Radio frequencies for scanner listeners
A reference list for following along with a handheld scanner (works well with a Uniden UBC125XLT or similar, its 25 to 512MHz range covers both civil VHF airband (118 to 137MHz) and UK military UHF airband (225 to 400MHz) in one radio). All frequencies are in MHz. Frequencies can and do change, this list is a starting point, not a guarantee; always cross-check against a current source before relying on it.
Compiled from publicly published spotter/scanner references, including military-airshows.co.uk, FighterControl, and OurAirports, not classified or restricted information, the same frequencies published in any UK scanner guide.
Emergency & general-use (worth having pre-programmed)
| Frequency | Use |
|---|---|
| 121.500 | Civil emergency / distress ("Guard") |
| 243.000 | Military emergency / distress ("Guard") |
| 124.750 | London Information (FIS, en-route civil) |
| 118.000 | Nationwide air-to-air display coordination (airshow days) |
RAF & Military Airbases
| Base | Tower | Approach | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAF Coningsby | 124.675, 298.975 | 234.675, 119.200, 255.950 | Director 379.950 · PAR 234.575 |
| RAF Marham | 278.175, 118.325 | 343.975 | Ground 360.400 · ATIS 245.675 |
| RAF Waddington | 241.325 | 345.075 | Zone 119.500, 232.700 · Director 280.175 |
| RAF Brize Norton | 123.725, 269.175 | 127.250, 231.950 | Ground 121.725 · ATIS 126.500 |
| RAF Lakenheath (USAF) | 122.550, 137.100 | 136.500, 128.900 | Ground 121.675 · Departure 250.300 |
| RAF Mildenhall (USAF) | 122.550, 370.250 | 128.900, 136.500 (shared w/ Lakenheath) | Ground 121.625 · ATIS 282.025 |
| RAF Valley | 122.100 | 125.225 (Radar) | Ground 122.100 · ATIS 120.725 |
| RAF Shawbury | 122.100 | 133.150 to 133.155 (Zone) | Director 123.300 |
| RAF Cranwell | 125.050 † | 119.375 (Departure) | ATIS 135.675 |
| RAF Northolt | 120.675 | 126.450 | Ground 121.575 · Director 130.350 · Departure 129.125 · ATIS 125.125 |
| RAF Odiham | 122.100, 257.800 | 131.300, 234.350 | Radar Talkdown 123.300 |
| RNAS Yeovilton | 122.100 | 127.350 (Radar) | N/A |
| RNAS Culdrose | 122.100 | 134.050 to 134.055 | N/A |
| Middle Wallop (AAC) | 118.275 (combined Radar/App/Tower), 118.600 | N/A (combined, see Tower) | N/A |
| Leuchars Station | 122.100 (Tower/Ground) | 123.300 (Departure) | N/A |
| JHC Flying Station Aldergrove | 118.300 (shared with Belfast International) | N/A | N/A |
| RAF Fairford (USAF) | 124.800, 246.350 | N/A | ATIS 135.455, 292.300 |
| RAF Woodvale | 119.75, 278.2 | 121.0, 282.57 | N/A |
| RAF Cosford | 128.65 (Tower/Ground) | 135.875 | N/A |
| RAF Syerston | 125.425 (A/G) | N/A | N/A |
| RAF Topcliffe | 122.1, 379.75 | 125.0, 293.775 | N/A |
| RAF Halton | 130.425 (A/G) | N/A | N/A |
| RAF Mona | 122.1 (Tower/Ground) | 134.35 | N/A |
| MOD St Athan | 118.125 | 126.625 | N/A |
| RM Chivenor | 130.2 (A/G) | N/A | N/A |
| RNAS Merryfield | 122.100 (Tower) | N/A | N/A |
| Netheravon Airfield | 128.3 (A/G) | N/A | N/A |
| RAF Spadeadam | 122.100 (Radar) | N/A | Danger Area A/G 124.375 |
| MOD Aberporth | 122.155 (Info) | 127.090 (Radar) | N/A |
† single-source, worth double-checking locally. Frequencies aren't yet confirmed for several bases added to the map (Benson, Leeming, Honington, Boulmer, Boscombe Down, Wattisham, Barkston Heath, Predannack, RAF Weston-on- the-Green), rather than guess, they're left off until verified.
Civil Airports
| Airport | Tower | Approach | ATIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | 118.505, 118.705, 124.475 | Director 119.725, 120.400, 127.525, 134.975 | N/A |
| London Gatwick | 124.230, 134.230 | 126.825 · Director 118.950 | N/A |
| London Stansted | 122.800 | 120.625 (Radar) · Director 136.200 | N/A |
| London Luton | 132.555, 126.725 | 129.550 † | N/A |
| Manchester | 118.820 | 118.575 † | N/A |
| Birmingham | 118.305 | 118.050, 123.975 | N/A |
| Edinburgh | 118.705 | 121.200 | N/A |
| Bristol | 133.850 | 136.075 (Radar) † | N/A |
| Newcastle | 119.700 | 124.375 | 118.375 |
| Leeds Bradford | 120.305 | 123.380, 134.580 | 118.025 |
| Glasgow | 118.805 | 119.105 | 129.580 |
| Belfast International | 118.300 | 128.500 · Director 120.900 | 128.200 |
| East Midlands | 124.000 | 134.175 | 122.675 |
| Southampton | 118.205 | 122.730 · Solent Radar 120.230 | 130.880 |
| Aberdeen | 118.100 | 119.055 · Director 128.305 · Offshore Radar 134.100 | 121.855 |
| Liverpool John Lennon | 126.350 | 119.850 | 124.330 |
| Cardiff | 133.105 | 119.155 · Radar 125.855 | 132.480 |
| Norwich | 124.255 | 119.355 (Radar) · Director 128.330 | 128.630 |
† single-source or ambiguous between two ATC sectors, worth double-checking against a current source before relying on it. Frequencies for the newer regional/island airports and GA airfields added to the map (London City, Leicester, Bournemouth, Teesside, Humberside, Newquay, the Scottish island network, Biggin Hill, Farnborough, Oxford, Sywell, Gloucestershire, Cotswold/Kemble) aren't yet confirmed, rather than guess, they're left off until verified.
Mach Loop / low-level training areas
There's no local tower to monitor at the Mach Loop itself, it's a training route (LFA7), not an airfield. Aircraft transiting it typically stay on whichever area/transit frequency they're already working (often a "London Military"/military area radar frequency) rather than a single discrete local channel, so there isn't one clean frequency to give you here. Scanner listeners at the Mach Loop mostly rely on line-of-sight UHF traffic between aircraft rather than a fixed ATC frequency.