What's the best non dig conv scanner for aircraft

[hfflunki]

Hi I have a Bc125at and want a desk mobile that's new and use the 125 for travel and am leaning towards the 15bcx I have a Watson and an aor antenna and I don't own a pc or android device and can't do sdr


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[WA8ZTZ]

Have the Bearcat BC365CRS here for aircraft VHF and UHF... simple, relatively inexpensive, and works great.

 

[movinon]

I use a pro 2004 for air shows at Tinker. Works great! You can get those at ham fest for 50 bucks. I started to get another one last hamfest.

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[xlr8]

I've got a really old Radio Shack Pro-2048 and a newer Uniden BCT-15X that I use for aero monitoring. Both are great. You need to determine if you want to monitor UHF mil air. If so, you'll want to stick with something that can monitor both VHF and UHF aero frequencies.

 

[DHAS12]

I have had a few people tell me that the Uniden BC780XLT is a little more sensitive on airband freqs

 

[p1879]

The Radio Shack Pro 2045 is well known for vhf/uhf airband. It is very sensitive--perhaps too much unless you live in a rural area. I found one for 35$, and have RXed aircraft over 350 miles away. Really, anyone can do that from a good location and the right antenna. That was using a Channel Master 5094, similar to the Scantenna. I had 2 BC780 radios, on the same antenna, the 2045 won-- on my humble set-up . I do get bleed-over from nearby aircraft though.

 

[bigcam406]

I use my 898T for base monitoring of aircraft freqs. I also have a 125AT and I must admit it does a great job for monitoring conventional analog freqs. Another good choice if you can find them are the Radio Shack Pro 2035 and 2042.

 

[K1TSL]

The Uniden BR330T has great ears on VHF air. Scannermaster is selling them again even though it's been discontinued for years. It's the only scanner I've never considered parting with. It hears better than my 436hp and my homepatrol 2 on VHF high.

 

[pinballwiz86]

The BCT15X is an excellent air scanner.

 

[AA6IO]

Someone else posted on another thread that scan speeds may not be as fast with newer digital scanners on analog because scanner looking for different digital signals, NAC, or color code, RAN, etc. I tend to agree. So I think using a good old fashioned analog scanner is a wise idea to strictly monitor air.
I own the 780XLT, BCT15X, PRO-2042, BC125AT, PRO-43, and the BR330T, among many others.
They all work fine for monitoring air. Most do better also than my 436HP or HP-1/2 for air and, and high vhf.
Agree that nowadays, the BC125AT and BCT15X are probably the most available best options. 780XLT and PRO-43 also great on air. But all, including the BR330T are very good analog scanners. The deal that Scanner Master has on 330T is great. Already had one, bought another one for about $150. Will find some use, either myself, relative, or friend, who wants to use a good scanner.

 

[FedFyrGuy]

Currently using a RS PRO 2052 on the shelf next to my desk at the fire station. Have two others working in other locations. They have been good performers on both the 108-136 MHz and 237-383 MHz aircraft ranges. Since they were all "low budget" installs, the scanners came off of ebay and are connected to 1/4 wave VHF antennas (uncut) mounted on NMO mag mounts on metal roofs. I was initially astounded at the signals I was pulling in. For portable use, the RS Pro 18 and Icom R-2 have always done well for me - experimenting with different antennas.

 

[N1SQB]

It's a package deal!

It has to be a package deal. A base scanner is only as good as the antenna system you use to feed it. You can spend as little or as much as you want on a good scanner. However, unless you have a good antenna, up at a good height and with good antenna feed, you will never get the best results possible no matter how good the radio is. So start with a good scanner and work from there. I use BCT15Xs for dedicated civil and mil air monitoring. For searching those bands I use my trusty Pro-2042 which has auto store, great sensitivity and selectivity.

Manny

 

[Ryangn]

I use BC780XLTs and BCT15Xs and am very pleased with both on the air bands. I have never done any real comparisions between the two to see if one is better over the other. I have read over and over again though where the BC780XLT is highly regarded as an air band scanner. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

 

[Turbo68]

I only monitor the airbands on my radios and be doing it for over 35 yearsi find these radios performance is excellent Aor 8600MKII,Icom R3,R20,Realistic PRO2035,Uniden BCT15X,126AT,396T,396XT,780XLT,Yupiteru MVT7100 as for antennas when i take my h/h portables Diamond RH771,Polar and i often mount them on my magnet base on the cars roof.

Regards Lino.

 

[questnz]

Don't forget Yupiteru VT-225 hard to get these days.

 

[pilotman6012]

I use a variety for both VHF and UHF usually depends on what you want to listen too,Pro-2052,Pro-433,Pr-163, 2 BCD996P2,PSR-400,Pro-197,BCD996XT.

 

[p1879]

The antenna and cable are, as said here in the thread, essential for good results. I used my BC 780's with the (think Butel) control and logging software. That gave a great picture of activity, and the most interesting discoveries could be added to the sensitive Pro 2045. There was so much vhf mil plane -to -plane traffic in the little band between civil vhf aero and 2 meter amateur that I had to lock most of that out.

 

[mancow]

BC780 series by far is the best. They have nearly zero audio noise floor and great sensitivity.

 

[mass-man]

+1 for a 780.

 

[p1879]

The BC 780 is very good on low band vhf military comms, and many involve aircraft. Under some occasional (and often daily) propagation conditions these stations can be heard at 1000++ miles away. I bet you would be pleased with many of the scanners mentioned in the thread if coupled with a good antenna.