Name That Scanner...

[JLHDU]

Sorry, I posted this in the other Forum...I should've done it here. Well, here goes.

My understanding is that there are scanners that receive ONLY VHF and UHF (No trunking capability. I will use a different scanner for trunking. I am looking for a VHF/UHF for monitoring CivAir and MilAir. I want to listen to Local (BWI) and Enroute Comms (ZDC).

Did Uniden or Radio Shack or any company ever make them? I'm looking to possibily pick-up a used one.

I searched for the topic and didn't see it anywhere...if there is one, I am sorry and kill this thread.

-J

 

[ka3jjz]

Hmm, just thinking out loud here...I think Uniden's scanners - even as far back as the old but stil serviceable 895 - included trunking...can't think of any Unidens offhand that had civ/milair without trunking - at least the ones that were successful.
Radio Shack had several - and in fact, the Military Monitoring Wiki has a list of several older ones. I'm not sure about this, but I think most of the low-end RS/GRE scanners that do cover civil air don't cover mil air. That's part of the reason why the PRO97 and 2055 aroused so much interest when they were introduced.
You can use the list to give you a heads up on which of the older scanners were considered the top of their line. For example, the PRO2006 is widely considered to be on top of the heap, or very near to it. But just try finding one of them - at least at a reasonable price....73s Mike

 

[dparana]

I bought a Radio Shack Pro-60 handheld scanner probably back in 1995. I still use it today and take it to races and currently use it to listen to civil and mil air. It does not trunk but has a really good frequency range: 30 - 512 mHz, 760 - 824mHz, 849 - 869 mHz, and 894 - 999.9875 mHz. It can store 200 channels and has 1 priority. It has an advantage that my Radio Shack PRO-2052 base scanner in that I can change the mode from FM to AM in order to listen to the MilAir tactical frequencies between 137 and 149 Mhz. When they come in on the FM modulation they sound almost scrambled.

Also, since I do use it for going to races (and drinking beer while watching), you can only imagine the torture it has been through...

Dave

 

[JLHDU]

I bought a Radio Shack Pro-60 handheld scanner probably back in 1995. I still use it today and take it to races and currently use it to listen to civil and mil air. It does not trunk but has a really good frequency range: 30 - 512 mHz, 760 - 824mHz, 849 - 869 mHz, and 894 - 999.9875 mHz. It can store 200 channels and has 1 priority. It has an advantage that my Radio Shack PRO-2052 base scanner in that I can change the mode from FM to AM in order to listen to the MilAir tactical frequencies between 137 and 149 Mhz. When they come in on the FM modulation they sound almost scrambled.

Also, since I do use it for going to races (and drinking beer while watching), you can only imagine the torture it has been through...

Dave

Do they still sell the Pro-60 or can you only get it used?

 

[ka3jjz]

No, the PRO 60 is long since discontinued. 73s Mike

 

[JLHDU]

No, the PRO 60 is long since discontinued. 73s Mike

http://n7olq.home.att.net/Radio/RSscanner.htm

Would any of these work for what I want? VHF/UHF air only or would the military bands require some special addition to a used scanner?

 

[gus426]

Maybe a Radio Shack PRO43? I know it covered Mil-Air.....long discontinued also...

Gus

 

[JLHDU]

Maybe a Radio Shack PRO43? I know it covered Mil-Air.....long discontinued also...

Gus

Would I have to manually enter the freq's or could I download them...hope that's not a dumb question. Maybe Ebay would have one.

 

[gus426]

You can do a search for a range entered manually but if you know what frquencies you are trying to scan I would enter them into a bank manually..I just picked up a RS PRO97 basically for its Mil-Air coverage...I'm going to listen in on the US Navy Blue Angels next year when they come to Kingsville, Tx. NAS.. In April. I can't wait to listen in.

Gus

 

[JLHDU]

Thanks, maybe I'll do the pro-97. I don't plan to use it for anything but Air Civ/Mil. Will also be using the BC396t for trunking so that's why I'm only looking for a specific purpose.

 

[KT4HX]

If you're looking for a handheld, the old Pro-43 is a very well respected model for mil air coverage. They can be had from Ebay easy enough. Freqs would have to be entered manually.

 

[mjw357]

check this thread also.

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24889

 

[ka3jjz]

Yes indeed the PRO43 can do milair very well, but as you say, Alan, it's keyboard time for entering freqs - there's no PC interface. That was, if I recall correctly, one of the last RS handhelds (the other being the PRO-26 to have milair coverage until the 97 came along.
Keep in mind that if you get a PRO-97, and wish to use a program for up/downloading (that's all it will do, by the way), then you need to purchase a seperate cable (RS SKU 20-289) and Win97. The link for that program can be found in the PRO-97 Wiki

It seems very much like you really don't know what you want. I'd suggest using the Military Monitoring Wiki I gave in an earlier message - there are numerous milair capable scanners listed there, plus Eham user reviews, and even several from Rich Wells of Strong Signals fame. Take advantage of the resources given there.
Also keep something else in mind - a duckie is, at best, a compromise antenna. You're simply not going to hear as much with just a duckie as you would using an external antenna of some kind. Take a look at the Scanner Antennas Wiki section (particularly Rich Wells' antenna page) to get you thinking in that very important direction.

73s Mike

 

[JLHDU]

Yes indeed the PRO43 can do milair very well, but as you say, Alan, it's keyboard time for entering freqs - there's no PC interface. That was, if I recall correctly, the last RS handheld to have milair coverage until the 97 came along.
Keep in mind that if you get a PRO-97, and wish to use a program for up/downloading (that's all it will do, by the way), then you need to purchase a seperate cable (RS SKU 20-289) and Win97. The link for that program can be found in the PRO-97 Wiki.
It seems very much like you really don't know what you want. I'd suggest using the Military Monitoring Wiki I gave in an earlier message - there are numerous milair capable scanners listed there, plus Eham user reviews, and even several from Rich Wells of Strong Signals fame. Take advantage of the resources given there.
Also keep something else in mind - a duckie is, at best, a compromise antenna. You're simply not going to hear as much with just a duckie as you would using an external antenna of some kind. Take a look at the Antennas Wiki, in the scanner antennas section (particularly the link to the Strong Signals antennas page) to get you thinking in that direction.

73s Mike

Mike,

You've been a great help! Thanks. I did finally figure out what I want and am getting, I'll go with the BC396t and the Pro-97. Why settle, right?!

-Jason

 

[ka3jjz]

Oh yes, before I forget - if you look at my 2 messages, you will see that a few items are underlined in blue. These are links to other areas - trust me, they won't bite (I should know, I wrote some of them) :.>>

73s Mike

 

[JLHDU]

Oh yes, before I forget - if you look at my 2 messages, you will see that a few items are underlined in blue. These are links to other areas - trust me, they won't bite (I should know, I wrote some of them) :.>>

73s Mike

Thanks, I did see that...you're the man! Ahhh, that's why your the administrator...LOL..seriously, thanks again!

-Jason

 

[mjw357]

73s Mike

OT but I gotta ask...what's '73s' ? I assume it's like a 10-code for HAM?

 

[ka3jjz]

No, it's a holdover from old days of CW, when using shorthand was the way to get a message across more quickly. It means 'Best Regards' Mike

 

[austinscan1]

Air scanner

Pro 43s, and 26s are good but overpriced, the cell monitoring mouthbreathers love them. Look on ebay or classifieds her for the pro 60 or a Sony Wavehawk. Swap the rubber duckie for a telescopic whip. Both are very good radios, and better values. Happy Holidays From Austin

 

[n4jri]

To me, the PRO-43 was the greatest. Now, I'm looking at possibly getting a PRO-2055.