Good MilAir Scanner??

[bb49490]

I would like to find out a good Milair scanner that I could use. I have a MOA that is over where I live and I currently have a Pro-60 that does, what I think, is a decent job of picking up Milair frequencies. I am thinking about updating some of my scanners and Milair is something that I am looking at. I have a Pro-95 that is horrible when it comes to Milair. I am looking at getting a Pro-96 due to the digital that my area will be going to, how well does the Pro-96 does on Milair? Also, what would be the best option for an antenna? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[petrol88]

BR330T has full Mil-Air coverage, including low-band (it has continuous coverage from 100 kHz to 1.3 GHz, minus cell phones). The size is great, too (about 1/3 the size of the 60 or the 96).

 

[hiegtx]

If you are needing digital soon, then the BCD396T is Uniden's handeld digital scanner. It does mil-air also, and will cover trunked systems in the 700Mhz band when they began to go live. The Pro-96 is currently on sale at Radio Shack for about $100 less than the 396, but the 396 comes with rechargeable batteries, the pc control cable, and ac adapter, all of which are extra cost with the Pro-96. So end cost would be about the same.

Uniden also has free software available for download for the 396. Third party software is also available for both scanners.

 

[n4voxgill]

BR330T has full Mil-Air coverage, including low-band (it has continuous coverage from 100 kHz to 1.3 GHz, minus cell phones). The size is great, too (about 1/3 the size of the 60 or the 96).

You said low band, and I am not sure what you meant by that. If you are talking about the HF frequency band used by civilian and military aircraft for long distance communications, USCG 8983 kHz for example, the BR330 will not pick them up as the transmissions are all in single sideband, SSB, and the 330 does not have that mode. I'm not sure why they put they wide band coverage in the 330 since most of the good stuff below 30 MHz need SSB.

 

[CORN]

The PRO-96 does not come Milair equipped. You have to have a software that will "trick" it into recieving the Milair freqs. The results have been mixed. I myself would not rely on a scanner not designed for that range and using a software that would make it do UHF air. All of the current Uniden digital scanners do that band and do it well. If you could find a BC-780 or RS PRO-43 then those in my opinion are the ultimate.

 

[ka3jjz]

Since his area is going digital, a BR330 won't work. Also I've heard - 2nd and 3rd hand, so I'm not sure how accurate this is - that the 396 is a poor performer in the UHF milair band. My choice? A 296. Does Milair and digital well. If you want to go HF, that's an entirely different animal :.>>

73s Mike

 

[DPD1]

The PRO-96 does not come Milair equipped. You have to have a software that will "trick" it into recieving the Milair freqs. The results have been mixed. I myself would not rely on a scanner not designed for that range and using a software that would make it do UHF air.

I know a couple people that made the mod, and were definitely displeased with the results... No sensitivity. As you say, there's a reason why something won't receive a certain band to begin with. A 780 is great for mil stuff if you can find one, but obviously that won't help you in the digital stuff. But because there's so many freqs used in the UHF band (or potential freqs, since there's so many choices), most people that are into it find they like to dedicate a radio to it anyway. The low band mil stuff is pretty rare now days, so I wouldn't make that a big point when deciding.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Featuring the MilTenna LP Gain Scanner Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

 

[n4voxgill]

I sure am glad that my Pro96 and 2096 can't read. They don't know that they can't receive uhf milair. I listen to the many planes flying out of Randolph AFB almost every day on those two scanners with no difficulty.

 

[Junior08]

The Uniden 780 and 785 were very good with receiving Mil Air. I owned both of them, and living just next door to Otis ANGB on Cape Cod, I always had great success when using these scanners. When the 102nd FW was up, and I was home, I was monitoring them! Having said that, if you are looking for a scanner that will be used for both Mil Air as well as digital reception for Public Safety, I can't vouch for the newer 396 model, or the 296 for that matter. If it's a dedicated Mil Air scanner you want, I don't think you can go wrong with either the 780 or the 785. Good liuck!

 

[K2KOH]

Icom IC-R5...fits in your palm, and as far as I'm concerned, does a nice job.

 

[CORN]

I sure am glad that my Pro96 and 2096 can't read. They don't know that they can't receive uhf milair. I listen to the many planes flying out of Randolph AFB almost every day on those two scanners with no difficulty.

How close are you to the base? And just curious what are some of the freqs and comms are you monitoring? As for the 396 it does fine for me on the milair band. I can hear the a/c out to a great deal of range.

 

[trap5858]

I have used several diferent scanners for Mil Air- so far the best one I have had is the Yupiteru MVT-7100 coupled with a Diamond RH-77 antenna. The MVT is a wideband receiver that also scans. It has it's drawbacks but in terms of sensitivity, it is very good.

It does not trunk, it does not have alpha tags nor computer interface. Those features aside it is a great radio.

 

[kd7gxu]

You might consider an amateur radio that has wide receive for mil air. I have a Yaesu VX5 handheld and a FT7800 mobile that receive very well on mil air, and also scans public service without trunking or digital though. They are not the best scanners overall by any means, but they are outstanding on mil air. Icom, Yaesu and Alinco al make scanners that are very good at mil air. Some even have SSB receive. Good luck!

 

[bb49490]

Thanks for all of the replies. It gives some different options to think about. I would like to get a scanner that does digital as well as milair, but I am not dead set on going that way. Thanks for all of the help!!!!

 

[n4voxgill]

I can hear them clearly through out the MOA. Randolph is a very busy training base.

258.3 RandTwr
343.7 HoustonCnter
251.125 RandOps
269.4 ran ops
239.275 Ran Ops
283.75 Ran Ops
321.3 Ran Ops
321.5 Ran Ops
318.1 Ran App
273.6 Ran Ops
291.75 AreaCtl
271.2 Seguin Adv
122.8 HondoUnic
121.95 RidgeCtrl
291.7 RanWest
273.5 KellyATIS
271.8 RandATIS
291.1 HangoverTwr