What receiver do you use to broadcast?

[k5acl]

I have a few different options to broadcast my feed, just trying to figure out which one would be the best?

SDRPlay using an SDR software of some sort?

Uniden Scanner?

Leaving 2m rig on all day? (also leaving power supply on all day)

New to broadcasting, not sure if receiver sensitivity matters that much as much as my antenna, but I'm using a diamond x30 mounted @ 25' AGL.

Using 75' of LMR 400. Just trying to optimize my station

 

[SCPD]

I am using an IC207, I don't think I would even consider a scanner. You could get an older 2 meter rig on eBay for $20 or so, there's some Midland Titans on there for around $20-$25 with shipping.

 

[k5acl]

On the fence

I am using an IC207, I don't think I would even consider a scanner. You could get an older 2 meter rig on eBay for $20 or so, there's some Midland Titans on there for around $20-$25 with shipping.

Yes, I just bought a Uniden BC355N and I'm pretty displeased with it. I have a Yaesu FTM400DR, but would rather not leave the LCD display on 24/7, I also have a Kenwood TM-281A that I could use, but I can also do the other options listed above. Just trying to figure out which one would give better performance on 146.52.

I'm understanding that the SDRPlay has very good front end filters, but I'm sure the radios do too. I'm sure the difference isn't too noticeable from one to the next.

I'm not happy with the choices of scanners out there either, it seems you can either go for a cheap Uniden/Whistler, or splurge and go all crazy for an AOR. No thanks on either. I'm more into amateur radio than scanning, so I think your choice of a 2m radio would be best.

Unless some other folks have experience using the SDRPlay for this, would like to hear about it.

 

[W8RMH]

On my very popular feed, which today is it's 4 year anniversary buy the way, I use a BCD996XT, which replaced my BCT15X, which replaced my BCT15.

These Uniden base/mobile scanners feature the "Record Out" function which uses a "Pre-Set" audio level which has been Trouble Free, Plug & Play for me.

I highly recommend the newer form of 996 the BCD996P2, with the free RadioFeed software.

 

[flythunderbird]

I'm running a PRO-197 and a PRO-106 for my feeds.

 

[steveloomis]

I use a commercial grade Motorola CDM1250 radio programmed for receive only. Really excellent audio quality and receiver sensitivity/selectivity. There is a fixed level output that needs to be padded down to an appropriate level for your computer input. You can use a 10K pot across the audio out and ground then take the wiper of the pot to the computer input. Adjust the pot for best sounding audio into the computer.

 

[melbournefan]

Uniden UBCD396XT for my fire feed and a RTL-SDR for the railway feed

 

[M105]

I am using an old Realistic Pro-2006 which has a fixed level tape output jack and it works great. It sounds like you are wanting to broadcast a single frequency. If that is the case I think I would go with a SDR dongle and route the audio with VB cable from FMP or SDR# to the broadcast software. I have also done this and it works well. The dongles are cheap, the software free, and gives you a nice fixed level audio without tying up a radio and power supply or messing with audio input cables.

 

[radiotrack1]

You can get a BaoFeng UV-5R for 20.00 to 30.00. They do UHF VHF have TCSS and DCS.

 

[cmjonesinc]

When I ran a feed I used an old Radio Shack Pro 508 I picked up at Goodwill for 5 bucks. I opened it up and added a 3.5mm jack that was fed from the speaker audio and I put a switch on it as well to mute the speaker when I wanted to. All and all had less than 10 bucks in it and it worked fine. That was back when my county was still analog. After they went digital I switched to a different setup and used my 996xt and remote software so I could control it and change talkgroups and hold on a channel when I wanted to and I fed the audio through Zello so it wasnt a constant data drain from streaming on my phone.

 

[KC9VZV]

You can get a BaoFeng UV-5R for 20.00 to 30.00. They do UHF VHF have TCSS and DCS.

Any tips on using the UV-5R for a feed? Friend tried it and said leaving the radio in the charging cradle causes a lot of interference and significantly reduces the audio quality of the feed. I, personally, have not tried it so I am not speaking from personal experience, but I would love to use a baofeng on my feed to free up my Uniden handheld i currently have on there.

 

[AM909]

Any tips on using the UV-5R for a feed? Friend tried it and said leaving the radio in the charging cradle causes a lot of interference and significantly reduces the audio quality of the feed. I, personally, have not tried it so I am not speaking from personal experience, but I would love to use a baofeng on my feed to free up my Uniden handheld i currently have on there.

I'm guessing he means he was getting low-frequency hum with the audio, not RF interference. A simple audio isolation transformer is the likely solution.

 

[SCPD]

I'm guessing he means he was getting low-frequency hum with the audio, not RF interference. A simple audio isolation transformer is the likely solution.

No, the switching regulator in the cradle causes RFI. They make a battery eliminator which should be better.

 

[dward42586]

Radio choice

I brought a retired Uniden BC 700 HLT back into service for my setup. Been on 24/7 for several years without a problem. They still show on E Bay for around $40 - $50.

They have the line in jack, very easy set-up.