PIREP: Sporty's Air-Scan V

When the Montgomery-Ward 8-band radio I've had since I was a kid finally
gave up the ghost last month, we were left without Unicom playing in our
hotel lobby.

Since we are an aviation-theme, fly-in hotel, this was unacceptable -- we
quite often listen for fly-in guests, so we can have the courtesy van on the
ramp when they land. So, I pressed my ICOM hand-held into service.

This, too, proved unacceptable, however, since I needed the ICOM as a
back-up radio in the plane. Having experienced two com failures since
learning to fly almost ten years ago, I take this radio seriously.

Casting around for alternatives, I couldn't help but see the Sporty's
airband radio that was being advertised incessantly in every aviation
magazine. It looked slick, and the "aviation interrupt" feature sounded
intriguing. Best of all, at "just" a hundred aviation monetary units, the
price was even right (I think I paid about that for my Monkey-Ward radio 30
years ago!).

So, I ordered one.

The first thing I got was a post-card from Sporty's, announcing that the
radio was back-ordered. Who says advertising doesn't work?

A few days ago (almost a month after I ordered it) the radio finally
arrived. Completely ignoring the instructions (who has time for those?), I
extended the antenna, set the thing up, and started playing Unicom.

The first thing I noticed was how weak Unicom sounded. I could get a great
carrier wave, but the voices were very weak -- even when the planes were
visible just 100 yards away. Looking all over the radio, I noted the
attachment for an external coax antenna, and started thinking cynically
about how Sportys was making sure that I needed to buy this extra
attachment.

The AM and FM bands sounded great, however, so I figured SOMETHING else must
be wrong with the damned thing. Even planes flying directly overhead could
*barely* be heard.

Digging the box out of the garbage in anticipation of returning the radio to
Sporty's, a turned it upside down -- and out fell a little rubber ducky coax
antenna! With the lightbulb finally lit, I screwed it on the back -- and
wow! Suddenly I was hearing Cedar Rapids approach and everyone for 25 miles
around. Duh.

Checking the instructions thoroughly now (to see what else I might be
missing), I found no major reference to this antenna! Only in the "small
print" did I finally find a mention of it -- and it clearly makes a huge
difference. I wonder why they just didn't use the same antenna as the AM
and FM bands, like my old 8-band radio did? Jim -- any ideas? Why the
extra antenna on a receive-only unit?

Anyway, with this antenna, the radio is everything I wanted, and more. I
can listen to NPR or music in my office, while the radio is constantly
scanning five pre-set aviation frequencies. Whenever someone transmits on
those freqs, the radio interrupts, and then gradually fades back into the
show after the transmissions cease. It's great!

Programming is simple and easy, the push-button and dial controls are solid
feeling, and it's a nice, compact size that fits on a shelf. All in all,
it's everything they said it was, and more!

We'll see if it's still playing in 30 years!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"