Radio to monitor 1 frequency

[acosell]

Hello everybody,

I am looking for a radio to monitor 1 frequency. I am looking for something relatively small and cheap.

Any suggestions?

It does not need to scan as it will be parked on this one frequency all the time.

 

[CDS-INC]

I would look into a 2 channel Radio, what frequency do you want to monitor?
You can also go the route of purchasing a scanner.

Also, if this is a fire department frequency, i would consider a Motorola Minitor Pager

 

[zz0468]

I use Motorola Maxtracs when I need a dedicated radio. They're cheap, and have excellent receivers. The drawback is the programming issue. But for one channel, you could probably find someone who would do it for you for little or no cost.

 

[wmbio]

Regency used to make a radio called an RCD-1, single channel, crystal controlled, you had to but it for the band you wanted to listen to, low, high, or UHF band. It was the size of a Minitor and loud audio. Look around the net, you may snag one.
Wmbio

 

[KC0QNB]

Just a tip see if you can find Maxtracs. or other used (even crystal controlled units). Synthesized radios for a single channel rx only, are hard to find, and when you do find them they are quite pricey, $200-$600, they are some old 16 channel programmable scanners you can acquire fairly cheap. This is from a been there did that, point of view, I gave up.

 

[iMONITOR]

I highly recomend the ICOM IC-R5. It's very small, light, sensitive, great audio, and runs forever on a pair of "AA" batteries!

ICOM IC-R5 Sport, $175.00
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/1005.html

 

[LordJ]

Buy a cheap crystal scanner...and the crystal....

 

[af5rn]

Can't really say what is best for your situation without knowing a LOT more information. What band? What type of system? How far away is it, and how strong does it come in? Are there co-channel users on the same frequency? Do you need PL? Mobile, portable, or base?

 

[Don_Burke]

I have a similar application.

It will take two radios on 453.850, one on a PL of 127.3 and one on a PL of 100.0.

I am already working on the two different antennas I will need.

This is in a fairly intermod heavy urban area, so I am thinking UHF business band radios.

 

[iMONITOR]

I have a similar application.

It will take two radios on 453.850, one on a PL of 127.3 and one on a PL of 100.0.

I am already working on the two different antennas I will need.

This is in a fairly intermod heavy urban area, so I am thinking UHF business band radios.

Again, the Icom IC-R5 would be perfect!

 

[Don_Burke]

Again, the Icom IC-R5 would be perfect!

Not so much.

Is there anything in a mobile form factor?

 

[Bill_White]

Can't really say what is best for your situation without knowing a LOT more information. What band? What type of system? How far away is it, and how strong does it come in? Are there co-channel users on the same frequency? Do you need PL? Mobile, portable, or base?

And ones budget…
“Small and cheap” are relative…
My Icom IC-R7100 is tiny compared to my Hallicrafters S-36.
A used IC-R7100 at $600.00 is cheap compared to a $13,500 IC-R9500.

 

[Bill_White]

Not so much.
Is there anything in a mobile form factor?

Yes, look for an Icom IC-R100:
http://www.rigpix.com/icom/icr100.htm

OOppss:
I don't believe the R100 has PL

 

[acosell]

Can't really say what is best for your situation without knowing a LOT more information. What band? What type of system? How far away is it, and how strong does it come in? Are there co-channel users on the same frequency? Do you need PL? Mobile, portable, or base?

Allow me to elaborate:

In the VHF high band I am looking to monitor a voice paging channel, all of the pages, not just certain tone-outs. no PL, and I am looking for a portable radio. Signal strength and distance are not an issue.

 

[autovon]

Motorola HT-600. Cheap and a lot of sellers on ebay will program them for you.

 

[Thayne]

There are tons of old UHF mobiles & portables out there, ask around any 2 way dealers in your area, they might give you one for mowing the lawn or something.
A few years back some guy gave me about 20 of various models of Unidens, Motos, and a few Kenwoods for replacing the hard drive in one of his computers.
(And he paid for the hard drive)

 

[chrismol1]

Allow me to elaborate:

In the VHF high band I am looking to monitor a voice paging channel, all of the pages, not just certain tone-outs. no PL, and I am looking for a portable radio. Signal strength and distance are not an issue.

A motorola Minitor 3 or 4 will work, minitor 5 if you can afford it. If you can find a minitor 2 with the crystal you want, jsut remove the tone reed filters

I'm getting a Minitor 4 programmed with NO TONES on my county fire control.
its perfect and its SMALL!! what i really wanted

 

[elephant]

Regency used to make a radio called an RCD-1, single channel, crystal controlled, you had to but it for the band you wanted to listen to, low, high, or UHF band. It was the size of a Minitor and loud audio. Look around the net, you may snag one.
Wmbio

I use to have one of these little gems back in the 80's. There was a retailer in Norfolk, Nebraska that would set it up for you. I had mine set up for 39.90, our local PD frequency. For such a little radio, that thing played for hours and hours on a 9v battery. And yes, the speaker put out quite a punch!

I gave mine away. Stupid thing now that I look back. I've done a google search but have turned up zilch. The business that I bought it from was bought out by "RXD" out of Kansas. Their web site shows that they are only selling crystals, now.

If anyone runs across one of those radios, please post a link. I'd love to have one, again.

 

[JnglMassiv]

How active is the paging freq expected to be? For a portable radio, you also have battery life to consider. Is this thing clipped to your belt all the time or will it primarily live on a desk? 'Small and cheap' are often exclusive of 'adequate audio and able to use drop charger', two features I'd consider essential.

If I were in your place, I'd look for a nice Motorola Saber 1 and a high capacity battery. If that's too big, I'd probably lean towards a scanner of some kind.

 

[KC0QNB]

I use to have one of these little gems back in the 80's. There was a retailer in Norfolk, Nebraska that would set it up for you. I had mine set up for 39.90, our local PD frequency. For such a little radio, that thing played for hours and hours on a 9v battery. And yes, the speaker put out quite a punch!

I gave mine away. Stupid thing now that I look back. I've done a google search but have turned up zilch. The business that I bought it from was bought out by "RXD" out of Kansas. Their web site shows that they are only selling crystals, now.

If anyone runs across one of those radios, please post a link. I'd love to have one, again.

Bernstrach or something like that?