porkchopper
Newbie
Hello,
As a user of many forums on topics from firearms to scale modeling, I cringe asking these noob questions, but my due diligence research has raised more questions than it has answered, and I need your help.
About Me:
I'm a general class ham located in Fort Walton Beach, FL. I'm literally in the final of Eglin AFB. About 2mi from Hurlburt Field (USAF spec ops command), Duke Field (7th Group USA SF), and a bit further out, we have NAS Pensacola, Tyndall AFB, and Ft Rucker.
Very familiar with HF Dx'ing, local 2m repeater comms, and D-Star. I have an Icom 7300, 5100, and a Yaesu HT. I have ZERO scanner experience. Never even owned one. I've been having some fun watching ADS-B. I can watch the tracks on the map AND hear them go over the house. This got me interested in getting a scanner(s). I'm really only interested in military, civil air, and marine comms. I have no interest in police, fire, etc.
I am willing to spend $ on this. Just don't want to spend it foolishly.
Questions:
1. What is the best use of my money? Buying used / older scanner on eBay or buying new?
2. If YOU were to do it all over again today, what make/model scanner would you buy?
3. Is it better to buy multiple older scanners so I can delegate the workload between them, or buy one new high end scanner with all the bells and whistles?
4. Are the current model, high end scanners overkill for what I want to do? Are they more aimed at public safety (which I have to guess is the largest group of users of scanners).
5. If I buy multiple scanners is it better they all be a single model (so I can remember how they all work) or is there value to having a mix - assuming they have different sensitivities?
6. Antenna recommendations? Is a cheap MFJ discone all I really need?
Thanks for reading and thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me out - much appreciated!
Bill
As a user of many forums on topics from firearms to scale modeling, I cringe asking these noob questions, but my due diligence research has raised more questions than it has answered, and I need your help.
About Me:
I'm a general class ham located in Fort Walton Beach, FL. I'm literally in the final of Eglin AFB. About 2mi from Hurlburt Field (USAF spec ops command), Duke Field (7th Group USA SF), and a bit further out, we have NAS Pensacola, Tyndall AFB, and Ft Rucker.
Very familiar with HF Dx'ing, local 2m repeater comms, and D-Star. I have an Icom 7300, 5100, and a Yaesu HT. I have ZERO scanner experience. Never even owned one. I've been having some fun watching ADS-B. I can watch the tracks on the map AND hear them go over the house. This got me interested in getting a scanner(s). I'm really only interested in military, civil air, and marine comms. I have no interest in police, fire, etc.
I am willing to spend $ on this. Just don't want to spend it foolishly.
Questions:
1. What is the best use of my money? Buying used / older scanner on eBay or buying new?
2. If YOU were to do it all over again today, what make/model scanner would you buy?
3. Is it better to buy multiple older scanners so I can delegate the workload between them, or buy one new high end scanner with all the bells and whistles?
4. Are the current model, high end scanners overkill for what I want to do? Are they more aimed at public safety (which I have to guess is the largest group of users of scanners).
5. If I buy multiple scanners is it better they all be a single model (so I can remember how they all work) or is there value to having a mix - assuming they have different sensitivities?
6. Antenna recommendations? Is a cheap MFJ discone all I really need?
Thanks for reading and thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me out - much appreciated!
Bill