My small "shack"

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w1av

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Jan 12, 2006
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Recently got back into monitoring after many years of inactivity. I picked up a used BC8500 from Ebay which I use primarily as an ACARS and aircraft band radio. On top of the BC8500 is a new Whistler WS1025 which I use for monitoring fire/rescue/railroad/police etc. I am also a HAM (W1AV) but inactive. Tempted to dabble in that hobby again, but I now live in a suburban residential area and not many antenna options. Besides I am a musician and that takes up quite a bit of my free time. I do music production and write my own music. The antenna connected to the Whistler scanner is one of those Diamond discones. I mounted it on a 15+ foot mast bracketed to back of garage. The antenna for the BC8500 is a home made 1/2 wave dipole which is pretty ugly but performs really great. I am planning a more attractive sturdier version soon. I am retired one year and when I am not busy I am listening to airplanes.
 

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K2NEC

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Oct 23, 2017
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2,647
Everyone starts small. :) If it works then its a good setup!
 

w1av

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Joined
Jan 12, 2006
Messages
81
As far as what I monitor the discone is not bad. I don't listen to anything on lowband....not much use around here. But I suppose the size of the antenna would limit lowband reception. The discone sure holds up in high winds. We had a real crazy wind/rain storm Wednesday and and antenna barely moved on the mast. I live in a reasonably populated are just a few miles south of Providence RI so alot of the stations I can hear are not far away. Works pretty well on airband.
 

w1av

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2006
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I am using KGacars because it is the only program I can get to work! I tried those others but can't seem to receive a thing. KGacars seems to work fine but the messages for the most part are not too meaningful. I did see quite a few plain english messages about different things which were interesting. I could post a clipping of what I receive and post it here. Maybe someone could decode it for me.
 

TailGator911

Silent Key/KF4ANC
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
2,687
Location
Fairborn, OH
Nice setup! Love the cut of the wall and the handsome wood paneling. Looks like a very cozy shack - sweet! I have a discone too (Diamond) and, in my area, I find it to be very efficient.
 
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