Help me find a radio for listening, few requirements

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dimab

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Hoping to use the collective knowledge to help me find a radio with the following requirements. I want to upgrade my scanner feed for broadcastify. Ideally I want to monitor Just 2 channels, with a single antenna and single audio output.
  • can be a scanner or amateur radio (don’t need to transmit, just receive)
  • Dual receive (so can monitor 2 freq at once) - basically takes out the typical scanner
  • recieves VHF and 800mhz analog, non-trunked (my town has both VHF and 800MHz services)
  • desktop or handheld
  • Any brand is ok, from the big guys to the cheapo knockoffs
Few examples of radios I have found
Yaesu FT-8800
Kenwood TM-V71A
Wouxon KG-UV9D

thanks!
 

jaspence

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IC-R30. I have other scanners and dual band ham radios. Beats them all in clean reception and flexibility. Downsides are no trunking and no DMR, but excellent 800 MHz audio on simulcast system.
 

jaspence

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The R30 can monitor two lists at the same time and record both of them on the internal SD card.
 

SigIntel8600

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Hoping to use the collective knowledge to help me find a radio with the following requirements. I want to upgrade my scanner feed for broadcastify. Ideally I want to monitor Just 2 channels, with a single antenna and single audio output.
  • can be a scanner or amateur radio (don’t need to transmit, just receive)
  • Dual receive (so can monitor 2 freq at once) - basically takes out the typical scanner
  • recieves VHF and 800mhz analog, non-trunked (my town has both VHF and 800MHz services)
  • desktop or handheld
  • Any brand is ok, from the big guys to the cheapo knockoffs
Few examples of radios I have found
Yaesu FT-8800
Kenwood TM-V71A
Wouxon KG-UV9D

thanks!

From the 3 you listed, I would go with the 8800. I'm assuming you will be running 24/7 on commercial power?
 

dimab

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From the 3 you listed, I would go with the 8800. I'm assuming you will be running 24/7 on commercial power?
24/7 is the plan. I used to run an 8800 for this exact feed, but moved it into my truck
 

SigIntel8600

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24/7 is the plan. I used to run an 8800 for this exact feed, but moved it into my truck

Your only issue is the 8800 has been discontinued, tough to find even on ebay. The TM-V71A is another good choice. $344.00 at HRO.
 

dimab

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Your only issue is the 8800 has been discontinued, tough to find even on ebay. The TM-V71A is another good choice. $344.00 at HRO.
I was pretty bummed when they discontinued it. Not every radio needs a digital option, as it seems to be going that way.
 

dimab

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I'll throw this out, realizing it's the wrong area for the topic
i'm currently using a BC350 to scan between 2 freqs, and the feed noise has a lot of static when a channel is not talking. i have it on DC power, audio running through a laptop. I've tried to turn down volumes, turn down any gain on the mic settings in Windows. still buzzing. I'll take any suggestions.
 

jaspence

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AORradiofan, I understood that to mean two frequency bands, not single frequencies. The cheapest way to do that is two CCRs side by side.
 

dimab

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AORradiofan, I understood that to mean two frequency bands, not single frequencies. The cheapest way to do that is two CCRs side by side.
Can you give me an example of a CCR that will receive 800mhz. I can’t find one.
 

SigIntel8600

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AORradiofan, I understood that to mean two frequency bands, not single frequencies. The cheapest way to do that is two CCRs side by side.

So you are telling Dimab to use two cheap, crappy HT's sitting in two separate chargers 24/7 for his scanner feed? LOL, OK. BTW, his quote is as follows: "Ideally I want to monitor Just 2 channels, with a single antenna and single audio output."
 
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