121.5 signal strength

[BlueJays]

Good afternoon, all

I have a question regarding airband scanners and 121.5. Does anyone know whether or not you can pick up this frequency on a scanner? I tried last night and all I could hear was a constant buzzing sound, with an occasionally pause. I'm based in the midlands (not sure whether geographical location is relevant)

Thanks in advanced.

M

[mad_jock]

yes you can but usually there isn't much on it.

try again on a sunny weekend afternoon you may hear training practises going on and a load of septics yelling "your on guard"

[BlueJays]

Does if usually make a constant buzzing sound like someone is trying to transmit? Other frequencies are totally silent if no-one is transmitting... Thanks for the reply, though.

[mad_jock]

constant static most radios automatically turn the squelch off on that freq so you can hear even the faintest signal.

[Keef]

If someone's transmitting and in range, you'll hear them.

If you get a constant buzzing, either your receiver is faulty or there's something nearby causing interference.

[BlueJays]

The scanner is fine. I've only ever had an issue with that frequency. I guess it will stop if someone transmits or I need to play with the squelch.

[kcockayne]

You'll hear 121.5 exactly the same as you'll hear any other frequency. The only reason for not hearing anything on it is if there is nothing on it, or if you are out of range/shielded.
There is nothing different about 121.5.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

It sounds to me like it's your receiver. Scanners are notorious for receiving signals which are not on the frequency to which they are tuned. This can occur for a variety of reasons and in your case 121.5 maybe being interfered with by another signal. For example, you may have a nearby transmitter - police or.t other sevrices - which are breaking through although you may not hear any voices. If the noise is continuous it may be a paging service or similar.

Do remember the law about using such equipment.

[west lakes]

Do remember the law about using such equipment. Though as the conversation between the RAF Typhoon and the Latvian AN-26 earlier in the week was published by a number of news agencies, I think that partially has gone out of the window!

http://news.sky.com/story/1362888/raf-jets-threaten-to-shoot-down-cargo-plane

[BlueJays]

Appreciate the comments. I think it must be some sort of interference. It's me being naive expecting it to be as clear as it is in my PA38.