Tuned vs un-tuned antenna

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cbehr91

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The best consumer scanners made for railfanning were made 30+ years ago. The Regency HX1000/1200/1500 are pretty much the gold standard. Any of the Bearcat 210 form factor rigs (20/20, 220, 250, etc.) are also excellent. The Bearcat and early Uniden BC100 and 200 series handhelds were also good. The only "newer" scanners that are close are the Relm HS200 and MS200 from the 90s (which weren't really scanners as they were rebadged Yupiteru receivers...still awesome sensitivity).

Otherwise now you will have to use a commercial radio. A few hammy rigs come close. Your VX150 is one of them - an awesome radio. Good choice. Keep experimenting.
 

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The best consumer scanners made for railfanning were made 30+ years ago. The Regency HX1000/1200/1500 are pretty much the gold standard. Any of the Bearcat 210 form factor rigs (20/20, 220, 250, etc.) are also excellent. The Bearcat and early Uniden BC100 and 200 series handhelds were also good. The only "newer" scanners that are close are the Relm HS200 and MS200 from the 90s (which weren't really scanners as they were rebadged Yupiteru receivers...still awesome sensitivity).

Otherwise now you will have to use a commercial radio. A few hammy rigs come close. Your VX150 is one of them - an awesome radio. Good choice. Keep experimenting.


I disagree. Have you had a chance to try some of the newer scanners available today? My Uniden BCT15X, BCD996XT, BCD996P2, and BCD325P2 scanners received railroad communications just fine, as do my newer BCD436HP and BCD536HP's do.
 

cbehr91

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I disagree. Have you had a chance to try some of the newer scanners available today? My Uniden BCT15X, BCD996XT, BCD996P2, and BCD325P2 scanners received railroad communications just fine, as do my newer BCD436HP and BCD536HP's do.

I have used the BCD996XT and BCD436HP. Compared to anything commercial or even amateur gear I've used they had poor sensitivity and weak audio. Sure, modern scanners do "just fine" for rail comms, but like Ubbe said a few posts up, at least on anything analog a commercial radio and even most amateur gear will beat the pants off of most any scanner sensitivity-wise.
 

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Sure, modern scanners do "just fine" for rail comms, but like Ubbe said a few posts up, at least on anything analog a commercial radio and even most amateur gear will beat the pants off of most any scanner sensitivity-wise.


I don't disagree, but now you're talking about something entirely different than what you said in post #21.
 

cbehr91

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I don't disagree, but now you're talking about something entirely different than what you said in post #21.

Maybe in the specs the newer scanners have lower uV ratings on VHF-hi, but there is something about the old models I listed that they just plain pick up better on the rail channels. Of course a commercial radio will do even better than, and will be narrowband, etc.

Just to run a comparison I had my 436HP, VX150, and HX1000 all scanning the same local rail frequencies with name brand (Larsen and Laird) tuned 1/4 wave helical antennas. There was stuff the VX150 and HX1000 were picking up that wasn't even breaking squelch on the 436HP.
 
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