use it.

In the pre 9/11 days, I used to bring it with me anytime I went to the
airport and listen while I was waiting for the flight I was meeting. It's
a good way to practice your clearance shorthand too.

--
-Ed Falk,
http://thespamdiaries.blogspot.com/

On Jan 31, 8:29 am, B A R R Y wrote:
es330td wrote:
What are the odds I can get away with taking my ICOM radio and
listening to the cockpit?

I fly with mine all the time, but I leave it off while onboard. The
radio fits into my bag better without the antenna. I have used it in
the terminal to listen to ground and clearance delivery.

The only time you'll hear the cockpit is if you're on an aircraft with a
comm feed in the entertainment system. The signal inside the aluminum
tube is nearly nil. Holding the radio up to a window, or using an
external antenna will probably get you in trouble as transceivers are
banned in the cabin on any airline I fly.

If you are a licensed pilot, just think of how stupid you'd look if you
got caught violating an FAA reg. If you're instrument rated, the reg is
something that appears on the written, so you'd look even dumber.

And you will get caught. Think of all the frequency changes you'd
have to input. And in first class the FA has fewer passengers to
watch over. If nothing else, a nervous seatmate would rat you out.

I tried using a portable GPS a few times, the FA's always noticed and
my success rate of being allowed to use it was about 50%.

On Jan 30, 7:33*pm, es330td wrote:
What are the odds I can get away with taking my ICOM radio and
listening to the cockpit?

The question is why would you want to do this. On most flights ATC is
available on the inflight entertainment system. What would happen if
you had a stuck mike ? I will guarantee that if the flight attendants
find that you have anything that looks like it could transmit you will
get some unwanted attention. Why not just sit back, have a couple of
drinks and read car magazines .
FB

F. Baum wrote:
On Jan 30, 7:33 pm, es330td wrote:
What are the odds I can get away with taking my ICOM radio and
listening to the cockpit?

The question is why would you want to do this. On most flights ATC is
available on the inflight entertainment system. \

"Most flights" Hardly.
United is the only one who does this to my knowledge and ATC-on-9
(officially "from the cockpit") is entirely at the captain's
discretion.

Notwithstanding that, the radio and the GPS stay in the flight bag
for the duration of the flight.

On Jan 31, 6:14*am, Ron Natalie wrote:

The question is why would you want to do this. On most flights ATC is
available on the inflight entertainment system. \

"Most flights" Hardly.
United is the only one who does this to my knowledge and ATC-on-9
(officially "from the cockpit") is entirely at the captain's
discretion.

"Most Flights" Actually. . DAL and NWA do this also. On the bigger
equipment they even have a moving map in the cabin so the Sheep can
follow the progress. The cockpit crew has no control of the inflight
entertainment system (Other than telling the cabin crew to shut it
off).

Notwithstanding that, the radio and the GPS stay in the flight bag
for the duration of the flight.

As they should. Ive had two incidents where pax were suspected of
operating a two way device. Both turned out OK but they provided a
distraction that we just dont need.
Frank

F. Baum wrote:

"Most Flights" Actually. . DAL and NWA do this also.

I've never had it on a Delta or Northwest flight, only United.