Warzardo
Newbie
I live 35miles from the nearest town and i wanna pick up the police and fire bands. i was wondering what handheld scanner has the best range.
Thanks...
Thanks...
handheld scanner best range
- Thread starter Warzardo
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Modern scanners have similar ranges, that are primarily limited by antenna position. Good thread here:
http://forums.radioreference.com/general-scanning-forum/115818-how-far-can-i-receive.html
http://forums.radioreference.com/general-scanning-forum/115818-how-far-can-i-receive.html
jonny290
Member
Well, I've picked up the FM satellites outside on a rubber duck, so I reckon my 396t 'has a range' of about 600-700 miles 
Well, I've picked up the FM satellites outside on a rubber duck, so I reckon my 396t 'has a range' of about 600-700 miles
FM radio?
fineshot1
Member
This question gets asked on RR almost at least once a week.
Scanners do not have receive range per say.
The transmitters they receive are what has range. The many variables associated
with transmitters and the surrounding terrain and the many variables also to do with
the receiver(scanner) location and such all combine to determine receive range of a
scanner. So without more info on all of your conditions its almost impossible for
anyone to accurately or even winging it to answer your question.
Or to quote the "Star Trek" computer, "There is insufficient data for a meaningful answer"
ridgescan
Member
I have 3 scanners in use; my bc785d and bc350a base scanners are running off a d130j discone on the roof. The 785d suffers front end noise but gets uhf at the 40 mile mark barely fairly, the 350a gets the uhf 40 mile mark better and more copyable. The 3rd scanner, a Realistic Pro-62 handheld, gets the uhf 40 mile mark as well as the 350a with base antenna, and does it with the dukkie indoors..even better if I place it in the kitchen by the window, which tells you a lot about the radio's position indoors. This is a well made little radio. It is older technology and built to an older standard, but I advise you check into Radio Shack's handhelds. Hopefully they still maintain that standard. I hope owners of the newer generation ones chime in here.
If all the stuff you want to listen to is in one general direction and you are using the scanner mostly at home, a Yagi on the roof pointing toward the signals you want might do the trick best. There is no magic scanner that will give you immensely more range than the others. And of course, the more sensitive the scanner is, the more easily will it's front end get overloaded by stronger signals.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
Well, I've picked up the FM satellites outside on a rubber duck, so I reckon my 396t 'has a range' of about 600-700 miles
Satellites are overhead, line of sight, with no obstructions or curvature of the earth do deal with.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
You may have luck with an antenna made for the specific frequency you want to hear.
reedeb
Member
A simple radio shack scanner antenna about 10 ton 20 ft in the air above your house will work very well. You need nothing fancy. I used one in Maine about 50 miles from Portland and could hear em loud and clear [till they went 800]. Times I could here into Boston late at night when closer units quieted down [roughly 75 or so miles]
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