Scanner recommendations?

[Vidiot]

Anyone have recommendations for a portable, relatively inexpensive scanner?

[mmedford]

any Radioshack ~$100 scanner should be suitable...

[cancidas]

if you're serious about getting a trasciever then there is only one word you should be concerned with: icom. they make the best aviation band radios, hands down.


http://icomamerica.com/en/products/avionics/handheld/a24/default.aspx

[pgengler]

If you look at the Radio Shack ones, just make sure it includes the aviation band. Some of the really cheap ones don't.

[HPNPilot1200]

if you're serious about getting a trasciever then there is only one word you should be concerned with: icom. they make the best aviation band radios, hands down.


http://icomamerica.com/en/products/avionics/handheld/a24/default.aspx

The Vertex Standard (Yaesu) I have now is much better than the iCOM I used to have. Better radio all around. A transceiver is really overkill if you're just looking for a scanner. You can pick up a cheap Radio Shack or Uniden scanner on eBay for under $100.

[Matt Molnar]

I recently picked up a Uniden Bearcat BC340CRS (http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-100-Channel-Clock-Radio-Scanner/dp/B000EXPVRK/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1236821016&sr=8-1). It works pretty well, and it looks nicer than the Radio Shack desktop scanners. I'm going to pick up a bigger antenna for it, but I think that's something you need with any scanner. A lot of places sell it this model for $129-$150, but Amazon has it for $89.

I am kind of annoyed that the interface on these things is just as non-intuitive as the Radio Shack one I had 15 years ago, and the instructions are not very clear. For example, there's no way to simply enter the frequency you want, you have to scroll through all of them. Using the memory is a tedious process by modern standards as well.

[mmedford]

if you're serious about getting a trasciever then there is only one word you should be concerned with: icom. they make the best aviation band radios, hands down.


http://icomamerica.com/en/products/avionics/handheld/a24/default.aspx

I believe he needs an FCC license for the transceiver, but don't quote me on that..he can do a basic receiver though...

a Simple scanner that covers the 118-136Mhz zone, is all you need

[SmAlbany]

I have owned a couple of radio shack scanners over the years and they work just fine.

I now use an Icom IC-R2 and I love it. It's a compact size so I use it in a pocket with earphones and go stealth.

[cancidas]

I believe he needs an FCC license for the transceiver, but don't quote me on that..he can do a basic receiver though... a Simple scanner that covers the 118-136Mhz zone, is all you need

mark, you need an FCC lisence only if you're operating a radio station. we have one for the bonanza and if you want to have one set up in your house you'd need one too. handheld transcievers don't require said lisence. icom does make recievers only for the aviation bands, which might be a better idea if you're sitting outside an airport and get stopped by 5-0, you can always downplay what you're doing by showing you can't transmit on the frequencies. for me, it just doesn't make sense to have recieve-only radios as i use them quite often to transmit. even calling for fuel is easier to do from the handheld than powering up the helo to use those radios.

[mmedford]

I believe he needs an FCC license for the transceiver, but don't quote me on that..he can do a basic receiver though... a Simple scanner that covers the 118-136Mhz zone, is all you need

mark, you need an FCC lisence only if you're operating a radio station. we have one for the bonanza and if you want to have one set up in your house you'd need one too. handheld transcievers don't require said lisence. icom does make recievers only for the aviation bands, which might be a better idea if you're sitting outside an airport and get stopped by 5-0, you can always downplay what you're doing by showing you can't transmit on the frequencies. for me, it just doesn't make sense to have recieve-only radios as i use them quite often to transmit. even calling for fuel is easier to do from the handheld than powering up the helo to use those radios.

Well I stand corrected on the FCC license part...

But you and I have reasons for owning a transceiver, (Icom as well..lol), but he has no purpose for having one, and the risk of accidentally transmitting is not worth it for him.

Hell most of the time I don't even use mine, the trucks have mounted ones that I use to call up ground...

[Planesntrains]

mark, you need an FCC lisence only if you're operating a radio station. we have one for the bonanza and if you want to have one set up in your house you'd need one too

Coming from a family of ham ops...
It's basically honor system on ownership, but the bands are monitored. The FCC does not legally require a license to purchase or own any transceiver, handheld or base, which is capable of transmitting on ham, commercial, or aviation bands. You DO need a license to operate (read transmit) on any band which is regulated including GRS, the sister band to FRS.

Transmitting without a license can carry penalties from $1,000 in fines and up to a year in prision. If you interfere with commerce or transport, it only gets worse. Don't press the PTT and you're good.

Make sure you check your state laws however on receiver ownership. And I would recommend Yeasu/Vertex Standard. Their airband radios are great. I just got one for ACARS. Also owning a VX-170 for railroad and volunteer EMS reasons, I'll vouch for them being nearly indestructible. Most of their models now have an accelerometer built into the circuitry which will shut the radio off when it senses it is being dropped, reducing the risk of damage.

[ch2tdriver]

I highly recommend the Radio Shack PRO-97. I got mine for $149 2 years ago and swear by it for airshows and PD/FD monitoring. It includes the aviation band as well as military so at an airshow I can pick up airboss/civil perfomers and then the Blues/T-Birds on the Mil Freqs.

I can point you to online references that make it super easy to use. There is s/w you can download that makes it super easy to program the unit (1 month free then $25 for the license) from your pc. You will need the cable from Radio Shack as well. I swear by this setup.

Being a pilot I have my ICOM IC-A24 as a transceiver for obtaining clearances/ATIS and as a backup in the event of a com failure. It costs @ $300. I would not recommend this route for spotting. You don't need the ability to talk and you only get the av bands.

Pete