Aviation radio scanner tips?

Lots of air traffic around here all the time (Hornets, 53Es, Cobras) and I
was thinking about getting a scanner to listen in to the traffic up on the
base (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, if you don't recognize the line
in my sig). Any recommendations on a scanner that will hit military and
civilian aviation frequencies without breaking the bank?

--
Jim Atkins
Twentynine Palms, CA USA

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx

Jim,

1. Check the band coverage of the unit. Most scanners that claim to
be aircraft band receivers only get half the action.

You'll want 108 - 138 mhz coverage. The lower end is for the VOR /
TACAN signals. Sometimes there is a voice signal instead of the morse
code identifier. Upper end is the voice signal.

225 - 400 mhz is best for military aircraft. Most action is in this
band for what you'd want to be listening for.


2. What unit to buy?

Whatever works for you and your budget. I've owned Uniden (bearcat),
Radio Shack, and AOR in desktop and handheld format over the years and
had good success with all of them.

Keep an eye on pawn shops. My last 3 radios have come from there. All
in good condition and 1/3 to 1/2 the price of a new unit.

Consider an external antenna. Depending on where you are from the
source, you will normally get the airborne side only. Ground based
signal can be obtained if you get an antenna high enough and are close.
I mounted mine upside down in the attic so I wouldn't have to get up on
the roof. Getting decent reception.

----------------

Welcome to the world of aviation scanning. My three most memorable
scanning events

1. Attending the Quad Cities are show and hearing the Snowbird and
Thunderbird tactical frequencies during their shows.

2. Driving under the Fechter MOA and listening to some F-16's
dogfighting above me.

3. sad, but memorable - Air traffic control diverting aircraft on
9-11.

-----------------

Hope this helps


MAH

"mah" wrote in message ...
Jim,

( snip good info )

----------------

Welcome to the world of aviation scanning. My three most memorable
scanning events

1. Attending the Quad Cities are show and hearing the Snowbird and
Thunderbird tactical frequencies during their shows.

2. Driving under the Fechter MOA and listening to some F-16's
dogfighting above me.

3. sad, but memorable - Air traffic control diverting aircraft on
9-11.

-----------------

Hope this helps

My most memorable was, unfortunately, a failure but I give myself
an *A* for effort anyway. Having been to many Moffett airshows
with either a camera or handycam and also received the Blue Angel
audio on my home scanner, I hatched this great plan for both. Mixing
and syncing the results should be easy.

First, the scanner was set up to record the audio.

Next, I took my handycam and kayak and paddled down to
Long Point on SF Bay just off the end of the Moffett runway.

Problem is, it's possible to be too darn close! :-(

JK

Yo!! thanks a million. BTW- there's a rumor floating around that 29 is to be
expanded into a full scale airbase to take some of the heat off Miramar.
Here's hoping-

--
Jim Atkins
Twentynine Palms, CA USA

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx

You'll want 108 - 138 mhz coverage. The lower end is for the VOR /
TACAN signals. Sometimes there is a voice signal instead of the morse
code identifier.

Actually what he will want in addition to the 225-400 is the 138-144 band in
AM. That low VHF band is where F-16s and some of the other acft engage in
air-air comms.
Voice use of TACAN freqs has been claimed by a few, but in actuality has been
images of higher freqs. In older scanner radios, comms could be heard 21.4 to
21.6 MHz higher or lower than the freq actually used. Use of TACAN freqs for
voice is an old wife's tale. Now that scanner radios are not prone to the
images, no voice comms are ever heard in the TACAN range.

AL STERN Satellite Beach FL (28-11N 80-36W) monitoring
 Patrick AFB (KCOF)  NASA-KSC Shuttle Landing Facility (KX68)
 Avon Park Bombing Range (KAGR)  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (KXMR)
 JSTARS E-8 Acft Integration Facility, Melbourne IAP (KMLB)
 Worldwide Military HF Communications
 Life Member: Missile, Space and Range Pioneers.
 http://hometown.aol.com/allanstern/m...age/index.html (My Freqs)
 http://hometown.aol.com/scanaddict/index.html (My Equipment)