Scanners

[bonanzaboy]

G'day all.
I live in Perth, (aust) and am interested in buying a scanner to listen to the airbands. I need to know information about scanners. Range, Price etc etc.
Any people (aussies preffered) can help me with buying this scanner plz write back. Thanks guys

[BigJETS]

You can buy good scanners for around $150 US and up. There are Trunking models that really arent that necessary-at least for me- but those can be got fairly reasonable too (lots of web info out there--
try www.pro-92.com (http://www.pro-92.com) ). The pro 92 is a Radio Shack licensed scanner and really does the trick for me--$249.00 when I purchased this spring. Thats a trunking model. Some airport ops use trunk, but not aircraft to my knowledge. Really all you need is to scan the 118.0-136.0 freqs with about any model. If youre not near an airport youll find that theres not alot to really listen to for the most part. Less so if you happen to be far removed from busy airspace.
However, it is a fun/interesting pastime and you can use a scanner for marine and police too.
Im sure you can have one delivered to your door if you order online.
Much that determines the price of the scanner is how many banks and channels you can store freqs on. If youre only interested in the aircraft then save yourself alot of money and just get any old model. But check out the web info. learn about all the functions and youll be able to make a smarter buy for what you need.

[Jim lovell]

I got a Uniden Bearcat scanner- only a basic with 100 channels but does the trick nicely. Cost me around the $300 mark. As far as reception goes you should be able to pick up Center and Approach within about 20nm from the airport(i can)quite clearly too. A scanner is also quite useful in building your R/T confidence!

[englishal]

I bought a YAESU aviator Pro tranceiver from Hart Aviation (www.hartaviation.com), good little radio, better than a scanner as you can transmit too ! Good backup radio to take flying (if you fly) Cost about $220 US....

[Airbanda]

From a UK not an Oz perspective but most "scannerists" rate he Yupiteru range very highly. VP125 and 225 are airband dedicated 125 being plain vanilla civil 108-137, the 225 adds military frx up to around 400mhz. Not sure either is still in production but widely available s/h UKL120/30 for the 125 150/175 for 225. Neither is 8.33 channel capable but that is probably only a European issue. 255 is excellent, handles a base aerial ok and less troubled by VHF broadcast or pager breakthrough than the GRE/radio shack models.
VT7100 is full range 30mhz to 1.5ghz or therabouts inc limitedHF/SSB around UKL225. Very well rated.

Airbanda-proud to be an anorak

[v1rotate]

If you want a simple pure airband digital scanner, try the Win 108. It's simple to use and cheap. I got mine a few years back for around AUD$90. It doesn't have all the range for police, trucking etc etc and doesn't have radio either. Like I said, it's simple but effective and the money you save, you can get more film to take photo's!!! :D

[Airbanda]

Interesting recommendation of the WIN 108, not sure if it is still available new, certainly not in EC due complex approval rules. Lots still around s/h. An excellent set in terms of useability and sensitivity but the achilles heel is it's inability to reject image signals from VHF broadcast stations approx 23mhz below the tuned AM/airband frx. In Leeds UK 108 was quite unuseable for listening to the local tower on 120.3 due to the regional x/mitter for BBC radio 1 on c98mhz. This may not be a prob in the outback but if commercial stations are as thick on the ground in urban OZ as they are in the UK then it will compromise your listening. Hope this helps.