Maycom AR-108 Scanner

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Matt112r

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Jun 23, 2010
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Hi everyone, I was thinking of purchasing the AR-108 scanner in the very near future and I would like to know if there are any problems with it, anything annoying, and is it worth getting. Also if anybody can recommend an antenna that could go along with it for a 15 mile range (Brooklyn, New York to KJFK) I would be very grateful. Thanks in advance
 

SCPD

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Feb 24, 2001
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I just looked at some reviews of this unit and it did not seem to do so well. Im in NY also and i would recommend for the same price and just a tad bigger is to get a scanner (pro-137) it will do the air band with alpha tag plus a whole lot more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeE0N-dRVdg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM5s93hQatY
just do a google search for pro-137

or just buy this one

RadioShack PRO-137 1000 Ch NOAA Handheld Racing Scanner - eBay (item 370400905370 end time Jun-27-10 11:54:46 PDT)

If your looking for a dedicated airband antenna check this site out (you would want the SMA version)

http://www.mobileone.com.au/antennas/airband/airband.html
if you need more help just email me

Also welcome to Radio Reference
 
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pm4hire

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May 3, 2010
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Location
Mesa, AZ USA
Airband scanning

The Maycom AR-108 received a positive review from Strongsignals.net
when I was considering buying an air band radio a couple of weeks ago.

Maycom is very popular in the UK and Europe. Maycom has what I believe
is a newer model called the FT-100 (I think), but you'll need to order this radio
from the UK.

I ended up buying an Icom R6 from Universal Radio to satisfy my
thirst for air band radio...I'm happy with my purchase.
 

happyscanner

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Oct 2, 2008
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Location
calgary, alberta
re: maycom ar-108

i have one but it's broken, no audio anymore
tried to get a hold of service but it was impossible
seems like it was a one time production run
have since given up on it, bought an i-com r5 instead

i would not recommend it

p.s. the fr-100 that was mentioned in an earlier post is a frs radio not a scanner.
 

Matt112r

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Jun 23, 2010
Messages
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Thanks everyone! I appreciate your help and advice (good you stopped me from getting the ar-108). I'm very new to in the world of scanners and I'm probably going to start off with the Pro-137, maybe over time I'll upgrade. Once again thanks for all of your help.
 

N1SQB

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Jan 25, 2003
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Somewhere On Earth
Pure 100% Overkill, But I love it!

I know this is overkill, but to those of you who are air-fanatics like me, there is nothing that can beat THIS little gem!
Vertex VXA-300 Pilot III NAV-COM Transceiver - MyPilotStore.com
Be sure to watch the video. Here is a sample user review:

" Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Review by a Radioman
by Don the frdmftr from Mesa Arizona

Pros: Rugged, versatile, sensitive, great dynamic range, loud ... and more.
Cons: Given its purpose and its price, none.

Review: The Vertex Standard Pilot III Nav-Com transceiver is very similar in appearance to the Yaesu VX-170 2-meter FM amateur radio handie-talkie I've been using for several years as a ham radio operator. I knew that radio was good, and had high expectations for the Pilot III. The Pilot III not only met, but exceeded my expectations. I had been using a Radio Shack scanner to monitor the local tower frequency from various locations around town, and most of the time the tower was barely readable, aircraft on the ground couldn't be heard at all, and aircraft in the air came blasting in much too loud. By contrast, the tower is full quieting the Pilot III almost everywhere in town, I can usually hear the aircraft on the ground (weakly) and the aircraft in the air sound about the same as the tower. This indicates not only at least fifty percent greater sensitivity (.8-microvolts compared to 1.5-microvolts on the scanner) but also MUCH GREATER dynamic range. The audio quality and power output is also greatly improved, making even the foreign-accents heard from the local Part 141 school trainers understandable. I am very impressed, and I would give it more than five stars if more were available. (One recommendation to those whose reviews of this radio were less than sterling: It really helps to read the manual. Practicing with the various functions and procedures for five minutes makes all the difference in the world. It is an excellent and very versatile radio.) "

It is reviews like this, from real users in the field, that make me choose a dedicated air band transceiver over a scanner for aircraft monitoring.
This thing even has audio pitch control allowing you to taylor the audio to your liking. 800 mw of audio, rugged case, .8 microvolts sensitivity, 8 character alpha tags, 200 channels. What more can you ask for in a portable aircraft radio? The price is not bad either.

Manny
 
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