scanners

[seeking]

i know that kabar had posted a little bit about scanners in the past, but since my search didnt turn it up, i figured it might be good to give it it's own topic.

yesterday i went to radioshack looking to get a scanner. but once i got through the door, everything i had read on the web and everything i read in here sort of went out the window. so my question then is; what should i be looking for? they had 3 models; 200 channel for $99, 1000 channel for $249, or 200 channel multi trunking (or whatever its called) for $249. i would have just assumed the $99 dollar one to be fine, but after looking on ebay, and poking around some train sites, they all seemed to be more expensive than that, even for a simillar model. infact, alot of the ones i saw on ebay were only 50 channel, and they were going for $100 and up. so, whats the difference? is there a certain frequency range i should be looking for? i understand the difference between a normal scanner and a 'trunking' one (atleast understand it enough to know that i dont think i need the trunking one) but otherwise, im at a loss. i have no interest in crazy wacky features and all that shit. i just want something that will pick up the RR frequencys at my house, and while in the yard. anyone have any suggestions?

i tried to find a link to the ones radioshack had, but their search function worked about as well as ours. unless your looking 1200x1600 resolution with a USB connection of course.

[imported_suburbian bum]

If i were you i would get the 200 channel one for 99 bucks. They will have all the police and train frequencies, Train frequencies are at 160.0-162.0 if i am correct, and i beleive i am. Grr, i just checked my scanner and the batteries fell out so i lost all of the programing of stations in, oh well...

[imported_suburbian bum]

OH yeah, to find the frequencys in your city, www.cityfreq.com (http://www.cityfreq.com) its got all the frequencies used for buisneses and government organizations. Its a little confusing but it can help to find some things, otherwise, just run a search.

[KaBar]

Don't buy anything from Radio Shack, their stuff sucks. Try http://www.scannerworld.com/
Order their catalog, you can get good quality scanners, CB radios and HAM radios pretty cheaply off the net. But don't buy Radio Shack.

[seeking]

ok, well i ordered a catalog, but since they only send them out twice a year, who knows when i might get one. is there anything you can tell me briefly so i can look further on my own?

[IHATEU]

UNIDEN only.......thats the goods...

[seeking]

oooookkkkkkkk....
now we're cookin with butter.



at this rate, i'll know exactly what to buy in like, a month and a half.

[KaBar]

Well, I bought a Uniden scanner, but it was cheap-ass and only has 20 channels. It does work though, but I have to re-program it from a hard copy of the frequencies of various railroad entities to keep it working right. There is a 100-channel Uniden scanner. Since there are 97 standard radio frequencies for the railroad, you could program them all in one scanner and you'd be good to go. But, I heard that they are opening up new channels to the railroads. Save up the bucks and buy a first-class 200 channel scanner.

[omone]

My scanner gets cell phones too... how you say? well its not made in the US.......

[Raw fish]

I ended up getting the 99 dollar radio shack scanner... it seems to do everything I need it to. I dont really have the time or motivation to sit around and program it or do anything fancy. What I usually do, is set it to scan all the railroad channels - it just runs through them all. When it finds something, it stops. It has this nifty hold button, so I can make it stay put if need be. At some point, probably when I find the books again, Ill program it for the railroad and for the police in the area that I usually find myself.

I very rarely take my scanner with me when Im going to the spot, so I cant tell you any stories about that. What I do use it for is listening to what I cant figure out by watching. I take it when Im hanging around the yard, and I take it when Im checking out new spots... kinda adds a little extra info that I cant get with my eyes.

I think for most of us, the low end model will do, but if I had to pick one for cracked, I think a better model might suit him more - I assume he would be more inclined to use it more often then the rest of us....

[seeking]

see, thats what im saying. as much as id like to be a big rail fan, its not gonna happen. i just want something for scoping out yards, and to have in my pocket with a little earphone on, so i know whats going on in the yard. and im on a serious budget.... be honest now, would a radio shack scanner like, fall apart in my pocket?

[HAL]

I know next to nothing about scanners, but my assumption is that the radio shack ones aren't as sensitive, thus don't pick up everything, and have a short range of operation. Like say they might pick up very strong signals from like only a couple iles away, while a better one might have the same radius and grab everything, including weak ass signals from an engine to the main yard.

[ASER1NE]

these things fit in ur pocket with an earphone ? damn i kinda want one now ...........or are they not worth it.

[omone]

ANY scanner will have a range of at least a mile or two as long as it comes with an antenna
most pocket size ones do if not all

[omone]

i heard seeking is the inspector gadget of graff
fucking sattelites and shit......

[Statistics]

Damn that site is hot. It gives you EVERYTHING! But one question, what does it mean when it just says "The City Of ______" and nothing else. Is it a city frequencie, or is it just nothing?