Scanners and Freqs for New York area

i'de go up to the radio shack thats just up the road in that strip mall. as for the frequencies i can't remember the numbers, but a google search would get themfor you.

http://www.scannerworld.com/
Try these folks - they operate out of Albany.

b-worm,
stick with radio shack until you find one that's decent
enough to have a basic scanner. i don't know if you commute
thru the city but i got mine next to grand central.
have had it mine for a year now without a problem. a pro528.
i lucked out and got it on sale tho. they have desktop models too,
but the handheld ones are good because of their portability. most
come with headphone jacks too. they come pre-programmed so you
should have the frequency you need alredy in there. i'm still kinda new
to NJ, but i believe you'll need a CSX frequency cause that's what goes up
thru CP-5 Ridgefield Park up that way. You can search the post below too...might help ya out.

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.ph ... 5aad0a53cd

good luck,peace,
bktrainz31

[moved to the Radio Forum - omv]

A quick internet search will get you all the radio fequencies you need. Also check the links provided in this forum...

-otto-

bionicworm1 wrote: All of New Bridge Road by the track was evacuated at about 4pm totay due to a major natural gas leak by the track. I was waiting to go back into my store which may not even happen tomorrow, so I figured I'd buy a scanner. The guy's at the Shack were useless. Did not know what a scanner was or where they were kept. I disturbed them while watching a football game by trying to buy something. I think I'll just get my HAM license again. It expired while I was out with heart failure and did not realize it till it was too late. It's easier than trying to buy from Radio Shack.

Mike Rapp

That and a Ham radio will run circles around a scanner in terms of sensitivity and, most importantly for that area, selectivity. I'd just pick up a Vertex VX-150 - they're great little radios, and not at all expensive (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/3187.html $125 on this link, right around the same price as a Radio Shack scanner). Good luck!

Conrail4evr wrote:

bionicworm1 wrote: All of New Bridge Road by the track was evacuated at about 4pm totay due to a major natural gas leak by the track. I was waiting to go back into my store which may not even happen tomorrow, so I figured I'd buy a scanner. The guy's at the Shack were useless. Did not know what a scanner was or where they were kept. I disturbed them while watching a football game by trying to buy something. I think I'll just get my HAM license again. It expired while I was out with heart failure and did not realize it till it was too late. It's easier than trying to buy from Radio Shack.

Mike Rapp

That and a Ham radio will run circles around a scanner in terms of sensitivity and, most importantly for that area, selectivity. I'd just pick up a Vertex VX-150 - they're great little radios, and not at all expensive (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/3187.html $125 on this link, right around the same price as a Radio Shack scanner). Good luck!

Better still would be a commercial radio. I use a Motorola Saber III with a Saber Vehicle Adapter. 120 channels in 10 zones. You carry it like a portable and when you get in your vehicle you just drop it in the Vehicle Adapter and it automatically switches to the vehicle mounted antenna and reads the radio to calculate how long since the battery was last charged to apply the correct amount of recharge to the battery. It also automatically switches to an amplified speaker mounted in the vehicle.

With this set-up I can hear portable radios up in Croxton as far away as Cranford and I can hear NYCTA PD in Port Jervis.

This radio set-up originally cost thousands, but it is a discontinued item by Motorola now and you can get a whole outfit on eBay for under $100.

A few issues...

The radio can ONLY be programmed with a computer. You need an OLD computer running DOS since the software will not work on 486 or faster computer, a special interface box called a RIB with proper cables and the radio software called "RSS." Everything but the software is available on eBay as either used or knock-off copies. The software is a little tricky to get, but sometimes can be found on Russian warez sites. Motorola still enforces the copyright on it and prosecutes pirates, so don't ask me for a copy.

In any case, do some research (try batlabs.com) before doing anything.

thor88 wrote: Better still would be a commercial radio. I use a Motorola Saber III with a Saber Vehicle Adapter. 120 channels in 10 zones. You carry it like a portable and when you get in your vehicle you just drop it in the Vehicle Adapter and it automatically switches to the vehicle mounted antenna and reads the radio to calculate how long since the battery was last charged to apply the correct amount of recharge to the battery. It also automatically switches to an amplified speaker mounted in the vehicle.

With this set-up I can hear portable radios up in Croxton as far away as Cranford and I can hear NYCTA PD in Port Jervis.

This radio set-up originally cost thousands, but it is a discontinued item by Motorola now and you can get a whole outfit on eBay for under $100.

A few issues...

The radio can ONLY be programmed with a computer. You need an OLD computer running DOS since the software will not work on 486 or faster computer, a special interface box called a RIB with proper cables and the radio software called "RSS." Everything but the software is available on eBay as either used or knock-off copies. The software is a little tricky to get, but sometimes can be found on Russian warez sites. Motorola still enforces the copyright on it and prosecutes pirates, so don't ask me for a copy.

In any case, do some research (try batlabs.com) before doing anything.

Well, I figured since he's interested in getting back into amateur radio that I'd recommend the VX-150 since it can also receive railroad channels and is a very good radio overall. A commercial radio would work as well, but I know Ham features vary with those of commercial radios, plus the whole pre-programmed thing...but, it's his decision.

How well do those Convertacom setups work? From what you've send, they do sound appealing, and I do have an extra Saber II lying around (I resurrected my GP68 from the dead, and its RX is much better than the Saber, so it doesn't see much use anymore).

I had a Kenwood TK-760G for a mobile setup originally, but through various happenings, I ended up with an Icom 2200H instead, and am looking to get rid of it for a Motorola instead. I'm looking at getting my hands on a CDM1550, although an MCS2000 or another Kenwood (TK-780, TK-760G) would work.

Conrail4evr wrote: How well do those Convertacom setups work? From what you've send, they do sound appealing, and I do have an extra Saber II lying around (I resurrected my GP68 from the dead, and its RX is much better than the Saber, so it doesn't see much use anymore).

The Convetacom basically converts your Saber to mobile radio and that's the main reason I use a it.

I have an MX-series locomotive radio which far exceeds the Saber in performance and I also have a Spectra locomotive radio which better still.

I got the two loco radios at a CNW auction about 10 years ago and were listed as "non-working" and they were both basically "toast" when I got them. The MX had a bad 74v power supply and the Spectra had a literal "melt-down" in the 74v power supply when some dope decided that instead of replacing the blown fuse, it would be better to wrap it in aluminum foil.

You might also consider one of the RR classic lunch-box radios which show up on eBay quite often. There are two types - a crystal bound version and a programmable version. Stay away from the programmable one since you need a special programming box (called an R-1801) to program it and the used ones sell for >$500.

One more thing...

There's going to be a nationwide "fire sale" of commercial radios in the next 2 years due to a change in the FCC rules requiring everyone (except railroads and ham radio) to switch to narrow-band radios. Most commercial radios in use today are not capable of narrow-band operation.