Are the railroads using digital radios more than analog these days? Which style of scanner makes the most sense to get for railfaning?
Garrett
Analog scanners won’t do digital. Digital scanners can do analog.
If you’re buying new, go digital (something like the computer mantra - buy the biggest, baddest computer you can afford).
The first narrowbanding mandate (2013) will probably have railroads staying with analog, but not necessarily.
The next narrowbanding mandate after that will probably force a move to digital.
Public safety agencies are also moving to digital, and especially to trunking. If you’re interested in that realm, consider that when making your purchase. I do think you’ll find most digital-capable scanners are trunking scanners.
It makes sense to buy the best technology you can afford. The railroads will be required to convert to narrow band center frequencies or, frequency separations by 2013; CSX plans to convert its radios to transmit on narrow band center frequencies by the end of 2011. Eventually the railroads may be required to go to trunk tracking which would require a digital scanner to pick up transmissions.
You might consider buying a 2 meter transceiver instead of a scanner because they are more sensitive. My transceiver seems to be able to pick up transmissions farther away than my scanner. You don’t need an FCC license to buy or use a transceiver as long as you don’t use it to transmit.