PortlandRailRadio
Newbie
- Joined
- May 13, 2016
- Messages
- 3
Hello All,
I'm looking to answer a series of questions to maximize my indoor base scanner setup, which with married life and a new house comes with certain restrictions. I'd like to listen to RR frequencies, which are in the 160-161MHz range, so nothing too crazy. I know the tower locations around me for the RR, and I do get some towers without problem, as expected. What I am lacking however, are hearing train crews and automated equipment detectors (which give you details about train movements, a great way to tell if a train is close by) and FRED frequencies, which are small data bursts on the train that run in the 101MHz. The nearest tracks are only 1 mile away, and typically with my mobile scanner I can pickup the FRED, Detector and tower channels no problem.
So the situation is I get a good chunk of the basement to have a hobby room (model trains of course). However, rules are no antenna outside on/around the house.... so I have a BC365CRS, rigged up with a cheap extension cable (maybe this could be an issue?) to a Smiley 160MHz antenna (4' telescope) and my question is what can I get for an antenna that will maximize my setup? The area my scanner is perched is up high, and there is a basement window close by away from any machine noise (computers, routers, ect). Also, does the orientation of my antenna make a big difference (vertical, horizontal, pitched, ect)?
Sorry for all the questions, I read through some other posts but determined that in reality each situation & setup is different. I am willing to invest in a good setup, ultimately I'd like to link up to Broadcastify and run a stream (maybe using a Raspberry Pi or other cheap computer)
I'm looking to answer a series of questions to maximize my indoor base scanner setup, which with married life and a new house comes with certain restrictions. I'd like to listen to RR frequencies, which are in the 160-161MHz range, so nothing too crazy. I know the tower locations around me for the RR, and I do get some towers without problem, as expected. What I am lacking however, are hearing train crews and automated equipment detectors (which give you details about train movements, a great way to tell if a train is close by) and FRED frequencies, which are small data bursts on the train that run in the 101MHz. The nearest tracks are only 1 mile away, and typically with my mobile scanner I can pickup the FRED, Detector and tower channels no problem.
So the situation is I get a good chunk of the basement to have a hobby room (model trains of course). However, rules are no antenna outside on/around the house.... so I have a BC365CRS, rigged up with a cheap extension cable (maybe this could be an issue?) to a Smiley 160MHz antenna (4' telescope) and my question is what can I get for an antenna that will maximize my setup? The area my scanner is perched is up high, and there is a basement window close by away from any machine noise (computers, routers, ect). Also, does the orientation of my antenna make a big difference (vertical, horizontal, pitched, ect)?
Sorry for all the questions, I read through some other posts but determined that in reality each situation & setup is different. I am willing to invest in a good setup, ultimately I'd like to link up to Broadcastify and run a stream (maybe using a Raspberry Pi or other cheap computer)