The other answers are slightly off center! If you live within the line of sight, you will hear both transmissions (ATC and Aircraft). That is one of the first things I learned in training. Most current aviation com's are simply based on line on sight (LOS). As an example, if you are on a hill or above other terrain, JFK will come in perfectly clear.
One of my experiences was in Portland (PDX). I was staying at a place abouy 55 miles from PDX. But since I was within the LOS of PDX (on the side of a mountain) everything from GROUND to Tower came in clear.
Good luck.
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Replying to:
Hi guys,
I live down here in Philly, near Trenton Mercer Airport... I've been wondering, if I bought a scanner.... would I be able to listen to ATC up in JFK? It's about 80 miles away, not sure if I'd be able to hear NY Center or not? Any insight? I have pilot friends who fly for Olympic Airways, out of Terminal 1... it'd be nice to listen to their flights over the radio here and there.