Can BCD396XT pick up 72-76MHz?

[silverf0x]

Can anyone confirm if the BCD396XT will pick up the 72-76MHz range for wireless microphones? Also curious if it will get 225-400MHz for military stations and federal government.

Thank you.

[ka3jjz]

The answer can be found in our wiki...

BCD396XT - The RadioReference Wiki

or in the Easier to Read manual, or in the Uniden manual....you get the idea....

Mike

[jimg]

[QUOTE=silverf0x;1891922]Can anyone confirm if the BCD396XT will pick up the 72-76MHz range for wireless microphones? Also curious if it will get 225-400MHz for military stations and federal government.

Thank you.[/QUOTE

Here in Tennessee, my BCD396XT picks up signals from repeaters on 72 and 75 mhz.

[silverf0x]

Thanks ka3jjz, I did check the wiki but some manufacturers state their scanners will cover a range of frequencies, but not mention the gaps that are not covered. I was looking for confirmation that the specific range covered as mentioned in the wiki were complete.

jimg, thank you for confirming.

[mass-man]

As a daily user of wireless mics you aren't going to find any in the 72-76mhz range! That's an allocation from decades ago. I guess NONE is too harsh, but very doubtful . Maybe a very old church or auditorium system!

[silverf0x]

Hi mass-man: "none"? Can you elaborate? What frequency would a modern wireless mic be on these days?

[nd5y]

Wireless mics use several frequency ranges including the 72-76 MHz band. A lot of the modern ones are frequency agile.
Cordless Microphones - The RadioReference Wiki

[silverf0x]

Oh, hey thanks nd5y, I didn't even realize this wiki was available. Thanks!

[mass-man]

None may have been a bit harsh, but if you find a wireless mic system still operating on the 72-76 mhz range it is a very old system! The most popular bands are sprinkled between 470 all the way to 700mhz, with a few holes for radiotelescopes and other services. But remember, the most powerfull a wireless transmitter in the USA can be is 250mw in the UHF range and 100mw in the VHF range, so you are going to have to be pretty darn close to the transmitter to receive it. The little cheap wireless systems police use to transmit back to the car dash-cams seem all to be in the 172mhz range. There again, low power.

It is possible you could camp out near a big church or a movie set and scan long enough to find the frequencies in use. Many of the big mega-churches use upwards of 20-30 wireless at anytime. Movies usually no more than maybe 10 at a time. I often use six wireless mics at once and they are spread almost 200 mhz apart, frequency agile and the frequency is determined based on local inteference. I often change frequencies even if we move only a few blocks.

There is an excellent frequency chart for professional wireless mics at:
Frequency Tables | Knowledge Base

I will say this, that last block 944 is a much smaller block to scan and you will find some fun stuff up there, as it is primarily reserved for TV stations and broadcast networks. As an individual user of wireless mics, I can't get the equipment that operates there. Also while the chart shows Block 28 on up, those are not legal in the USA!

[silverf0x]

mass-man, this is great - thank you! I tried listening in on my own church tonight, with the frequencies available in the national database here on RR.com, but could not pick up anything. I'll check out the link you provided and see if there are additional frequencies I can scan.

[mass-man]

If you are a member of a fairly new and progressive church they will not be using 72-76mhz stuff. Best best is to go by the AV booth, or sound board, and sneak a peek at the receivers they are using. Usually they will display frequency in big bold letters...even if you only catch one, that should put you in the right block to at least start scanning....

[nd5y]

Find out the make and model of the equipment and look for frequencies used on the manufacturer's web site.

[silverf0x]

Excellent suggestions guys, thank you!

[03msc]

Originally Posted by mass-man

If you are a member of a fairly new and progressive church they will not be using 72-76mhz stuff. Best best is to go by the AV booth, or sound board, and sneak a peek at the receivers they are using. Usually they will display frequency in big bold letters...even if you only catch one, that should put you in the right block to at least start scanning....

As an operator of pro audio equipment I ditto this - just go to the booth and look would be the easiest way to determine. I will say, though, as far as politeness and etiquette goes, be careful! At my church the ministers put their wireless lapel or head worn on well before the service and they are on at the belt pack (transmitter) and muted at the sound board/mixer so essentially you would be eavesdropping on potentially private conversations. In some cases there may be some stuff said in private (they assume) that you could hear. I know some would say they shouldn't wear the mic if they want privacy but most ministers would never think of this AND sometimes someone just walks up and talks about something sensitive outside the minister's plans or intentions.

Just my two cents but that's borderline unethical or at least poor etiquette...just my opinion, though...

[rbm]

If you go here:
Mark's Scanners
Then go down to the "Auto Step Size Chart" for the model you're interested in, you'll see this chart.
It shows the coverage.
Rich