Need good frequencies..

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dogman780

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Hello

I'm in the Dundalk-Sparrows Point Area. What are some good frequencies to hear the space shuttle crew on? What is a good frequencie to hear ships and boats on as well. I'm not too far from the Bay.
 

Gilby

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Have you tried to listen on short wave 7185 mhz?? I've been able to lsten to them over the past 5 days on this frequency. I think there is also an IRLP link if yiu are a Ham radio operator. Gilby
 

dogman780

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Gilby said:
Have you tried to listen on short wave 7185 mhz?? I've been able to lsten to them over the past 5 days on this frequency. I think there is also an IRLP link if yiu are a Ham radio operator. Gilby


On my shortwave, it doesn't read 7185 mhz. Shortwave 1 ranges from 3.20 mhz-7.60 mhz.

Shortwave 2 ranges from 9.20 mhz-22.00 mhz

How do I hear the shuttle?

Also, what frequencies are best to hear oil tankers, tug boats, Cruiseliners etc in the Chesapeake Bay and near the Patapsco River?
 
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dogman780

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Okay, I think we are miscommunicating here.

I have a Scanner as well as a short wave radio. Therefore, when you asked me if I tryed Shortwave 7185 mhz, I assumed you meant on my short wave radio. I could NOT pick the shuttle up on my shortwave radio. What is the exact frequency number of 7185 mhz on my scanner? I'd really like to hear the shuttle.

Thanks
 

ka3jjz

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Too late for that now anyway. By the way, 7185 khz would be 7.185 mhz, and you would need Single Sideband capability to hear it, otherwise it would all sound very garbled and unintelligble. That's probably one of the freqs the Goddard Space Flight Center ham club WA3NAN is using. It's based in Greenbelt.

As for things like tugboats and such, the marine channels are where you want to be - and unlike those milair and other frequencies you were trying in the Nat Guard thread, these are well within your range. The marine frequencies, and the respective channel numbers are all in the wiki lined up right here You have a Service Search for the marine band.

That little antenna that comes with most handhelds is often referred to as a 'duckie' and is only really useful for very local stuff - it's quite lossy at many frequencies. You'll have to be more specific about how you are using the 528 - in a car, in the house, portable, ect so folks can recommend an antenna that will perform better than that lossy little pig. That is going to make a big difference in what you can/can't hear.

I will say that I would hesitate before putting a big outdoor antenna on the 528. You see, handhelds are made to work with the relatively low level of signal that a duckie (or similar) would deliver. Anything more than that, and you may start hearing pagers and other junk where it doesn't belong. In extreme cases, the 528 would lose sensitivity on one or more bands (a very loose description of what we refer to as 'desense'). Filters are available to fight this kind of interference, but where possible, the correct selection of an antenna (and associated coax) will help minimize those kinds of problems, particularly in our area.

73s Mike
 
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dogman780

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Actually, all of the marine frequencies are in the 156-162 range. My Pro-528 misses these as it's closest ranges are 137-147 and then it jumps to 216-224 range. I wish I had known more about these before getting one. I really can't pick up anything interesting.

Now I'm confused as to why they would even put the Marine band on the Pro-528 when it doesn't include any marine frequencies. Do you know why this is?

EDIT*** Okay, I have no idea whats going on. My range does not include the 150-160 frequencies. I just happened to switch it to Marine and now it IS picking up these frequencies.
 
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ka3jjz

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I see where your problem is. It's either a misprint in the manual or a poor function, but 'chain search' as written in your manual seems to end at 147 mhz for VHF hi (why I have no clue). However, if you go to the 'beyond the basics' section of the manual, you see what the true coverage of the scanner really is.

Personally speaking such broad searching is not really the most productive way to find frequencies. Keeping your searches narrow - say 1 mhz or less - is likely to be much better. That is, of course, if you don't find the frequencies you want here....

73s Mike
 
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