Air band mobile monitoring

[jeepsandradios]

Anyone do monitoring while mobile ? I have played around with a handheld and an older scanner and both give very mixed results. I know I wont hear a ton but looking for a better "monitor" for mobile use. Other than spending $1000 on a A120 from ICOM anyone else offer a reasonably priced mobile ?

 

[belvdr]

Are you using an external antenna?

 

[jeepsandradios]

yup. vhf 1/4 wave

 

[N9JCQ]

I hear the Uniden 125 does a pretty good job. What specifically are you trying to listen to? Air band monitoring can be tricky. Monitoring towers further from say 10 miles away (depending on antenna, terrain, and radio quality) can be a bit spotty. I use my 325P2 and its not the greatest compared to my 780XLT which is just too damn big in the car. I use my ham tri-band antenna mobile antenna in the car.

 

[belvdr]

I used an iCOM 5100 to monitor air band and could hear aircraft (within reason) but not towers. ATIS could be heard from a mile out approximately. I used a 5/8 wave 2m/440.

 

[Trucker700]

I too use the Icom 5100a mobile. And have found I can hear quite a bit using a dual band mobile antenna. I do wish there was more scanner like features. But, still it's not bad.
James
AKA: Trucker

 

[iMONITOR]

Anyone do monitoring while mobile ? I have played around with a handheld and an older scanner and both give very mixed results. I know I wont hear a ton but looking for a better "monitor" for mobile use. Other than spending $1000 on a A120 from ICOM anyone else offer a reasonably priced mobile ?

I was considering an buying an ICOM A220 and inquired here on RR several months ago. Numerous people here on RR talked me out of it, claiming that it would not be the best choice and that a scanner may actually work better than the ICOM. They claimed the actual radios designed for communications for aircraft are designed with intentional limited performance due to the nature of how it is used and they don't want to receive from too many aircraft or those that are too far away.

Currently I've been very pleased with Uniden's BCT15X analog scanner.

 

[mass-man]

I use the Uniden 125 with a 2 mtr quarter wave while traveling...works about as well as expected. I have 121.5 programmed in and it has been interesting at times...as well 123.4 and 123.45 which actually is fairly busy with pilot to pilot chats! Usually the CTAF/Unicom freqs will yield more activity than most anything else.

 

[RichardKramer]

I use my Uniden 436 and 396XT with a Larsen tri-band mag mnt on the center roof of the suv with good results on both the civ/milair bands.

 

[NYRHKY94]

Like iMonitor, I use the Uniden BCT15X with very good results. Have one connected to a Larsen Tri-Band in the car and one in the house connected to a DPD VHF Air blade in the attic.

 

[hill]

I sometimes use my FT100DR to monitor aircraft and works well with the short 2m/70cm antenna.

If used on any aircraft is mostly the mil aircraft band and it works equally well on this band.

 

[bearcatrp]

Am waiting for the new Icom ID-52A/E (if it ever gets released) for mobile air scanning. Should be a good hand held air band mobile receiver.

 

[bearcatrp]

Just noticed this. Look at the link. Look at the Specifications as guaranteed coverage. Just caught this. If Icom neuters this radio like the IC 705, I will pass on this radio!
ID-52A VHF/UHF D-STAR Portable - Features - Icom America

 

[mass-man]

many a radio states guaranteed in the ham bands and is a solid performer out of band also!

 

[superdeez]

Are you a HAM? Many amateur transceivers offer VHF airband RX. I currently have an Alinco DR-135T both in my mobile and base setups.

Also, check out the used market for the Icom IC-A110, it's a VHF airband transceiver that normally has a VFO as well as 20 memory presets with alpha tags. It supports scanning, though it scans very slowly. Only trouble with the IC-A110 is it is affected more by interference than most Icom gear and I would suggest a bandpass filter for it. Works fine without a microphone connected if you're worried about accidentally keting up. Works on both 12V and 24V nominal systems.

Edit: Some of these Icom radios might have been programmed to not allow scanning, front panel programming or an open VFO.

 

[danesgs]

There are a number of good radios for air band. I found the Uniden 895XLT to be worth the hunt as it does both VHF commercial and UHF military fairly well.

 

[bearcatrp]

Not a ham. Had a yaesu D100, which did ok. Could use my R30 but would be nice to have a dedicated radio for air band so I can use the R30 for other freqs to listen to. Am hoping Icom doesn't neuter this radio. I did look at yaesu latest handheld but don't know anything about that radio.

 

[N9JCQ]

I use my old Yaesu 7800 mobile for ham use, as well as Civil and MILAIR monitoring and it works quite well for that. I use two mobile antennas for my ham/scanning. An MP Super M Super-M Classic Mobile Antenna Review in QST Magazine and an Anli AN DC-124 Amazon.com.

 

[krokus]

I have listened to IAD & MAD with my TM-V71, using a ham dual-band antenna. It works, but I have not charted how far out I could hear aircraft.

 

[rayvelcoro]

The BC125 AT is my go-to for anything analog. One issue of concern (and it's only a slight quibble) is that its Mil-air UHF coverage stops at 380 Mhz. It is strange to me that it doesn't include coverage from 380-400 Mhz. Other than that, I enjoy its use for aviation monitoring.