I hear about some people using scanners to tell if trains are coming, so I really want one. So if you know, can you tell me what the average price is and where I can get them. Thanks
From, The name might be Fred
Radio Shack sells them. You could get one for under a hundred bucks.
Thanks. Wow! $100! That’s is a lot. Anywhere I can get them for say 50 Bucks? Sorry, but I’m a bit short on $$. Thanks anyways.
From, The name might be Fred
P.S. I like the web cam. My computers too slow though. the pic changes every 5 seconds.
Actualy under a $100 is cheap. You used to have to spend a couple hundred for the cheap ones. They have come down quite a bit in price. If you can’t afford that then try e-bay or a local electronics supply, the ones geared tward the hobbyist usually sell used gear. Mabee even a local ham radio supply.
Yeah scanners run as cheap as 89.99 but also can go up and beyond 599.99 depending on which kind youwould like to have. Just go to your local Radio Shack and the sales people will help you out.
And don’t forget yard sales, particularly among the older generation. If your community has had retired railmen (yes, I’m using the term from years ago), they or their decedents may want to get rid of the scanner. After all, they can be frustrating to learn and a lot of people just aren’t interested in them.
This applies just as much to “base units” as to the little portable jobs.
And for what it’s worth, I agree with the hundred dollar-plus guideline. I ordered a Radio Shack at ten-dollar discount and still paid around ninety. It was practically designed NOT to scan RR bands. A week later I ordered a Bearcat BC9 2XLT based on a recommendation here at this site. It was about $25 more but is not so prejudiced against the RR bands (particularly 159 to 161 Megahertz). I used scanners-r-us.com and got about a twenty-dollar discount.
I don’t remember the name of the person who recommended that particular unit, but Thank You, Mr. Calabash, wherever you are!
And if your really cheep you can use a short wave radio if it gets VHF. But then you can only monitor one channel at a time. But they are more common then scanners and you could pick one up at a garage sale dirt cheap.
What’s VHF?
From, the name might be Fred
VHF is short for Very High Frequency 50-220 MHz. Railroad radio is in the VHF band at 160-161.6 MHz
OK, Thanks Chad for all your help. Hope to keep in touch.
From, The name might be Fred
I just wi***hat Uniden would bring back the 100XLT.
Allan.
Also, dont get caught up and get one with a radio that your able to talk on, those are reserved for me,lc,ed, and other rr people. Yo uwould have no use, and it costs mor.
My RadioShack scanner that holds 100 frequencies was worth $120.00, although for $30.00 more, you could buy one that holds 1,000 frequencies. I’m not sure if all RadioShacks have em’ though.
Is it against the law for me to talk on a frequency you RR people are using?
From, The name might be Fred
That’s not because your computer is slow- it’s because the webcam was designed to take only one shot every 5 seconds.
OK sorry
From, the name might be Fred
No prob- the reason they do it that way is so that alot of people can download the same feed from the camera at the same time.
The cam at Brooklyn updates ever 1/2 to 3/4 second. Not bad.
If it’s like the one at Rochelle, you’ll get knocked off if you’ve been on it the longest and other people access it to beyond its capacity.
Yes!