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Scanning Q&A

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Revision as of 20:31, 11 September 2007 by Mikeag (talk | contribs)

This article can be used to house questions about scanning in general - anything from antennas to laws to coax and more

General Scanning Questions

Equipment Questions

  • ''Where can I find information on scanner antennas, filters, mobile mounts, ect.?''
    • Return to our main page via the navigation link to the left, go to the bottom and see the 'Antennas and Accessories' category.
  • ''I want to hear more. Will an amplifier help?''
    • Before you go looking at amps, make sure that your antenna and feedline are at the best you can afford. A nice high antenna, with the right coax, will hear lots - maybe, at times, too much. In some cases, a good filter will be a huge asset. Not all scanners - particularly handhelds - work very well with big outdoor antennas and feedlines. They simply aren't designed to handle that much RF all at once.
  • ''Is the coax that important?''
    • They can make the difference between hearing a signal (particularly if you are out in a fringe area) and not hearing well, or at all. The larger the loss, the less signal is received. The general rule is a 3db loss results in a loss of 1/2 the signal. In practical terms, if you are in a strong signal area, this won't mean much - but if you're a long way off, this kind of loss should concern you. These 2 links explain this clearly;
    • Strong Signals Coax Cable
    • NASA Coax Cable loss chart

General Frequencies

If you are searching for specific frequencies in your area, the RR Database is the place to start - but at times there may be a better option....

  • ''Where can I find frequencies for the various services, such as Railroads, Aircraft, ect.?''
  • ''Where can I find frequencies for NASCAR, LPGA, NFL, ect.?''
    • See our Sports frequencies article
  • ''Im flying into an airport that the RRDB doesnt have. Where can I find frequencies for it?''
    • Go to the popular Airnav website
  • ''Im going on a cruise and would like to see if theres activity to be heard. Where can I find frequencies?''
    • See this popular website by Bill Dunn for cruise ship frequencies
  • ''I need to look up a callsign I copied. Where can I find it?''
  • ''I need to look up a frequency that isnt in the database. Where might I find it?''
  • ''Where can I find out about military communications in my area?''
  • ''Where can I find out about frequencies used by the US Federal Government?''
    • Check out our Federal frequencies article