For scanning 3 channels for a railroad feed, better choice than a scanner?

[JoshuaHufford]

I'm working on setting up an internet feed for my local UP line that runs through Jefferson City, Mo. I have an antenna temporarily mounted on my house as a test and have decided it will be worthwhile. I currently have a Radio Shack Pro-2026 that I plan to use, I know not the best scanner out there but it gets the job done.

Once in a while but not often I get some interference, one from a local hospital, and the other I have no idea what it is, just get a beeping tone once in a while, so I'm thinking perhaps something with better selectivity will help?

Either way I'd eventually like to get something else to use here at home for the feed as I do like to use the 2026 scanner in the car. Since I'm only going to be monitoring 3 channels speed isn't much of a problem. Is there a better option out there that isn't super expensive? I'm not opposed to buying used. Or maybe even and SDR? I have read a little about them but know very little.

I'll be monitoring 160.470 160.740 161.220 and the antenna will be a Slim-Jim made from copper pipe tuned to 160-164 MHz.

Thanks!

 

[mancow]

I would use a Bendix King EPH off eBay with a battery eliminator or mobile Bendix King EMH.

Face programmable, super selective, amazing sensitivity, full PL/DPL and insane scan speed with easy keyboard programming.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I'm working on setting up an internet feed for my local UP line that runs through Jefferson City, Mo. I have an antenna temporarily mounted on my house as a test and have decided it will be worthwhile. I currently have a Radio Shack Pro-2026 that I plan to use, I know not the best scanner out there but it gets the job done.

Once in a while but not often I get some interference, one from a local hospital, and the other I have no idea what it is, just get a beeping tone once in a while, so I'm thinking perhaps something with better selectivity will help?

Either way I'd eventually like to get something else to use here at home for the feed as I do like to use the 2026 scanner in the car. Since I'm only going to be monitoring 3 channels speed isn't much of a problem. Is there a better option out there that isn't super expensive? I'm not opposed to buying used. Or maybe even and SDR? I have read a little about them but know very little.

I'll be monitoring 160.470 160.740 161.220 and the antenna will be a Slim-Jim made from copper pipe tuned to 160-164 MHz.

Thanks!

You could get yourself a bandpass cavity or preselector like a Decibel or TX RX on the surplus market and pass just those freqs in that 680 KHz swath . You will knock out hospital paging and some of the NOAA WX signals.


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