quiet AM air receiver

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batdude

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just a question, subject to opinions...

i am looking for a simple AM air receiver/scanner.

I have a GRE PSR500 and 600 - both have what i deem "noisy" AM receive.


are there any out there that are sensitive, selective - and most importantly, not as noisy as the GRE?


tia

doug
 

k4fv

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I have found the Icom R20 fitted with an FM notch filter and external antenna to be an extremely sensitive and quiet AM airband receiver. For monitoring in the 118-136 range you MUST use an external FM notch filter. Without it reception is substandard. The Icom R5 with the same caveats is very good but not as flexible. For a mobile the Uniden BC-780XLT. For some reason the Icom did not perform that well mobile using either a rubber duckie or 1/4" NMO antenna.
 

Uplink

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RS PRO-136 if you can find one, AWSOME aircraft receive, sensitivity, selectivity and audio. Works better for aircraft than alot of more expensive scanners out there.
 
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DaveNF2G

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What do you mean by "noisy"?

Weaker signals on AM will sound noisier because there is a lower signal-to-noise ratio in what your receiver is able to gather. Equally weak FM signals would not capture your receiver and therefore you would hear nothing at all.
 

Stevemp

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I have a GRE PSR-500, PSR-300 and a RS PRO-197 and a Discone, Diamond RH77ca and a Maldol AL-500H.
With the PRO-197 I could not hear 108 to 138 AM at all until I put a cheap RS FM trap in line, now I can hear the air band.
With the PSR-300 I can hear very well with the AL-500H. With the RH77ca I can hear but is noisy at times.
With the PSR-500, it is not as good as the 300, but is better with the AL-500H.
I am located 10 miles NW of MSP airport.
I use the 300 with the AL-500H at air shows, seems to work very well, but have nothing to compare it with.
Hope this helps.

Steve
 
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DaveNF2G

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My scanners are fed by a rooftop discone via multicoupler. On VHF, including the airband and even the lower part of the milair band, I have to use the ATTenuator to be able to hear signals.
 

N8IAA

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I use a Pro-163, FT-60R ham transceiver, Pro-106. Live in a tower intensive area. Not a lot of problems. Monitor VHF/UHF frequencies. But, the FM trap is a good idea, as well as, the ATTenuator feature on scanners.
Different antennas make a difference also. Some that are closer in frequency to what you want to hear will bring in a weaker signal.
Larry
 
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