what kind of radio to purchase?

[united777lover]

Hello. I am in the market for buying a good quality radio scanner. I live about 35nm southwest of Chicago o'hare and the current scanner I have picks up phone calls (when on the aviation mode) and well, it's annoying. I don't like hearing some guy talk with his girlfriend. (especially what they talk about...)

Well, does anyone know of a good quality radio that can pick of nearly all, if not all of ORD frequencies?? I get really tired of hearing ORD gnd/twr/app all the time.

thanks!

[Hopkins]

Since no one else has said anything, I'll take a stab at this.  I've always found the Radio Shack scanners to be a surprisingly good value.  You can get them for under $100, they cover most of the popular frequency bands, and they have always had good performance, in my experience.  Furthermore, there are Radio Shacks everywhere, so you don't have to go hunting around at online stores quite as much (or at all).

The type of "frequencies" you can receive really depends most on location and antenna, with the actual radio coming in behind those, I would say.

I notice you say that you are tired of gnd/twr/app -- what other frequencies are you interested in hearing?  Outside of those three you listed, all that is pretty much left is Chicago center! (well, perhaps ramp control and clearance delivery, but I would expect you have to live quite close to the airport to hear those from the ground)

[pcrowley]

I own a radio shack scanner pro-2052 and love it. Never had one problem with it. As for picking other things up, that depends on your antenna you use. I would get an outdoor one if possible, if not like me, i live in an apartment , i have the antenna right in front of the window with the window open.  Hopefully that helps some.

[Jason]

I have picks up phone calls (when on the aviation mode) and well, it's annoying. I don't like hearing some guy talk with his girlfriend. (especially what they talk about...)
thanks!

Hey there -

One thing I cannot believe is that you are picking up cell phone conversations because those frequencies are much much higher...In aviation we have certain pilot-to-pilot frequencies for conversation which you might be picking up.  I only picked up one cell phone conversation once on 128.6 the Ny Dep/Appr. acting as clearance freq at night for KDXR.  I picked up a voice mail during the day on that freq.

I have a Uniden BC780XLT which you cannot get anymore but more versions of the scanner became Digital so I would recomend the BC785D.  It is a pricy scanner, b ut I have never been happier with it.  It is an AWESOME scanner!!

I own a discone external antenna which you can get at Radio Shack.  It really helps your reception..Let me know if you have more questions....

 
I own a discone external antenna which helps reception a lot which you can but at Radio Sh

[dave]

Hello. I am in the market for buying a good quality radio scanner. I live about 35nm southwest of Chicago o'hare and the current scanner I have picks up phone calls (when on the aviation mode) and well, it's annoying. I don't like hearing some guy talk with his girlfriend. (especially what they talk about...)

Well, does anyone know of a good quality radio that can pick of nearly all, if not all of ORD frequencies?? I get really tired of hearing ORD gnd/twr/app all the time.

thanks!

I will echo the comments made by others.  But one fact will rise above them all: PUT UP A GOOD ANTENNA AND GET IT HIGH UP IN AN ATTIC OR, PREFERABLY, OUTSIDE.

For airband (118-136MHz) there is no radio that will compensate for a poor antenna installation.  With an indoor antenna (built-in or otherwise), and that far away from most of the ATC transmitters, you will have miserable results unless you are on very, very high ground, much higher than the transmitters.  And even then, at 35 miles, you will have very unsatisfactory results.  In fact, at that distance, even an outside antenna may yield poor results.  If you have access to a handheld receiver, you can get some idea of how reception will be if you go up on the roof with it to try out some of the frequencies.

-Dave

[united777lover]

thanks for all ur help. I guess living here in the flat mid-west means I will probably not get too much..

Yea, cell phone calls were rather obnoxious. I even started getting those shop at home phone lines like the home shopping network. never any aviation ones.

I think maybe I'll stick with what I have.. if upgrading won't gurantee me great quality..


thanks

[Robin Rebhan]

I'd try Radio Shack. Ask if you can try a decent scanner out for a couple days. And if it doesn't work out like you hope can you return it without a hassle?
     A base scanner will give you better performance over a portable.
     Are you getting cell calls or cordless phone calls on your current scanner?