New to scanners

[46u]

I am a big rail fan and would like to get a scanner but I am on a budget and will only use it 4 or 5 times a year. I live in Georgia and would like a hand held as I chase trains on my motorcycle. Are railroads going to digital or staying with analog? What to you experts recommend for my needs.
Thanks

[icom1020]

No need to go fancy or digital if all you're listening to is trains. If you keep one for awhile, you might consider one that will do narrowbanding later on. The Pro-164 is on sale at RS now. I think it has a railroad search mode too.

[46u]

These are the features I was told to look for. What do others say and does that Pro-164 have these features?
Capable of receiving in the 148-174 MHz "High Band" and the 450-470 MHz "UHF Band".
Sufficient pre-storable scanner channels to cover all frequencies you will wish to listen to regularly (see below).
A lock-out button to allow selected scanner channels to be locked out (not scanned).
A priority system and button to allow selected scanner channels to be indicated as high priority for scanning.
A search capability to allow for search for active frequencies within some range.
A delay button which holds the current frequency for 1 or 2 seconds after a signal ends.
A button-controlled light for the frequency information window.
A lock for the keypad to prevent accidental key presses.

[cgriggs]

Can you tell us what your budget is? I have a some stuff I'd recommend but I'd like to know how much your working with first.

Corey Griggs, K4CRG
Montgomery, AL Live Scanner Stream & Railroad Lineage

[46u]

Will this will be my 3rd post so hopefully no more delays. LOL. I do not want to spend a whole lot but do not want to buy junk either. Most are telling me just about any scanner will work for listening to railroads. In my last post I made a list of requirements.
Thanks all for the help.

[NWtoSFO]

Almost any scanner will work just fine for railroad scanning. I've used several scanners chasing trains. Right now I have a Radio Shack Pro-97, Pro-162 and a Uniden SC230. All work just fine for the railroad freq's. Antennas also make a BIG defference, depending on where you are. I'd check the sales at Radio Shack right now and get something under $100. If you're only interested in railroad scanning, you probably don't need a scanner with text-taging either. I monitor about 10-15 freqs here in Sacramento and I know all the channels by freq.

[46u]

The thing I do not like about the Radio Shack scanners is they do not come with a AC power supply like most other scanners and if you buy one of their power supplies cost around $30. I have a Norfolk and Southern maid line about a block from the house and would be nice to have a AC power supply while at home as I have read scanners are hard on batteries.
Thanks for the help and keep it coming.

[b7spectra]

Take a trip to Manchester, you won't be disappointed at the number of trains.

[DPD1]

I think you'd probably be happy with the Uniden 72XLT. Under $100. Less than that and you'll have to get used probably. Comes with the adapter.

[b7spectra]

If you want a bargain, stop by a pawn shop - you might be able to pick one up for next to nothing!

[N8IAA]

Originally Posted by DPD1

I think you'd probably be happy with the Uniden 72XLT. Under $100. Less than that and you'll have to get used probably. Comes with the adapter.

BC95XLT is a newer version of the the 72. Look at Uniden | A World Without Wires
Another place closer to home is Ham Radio Outlet in Doraville, GA. They sell all of the newer scanners. Of, course, there is RadioShack.com - the nation's most experienced and trusted consumer electronics specialty retailers.. I have the Pro-97 that has all of the requirements that you listed. It is one of the easier conventional/trunktracking scanners to program. Send me a Private Message. I might have something for you.
Larry

[burner50]

look at a Vertex VX 150. It is a ham transciever, but will receive the rail frequencies well and is reasonably priced...

[captncarp]

The Uniden BC72xlt has all your requirements. Enough channels to program in all the railroad channels.
About $90 bucks on line from several dealers. You can get a antenna cut for 160mhz that will increase reception a little for about $30. Comes with a AC adapter for house power. I use mine for local railroads and being on the Hudson River I also listen to ships and tugs. Solid reception up to 10 miles either way up and down the river. More expensive models don't do any better range why's they just cover more bands and have more channels which are not needed for railroads.
DMC

[burner50]

*POOF*


Off topic crap is gone... Lets keep it friendly folks.

[46u]

I spent several hours calling pawn shops in the middle Georgia area with little success. I only found 3 scanners and they where either old or over priced. For the price of the only one I would consider I rather buy new and have a warranty. So I ordered the Bearcat BC95XLT which is a update of the BC72XLT for $105 shipped.

The biggest difference I see between the two is the 95 stores 200 channels and the 72 stores 100 channels. Does any one know of any other differences? What I like about the Uniden over the Radio Shack models is they come with a AC power supply. If I use it and enjoy it enough I will up grade later.

There is a Norfolk & Southern main line less then 2 blocks from my house which 25 plus trains a day pass over it so I figure this will help me set it up and learn to use it. I will give a review on the BC95XLT after I have some time to play around with it.

All so I ordered a used copy of The Compendium of American Railroad Radio Frequencies (Railroad Reference Series, No. 18) as recommendation by other rail fans. It is out of print and a little out dated but they said it was still a good reference. So I figured for $13 shipped it was worth a look see.

[burner50]

Originally Posted by 46u

All so I ordered a used copy of The Compendium of American Railroad Radio Frequencies (Railroad Reference Series, No. 18) as recommendation by other rail fans. It is out of print and a little out dated but they said it was still a good reference. So I figured for $13 shipped it was worth a look see.

I would reccomend programming all 97 aar channels

[N8IAA]

Have you looked in the RR database for the GA railroad frequencies for our state?? Put those in and monitor away Just looked at the database. Not good info there. Try 160.590, 161.370 for CSX GA road channels; 161.100, and 160.230. For NS, try 160.950, 160.245 Dispatch to Train, 160.830 Train to Dispatch.
Larry

[b7spectra]

According to a couple of the railroad webpages, NS uses 161.115 as their FRED. When listening to it you will hear a data burst which means be on the look out for a train. Most other RR's use 452.9375 and 457.9375.

After you get your scanner, get you a decent camera that you can start taking pictures with. There are lots of RR sites out there that people share their pictures on.

I would have opted for a alpha scanner (one that you can have a alpha-numeric display on it as instead of having to look at the frequency, your display would read something like "N-S Road" or "CSX Yard".

[46u]

I did a search on the FCC web site on high band and came up with this.

Site / Frequency Search Results

I all ready have a more then decent camera and all ready have MANY pictures. I all so have a video camera that I have not had real long. I have been interested in trains for over 50 years. I am not new to railroads just scanners.

[46u]

Have another question. If there is a V after the frequency what does this mean? 161.49000000 V