How much can you really hear with a handheld?

[KB4REA]

Hey all....This is my first post and I would love to tell you my story and how great my love for the aviation world is but don't have the time neither are you interested in hearing it...so I'll try to get to the point,

I have an old base scanner, a Radio Shack Pro 2040, that I bought, what, 10 years ago. Lately I've been listening to what I can of the air band, which is limited only to aircraft transmissions since I live in a 1st floor apartment without an external antenna. I made a ground plane antenna the other day which was fun but until I can put it up in the air I won't be able to hear anything but aircraft and I'm not getting a house anytime soon.

So my question is...and it's probably an ignorant one...but with a hand-held scanner and let's say using a Diamond antenna that I've read about in this forum, can you really listen to both the aircraft and ATC?? Let's say from an apartment?? or while on the road?? or do you need to be on the airport grounds or nearby to get clear reception??

I've read and read a lot in the forums but I would like a direct answer.
I'd appreciate your thoughts on this...

 

[twolf816]

i live 20miles from a fairly busy airport and i cant hear atc until im within 5 or so miles. and ive got a roof mounted antenna so.... it just depends on your location compared to controlled airports

 

[Dank]

I'm close to Baltimore and with my BC 296 handheld and original antenna I can hear planes probably a few hundred miles out when they are up at the higher altitudes.

 

[twolf816]

yeah you can hear planes from anywhere, but i think he was asking if u can hear the atc too.

 

[astrodanco]

yeah you can hear planes from anywhere, but i think he was asking if u can hear the atc too.

From a measilly 1000 or so foot tall hill that my house sits on, I can hear several San Diego County airport towers. It's a bit spotty reception wise, but I can also hear SoCal Approach.

 

[twolf816]

yeah, elevation is a biggie. i go to a 800ft mountian in arkansas about 6times a year, i can hear little rock tower traffic both controller and aircraft. thats about 100miles. yet i cant hear a tower 20miles away cause our elevation is the same.

 

[KB4REA]

Wow, that's interesting...Well, I'm a good 20 miles away from Jax Intl. and the terrain here is flat, no hills whatsoever. There are many other smaller airports nearby as well but they are not controlled.

There is also a plethora of navy bases surrounding me, some busier than others. For example, I live only about 5 or so miles away from NAS Jax in which there is activity pretty much everyday. Just last night after heavy rain past thru, around 9 pm, there were two Hornets circling around in and out of the thick cloud cover. But what we mostly see are P-3 Orions and S-3 Vikings training, everyday. An occassional commercial jet comes thru which is always cool, sometimes a 747 or MD-11. Even the President lands here when he visits. I'm originally from N.J. very close to TEB and I miss seeing the endless string of planes coming in and making their turn for Newark.

Anyway, I've never heard military comms since I don't have a scanner capable of that but would a handheld with that band pick up tower and the jets at that range?? Recently they put a Super Target store right next to the base, so I can sit in the parking lot which is only about 100 or so yards from the runway, if that. I would imagine at that distance you would get clear reception. But what I'm really trying to figure out is...is it worth it for me to purchase a handheld with a better-than-factory-supplied antenna or should I stick it out until I can find a way to have an external antenna for my base scanner??

 

[Dank]

You could always do both. I got a handheld bc296 as a gift because my wife knew I like to carry my other handheld around and take it in the car every so often. She advised she thought twice about getting a base unit instead. I have yet to install it, but I have a discone I plan to put on my roof later this month. I couldn't walk around the house with it connected, but I plan to use the discone with my 296. Maybe you could do the antenna now and down the road pick up a handheld such as the new bc396. just a thought.
Dan

 

[KB4REA]

This is true...thanks Dan.

I guess I'm just a little anxious, well a lot of anxious to get set up, you know. I enjoy very much listening to the live atc feeds on www.liveatc.net and want to be able to do that myself (not to host a feed but just to hear local traffic completely)

This weekend I'm heading back up to N.J. for a week and I think I'm more excited about sitting in the IKEA parking lot right across from Newark airport (just like old times) than seeing my old buddies. Hmm...well that's not entirely true, I miss my buddies too.

 

[twolf816]

however, the airport i live 20 miles from is a medium sized regional airport (KMLU), KJAX is huge compared to this and its possible that you can hear the tower from greater distances; its just that i cant hear MLU because its not that big

 

[jmp883]

When it comes to airband monitoring there are many different factors, but I believe that topography plays a very big role in what you'll hear, or not hear, on the airbands. I live about 40 miles northwest of NYC, have a roof-mounted antenna on my house (about 15 feet above the roofline), and can only hear the aircraft when they are in the air. If I want to monitor the controllers, whether it's NY Center or at one of the area airports, I need to drive to within a few miles of where the controllers are located.

Now....when I go to Omaha, NE to visit my parents I've been able to monitor both the aircraft and the controllers at both Kansas City and Chicago Centers. These facilities are hundreds of miles from Omaha, yet both sides of the conversations come in loud and clear. In Omaha I use only a BC-780 with the stock antenna, or a Sony Wavehawk handheld-again with the stock antenna. Both sides of the civil and military airbands come through loud and clear in Omaha.

The biggest difference between NJ and NE is that NJ has hills and mountains (at least where I live), and NE is flat as a board.

I'm sure there are other, more technical, reasons you may not hear everything on the airbands, but I've heard the differences between NJ and NE so topography is definitely a reception factor that I believe in.

 

[BigOkie]

I live about four miles south of Tulsa Int'l (KTUL), and I have an OOOLLLLDDDD BC/Uniden BC860XLT that I just hooked up to an old 20 foot roof mounted CB whip antenna to see if it increased my range (it did) and I can hear everything from clearance delivery/ground on up to approach. I can also hear Kansas City ARTCC Tulsa High Sector on 125.82 (both controller and a/c) pretty well. Other frequencies to check for on airband are anything from 122.8 to 123.0 (UNICOM). I can also hear some of the ground company comms every once in a while.

 

[fivestarr]

If you would say which state you live in, I may be able to post a list of ARTC (air route traffic control) freqs for that state. I have a Flight Guide for the eastern and central states. That is my source.
For instance, the (below FL 180) frequencies for Albuquerque Center are:
132.8 Sandia Mountain (Alb)
132.65 Alamogordo
127.85 Amarillo #1 (TX)
134.45 Animas
135.875 Carlsbad
132.8 Clines Corners
135.875 El Paso A
128.2 El Paso B
138.875 Fort Stockton
132.9 Globe #1
128.225 Mount Dora
127.85
132.8 Raton
132.65 Roswell
132.8 Tesuque Peak
128.2 Truth or Consequences
126.85 Tucumcari
128.8 West Mesa
128.8 Zuni
As you can see, there are remotes that share the same frequency.
The remote that is located on top of Sandia Mountain can probably be heard 20-30 miles away or maybe more.
Again, these are 18,000ft msl and below. That would be general aviation for the most part, as the big iron will be at FL 340 and higher.
If you are looking for approach control freqs, you are probably out of luck unless you live in a big metro with a Class B or Class C airspace.
Hope this helps
fivestarr

 

[CapStar362]

i live 3 miles from KATL. and i can hear them as far out as ~150 with a small RadioShack Pro-83. using an External high gain antenna i can pick up almost the entire Atlanta Center coverage area.

 

[fivestarr]

ARTC frequencies (below 18,000) for Jacksonville Center

Here are some enroute freqs for Jacksonville Center.
Arrivals-Departures U.S.
South Atlantic Control
N of 31`30'N 135.05
S of 31`30'N 134.85
Albany 134.45
Alma 132.3
Charleston 127.95
Columbia 124.7
Crestview 134.15 120.2
Daytona Beach 134.0
Dothan 134.3
Eglin 132.1
Florence 134.35 133.45
Gainesville 134.4
Glynco 126.75
Lake City 125.375
Lowell 135.75 133.325
Millen 132.5
Myrtle Beach 127.8
Panama City 119.1
Perry Foley 127.8
Savannah 120.85
Tallahassee 135.325
Valdosta 133.7 125.95

Fivestarr