Caddop22
Member
loumaag said:My OCD requires that scanners always scan up.
As does mine
Dumbest scanner features
- Thread starter Nasby
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As does mine
K4DHR
Member
trunker0205 said:
Having one that's channel specific usually requires something that is either PC controlled or PC programmable. Even my IC-208H, which doubles as my "scanner" in my car when I'm not talking (I like listening to aircraft on the way into work) only has a "global" attenuator. My PCR-100 was the only radio I've ever owned that allowed you to set the attenuator by channel.
IMHO, you'll only use the attenuator under specific circumstances, so not having it channel specific isn't a big drawback for most folks.
Smerri
Member
Same here. I never scan down.loumaag said:My OCD requires that scanners always scan up.
firebus29
Member
$$$
The most rediculous thing I ever encountered on a scanner was the price tag!
The most rediculous thing I ever encountered on a scanner was the price tag!
grem467
Member
i cant remember if it was on one of Alinco's ham rigs or their wideband RX, but the mosquito repel feature has to be BY FAR the most idiotic thing ever.
scanbc780
Usually Lurking
Airdorn said:
I guess some have a use for it.........I figure in most installs if it fits where it needs to go upside down, its the same size right side up, soooo Just flip it over. I would like to see an install picture for someone that really used it, or needed to.
I would much rather see Screen Mask myself.
rescue128
Member
grem467 said:
huh? is that a joke, or was that actually some kinda gimmick?
grem467
Member
who knew!
It was a yaesu VX series handheld that had the stupid sub-audible Mosquito repellant feature.
I'm certainly that the Yaesu engineers were really bored the day they added that feature.
My vote for stupid features is not in a scanner but some Yaesu ham radios
1. The FT100/D mobile and it's successors that have the stupid bar graph spectrum scope to check for signals across a particular frequency range.
The receiver is disabled on the active channel when this useless feature is enabled and you really cannot zero in on a particular channel with any amount of accuracy.
2. The Yaesu VX-1R which can be programmed to ring a bell and flash the LCD when a matching CTCSS tone is detected, wouldn't the presence of noise coming thru your speaker be good indication that the correct CTCSS tone has been sent, Duh yaesu.
Mike
I'm certainly that the Yaesu engineers were really bored the day they added that feature.
My vote for stupid features is not in a scanner but some Yaesu ham radios
1. The FT100/D mobile and it's successors that have the stupid bar graph spectrum scope to check for signals across a particular frequency range.
The receiver is disabled on the active channel when this useless feature is enabled and you really cannot zero in on a particular channel with any amount of accuracy.
2. The Yaesu VX-1R which can be programmed to ring a bell and flash the LCD when a matching CTCSS tone is detected, wouldn't the presence of noise coming thru your speaker be good indication that the correct CTCSS tone has been sent, Duh yaesu.
Mike
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grem467
Member
mm said:
It wasnt yaesu, it was the alinco, look above your post. I quoted the text from the radios description
I would have to say the arrow keys on the PRO-92 and PRO-96 where each push of the up arrow button takes you up in channel number but down the list as it shows in the spreadsheet that you use to program the scanner. The down arrow in spreadsheet programs for computers takes you down the list, but when you operate these scanners you have to remember it is the opposite. This is the way my BC-235 and old BC-200 handheld worked also.
The PSR-600 has up and down arrow keys and they work like the keys on a computer, that is when you press the up arrow it moves up on the list toward lower channel numbers and when you press down it moves down the list toward higher channel numbers.
This may not be dumb to some people, but my brain stays in the spreadsheet/computer method and reversing my thought process when using a scanner has always been clumsy.
The PSR-600 has up and down arrow keys and they work like the keys on a computer, that is when you press the up arrow it moves up on the list toward lower channel numbers and when you press down it moves down the list toward higher channel numbers.
This may not be dumb to some people, but my brain stays in the spreadsheet/computer method and reversing my thought process when using a scanner has always been clumsy.
slicerwizard
Member
The channel up/down buttons on your TV remote must drive you batty...
DonS
Member
Maybe he has a remote like mine, with "CH +" and "CH -" keys. And, if/when he's navigating in a "grid" of channels, he uses (separate) "up" and "down" keys to move around.slicerwizard said:
For some reason I don't have the same problem with the TV even though channel up or plus takes you up in numerical order. When I program my scanner I do so on a spreadsheet type format and when I use the scanner there is a picture of the spreadsheet in my head as I operate it. I don't program my TV so I don't have a spreadsheet in my head. It all has to do with how visual images are created in one's mind.
I think one of the dumbest features handheld scanners ever had was the proprietorial battery. When Radio Shack came out with a scanner in 1983 that used AA batteries, there was almost no turning back for me. Being able to purchase my own batteries for the scanner was a must. I made an exception when I purchased the BC-200 in the late 1980's. I had to purchase quite a bit of battery equipment for the rig. A home charger that would draw the batteries down before charging them and a mobile unit for each car that would sense how much charge the battery needed. Ni Cads at first then NiMh's when they became available. Wall warts for each device as well as a cigarette lighter plug in. Then I purchased the first trunk tracking radio, which was the BC-235 and a ridiculous proprietorial battery was included, with the little plug that having large fingers made hard to connect. That and the wires between the battery and the plug could get tangled up with the battery cover. I didn't purchase the BC-245 because of this problem. When the PRO-92 came out I jumped on it, with the use of AA batteries being a huge factor in that decision. It took Uniden quite some time to pick up on the AA battery issue and how it is a major factor in a purchase.
I wish some of the ham radio manufacturers would figure out a way for us to use AA's. It would require a whole new type of AA we don't see right now, that is, a high capacity rechargeable lithium cell. I would certainly give up some compactness for the ability to charge the battery in a charge that would charge all my AA's. The proprietorial battery stinks!
I think one of the dumbest features handheld scanners ever had was the proprietorial battery. When Radio Shack came out with a scanner in 1983 that used AA batteries, there was almost no turning back for me. Being able to purchase my own batteries for the scanner was a must. I made an exception when I purchased the BC-200 in the late 1980's. I had to purchase quite a bit of battery equipment for the rig. A home charger that would draw the batteries down before charging them and a mobile unit for each car that would sense how much charge the battery needed. Ni Cads at first then NiMh's when they became available. Wall warts for each device as well as a cigarette lighter plug in. Then I purchased the first trunk tracking radio, which was the BC-235 and a ridiculous proprietorial battery was included, with the little plug that having large fingers made hard to connect. That and the wires between the battery and the plug could get tangled up with the battery cover. I didn't purchase the BC-245 because of this problem. When the PRO-92 came out I jumped on it, with the use of AA batteries being a huge factor in that decision. It took Uniden quite some time to pick up on the AA battery issue and how it is a major factor in a purchase.
I wish some of the ham radio manufacturers would figure out a way for us to use AA's. It would require a whole new type of AA we don't see right now, that is, a high capacity rechargeable lithium cell. I would certainly give up some compactness for the ability to charge the battery in a charge that would charge all my AA's. The proprietorial battery stinks!
dangitdoug
Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2006
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- 327
Bct9000xlt
Alphanumeric labeling on only half the channels. What the hell is that all about!!??
Alphanumeric labeling on only half the channels. What the hell is that all about!!??
It's about the price of memory. Buying large amounts of memory used to cost about the same as a house. Oh wait, with the housing slump I guess they're still about the same.dangitdoug said:
AZScanner
Member
scrotumola said:
This post should be renamed "You know you are a scanner geek when..."
EDIT: I suppose I should stay on topic. My vote is "DATA SKIP". They should have labeled that button "PLACEBO". I've never noticed a difference with that feature on or off - the damn scanner still stops on pager noise and you have to hit search/scan again anyway..
-AZ
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Austin4Wyo
Member
Smerri said:
When I've been searching here at my location for new frequencies, and pick up something weak, the scrolling down feature is nice if the signal gets weak enough to be shut out by the squelch. Pretty nice here in rural Wyoming, where you might be trying to pull in a signal from many miles away.
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