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Re: (erielack) Scanners



In a message dated 9/6/00 9:36:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "FIRETRACK_@_aol.com" 
writes:

> Haven't bought a scanner in 15 years!   I'm looking for recommendations on 
a 
>  hand held, easily programmable, (my last one had crystals) scanner with 
the 
>  kind of sensitivity needed for railfan use. 

It's a simple and complicated quandry, Al, for scanners, and I'll talk in 
more detail next time I see you.  Summarily, the thing railfans want most in 
scanners isn't the thing that scanner buffs want in scanners:  Sensitivity.   
So, mass-produced and inexpensive police scanners aren't very sensitive and 
are frustrating when trackside.  The Regency HX scanners were terrific and 
very sensitive -- ideal for railfanning.  But Uniden bought the company and 
discontinuned the better scanner. Free enterprise.  If you can find an 
HX1000, 1200 or 1500 scanner used, jump on it.  They're not supportable, but 
they'll be a great scanner until it breaks.

The only way to get good performing new scanner is to hit the amatuer radio, 
industruial or emergency response market, which means about $500 and a 
possible two-way set up.  There is licensing involved, but if you want 
sensitivity you can use -- standing at West Point and hearing the hot box 
detector at Haverstraw -- then pop the bux.  Uniden on the River Line won't 
give you much better than line of sight for radio reception.

The other side of the coin is that railroads won't be on radios much longer, 
so don't invest too much money in a scanner.  More and more they're going to 
cell-phone-like technology, and Communications-Based Train Control is just 
around the corner.  But as you've seen working on the railroad, perhaps the 
radios will be around for a while longer than the pundits predict.

The simple solution is to hit the Radio Shack for a $200+ scanner with the 
rapid scan feature, and buy a steel whip antenna.  These scanners scan about 
100 channels per second.  Program in all 99 of the AAR channels, and you'll 
never want for a frequency again.  Find the channels you're using on a 
particular piece of track, and prioritize them.  Done.  Next outing, 
prioritize those channels.  Most Radio Shacks are made by Uniden, but the 
steel antenna will boost your reception.

For what it's worth, I bought George Berriso's old Bearcat crystal handheld 
for $25 with local crystals.  It has the sensitivity of the Regency and is a 
good performer. When travelling out of the area I'm usually someone with a 
scanner, so I haven't yearned for a better unit.  But I'm seriously toying 
with wiring my super-sensitive base unit to a gel-cell and keeping it in a 
pouch in my camera bag with a flexible antenna, which I can do for about $50.

Hope this helps                       ....Mike

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