Radio Scanners

Google is your friend...

You are in luck - there is a glut of VHF programmable scanners on the market now(eBay esp.).  As Police/Fire/EMS move to APCO25 systems, prices for radios for railfanning have plummeted.  I bought a 100 channel Bearcat for $5.00 and an older 18 channel Bearcat for 3.98 both within the past year at thrift stores(Amvets).  I actually like the audio on the older Bearcats better than anything new.

You will have to decide what features and how many programmable channels you want, and whether you want a desktop/mounted 12v/120v model or a handheld radio, as well as what search features and ranges you want for other listening activities. 

I would like to know too eh.   and how do you program them to hear train talk,what channel or fequency?

Thanks

Not if you are yahoo

Railroad Frequencies

While there are differences, generally frequencies are entered with direct keypad strokes into each available channel.  Reading the manual for the particular scanner is a must.

if you have a computer just type live train feeds you can get anything you want on your computer feeds trains, police, ems, and fire

For example:

CSXT Mohawk River Valley/Guilford (PAS) District 3 West End/CP Rail North End & South End

I'm most likely looking for a handheld so if I go out to railfan, I can have it with me.

Anything like THIS would do just fine for your purposes.

I have about 20 radios of many vintages.  What I have found is that ham radios are the best for listening to train frequencies.  Their front ends are better than general scanners and their voice clarity is better.  The negative is that they can be difficult to program until you get the hang of it.  If you would like to buy a new ham radio you should take a look at the Wouxun KG-UV3D dual band radio.  It is about $100.  It will fit in the palm of your hand or shirt pocket and is a good performer.  Just Google it and take a look at it.

Some of the best audio I get from my old Electra Bearcat III & IV crystal scanners.  You can't program them, though.  I have an old Bearcat 211 18 channel programmable that has excellent audio and sensitivity for railroad listening, but it's not portable.

Scanner 1

Scanner 2

Scanner 3

Would these work fine?

PLEASE LEARN HOW TO POST LINKS! Just pasting huge URL's here destroys the page formatting for many people.

Sure.

As a ham, I agree.  But be warned, they can also transmit (Not on the train frequencies.) so be careful that you don't do so without a license, or the FCC will fine you.

How is the scan speed on that radio?

 I have been reading up on these.

I asked the yahoo group dedicated to this radio about using it as a rail fan scanner and was told thusly:

These radios are really bad scanners.  Their scan rate is very slow.  And they seem to have some problems decoding CTCSS. Only worth considering if $40 is your max budget. And even then i would look for something better.

PLEASE Learn how to post links...

So all in all if one was to buy a rail fanning scanner what would be the best bang for the buck? Thanks

It's too subjective for a one-answer.  If you were nearby, I would let you borrow a couple to see how they work for you.

Because you don't know when you will be in a different place, or the RR might change a freq,  I've got all of the AR freqs in mine.

KCS warning:

Most R use simplex with R communications:  the same freq from train to say, dispatcher.  KCS uses DUPLEX:  One freq train to DS, another DS to the train.

This does not apply when a KCS train is on trackage rights, like on the Glidden Sub Houston to Rosenberg, TX

One thing to keep in mind if you do get one....People have been known to use scanners to monitor police or state patrol talk to try to avoid getting tickets, so in some states, you have to get a license to use one in your car. It's usually a low fee and easy to get, but you can get ticketed if you're caught with one in your car without a license.

If I want to hear a railroad about 60 miles away, what scanner or antenna would be needed?

I'm not sure you'll hear one that far away.

Even the radios that the railroads use aren't good for THAT far away.

I don't know if you have a cell phone or not, but if you have a smart phone there are free and paid apps you can download. 

I have one on my iPhone and it works pretty well. You can choose between police, fire, railroad or whatever you want. Nice part is nothing extra to carry. 

Just throwing it out there. I do not know how it compares to real scanners but you can try a free one and see if it fits your needs. 

You don't even need a phone:

Online Scanner Feed

I live around Woodbury commons outlets, NY and wanted to hear the subway trains in the city so about 40-50 miles away, I am interested in the pro-89 scanner, but what antennae would be the best to pick up the signal.

No online source for that anymore, or yet.

Pelham, you might be able to pick up the rail traffic around Chester and, if you're lucky Bear Mountain/Iona, but no way reach to NYC, sorry.

Pro-89 antenna info:

    Two Supplied Antennas - lets you select the antenna that best meets 
       With BNC Connector   your needs.  The supplied stub antenna helps
                            your scanner receive strong local signals and
                            makes the scanner easy to carry and use at
                            events. The supplied flexible antenna provides
                            excellent reception of weaker signals and is
                            designed to help prevent antenna breakage.

I custom cut a 2M 3/5 wave whip down to where it is 1:1 SWR for the railroads.

You could build a directional Yagi array with an old TV antenna rotated on its X-axis for vertical polarization.  It might need a little modification to the VHF lo elements to shorten them up some.  Parts are cheap - there are a lot of old antennas not doing anything all over.

I have a programmable scanner that I bought years ago at Radio Shack.  I have police and the UP railroad (I live 5 minutes away from one of their yards) programmed in.  I have several different UP channels programmed in, so I can hear UP from several locations in the nearby San Francisco Bay Area.   I also bought a book that has all of the frequencies for public safety and railroads.  I just program the frequency in.  Matt

1:1 SWR is only matters for transmitting.  On the receiving end the radio doesn't see any SWR effects worth noting.  Sure, it never hurts to "tune" the antenna if you are going to stick with one frequency/small band, but it's not necessary for a scanner.

Just in case anyone is thinking about it, do not transmit on RR frequencies (unless you are authorized to do so).  That could land you in a heap of trouble.