scanners

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.

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...

OH yeah, to find the frequencys in your city, 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.

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.

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?

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

oooookkkkkkkk....

now we're cookin with butter.

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

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.

MY SCANNER

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

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....

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?

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.

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

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

i heard seeking is the inspector gadget of graff

fucking sattelites and shit......

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?