Can a cell phone conversation be picked up by lets say for example; ham radios or scanners?

Question

Can a cell phone conversation be picked up by lets say for example; ham radios or scanners?

Answer 1

A few years ago scanners or some ham radios could pick up cell phone conversations.  This was when cell phones used  FM modulation.  Today they use digital modulation and encrypted to boot.  Scanners and ham radios might hear the signal but can't demodulate it so conversations are much more secure.

Answer 2

Wires is right - older phones could be picked up by scanners, but newer digital phones can not be decoded.   In fact, it is now illegal to make or mod a scanner that can listen to cell phone bands (there are still old scanners out there that can do it, though).  However, since new phones can't be heard by those scanners, I wonder if that law will go away.

Answer 3

Cell phone transmissions and cell-tower transmissions differ in frequency.  If you are using a cell phone and are located near a tower (5 miles?  not too sure) then someone can pick up both ends of your conversation.

If you are on the move, the listener would have to stay within a certain radius of you or know which towers your cell was using.

Most analogue cell phones can be picked up with a scanner.

No clue about ham radios.  Sorry.

Answer 4

yes. some years back i would always listen in on my neighbors and my brothers conversations with scanners. they pick up cordless home phones really well too.

Answer 5

yep