Uniden Handheld Scanner

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kiwingenuity

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#280120 27-Nov-2020 13:24

I am looking at purchasing a Uniden Bearcat scanner EZI33XLT (https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2875057653), primarily to listen/get used to Aviation comms for flight training.

I live rural near an airfield, so plenty of traffic flying overhead.

Any reason this wouldn't work?

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#2611760 27-Nov-2020 13:24

Hmmmm. Here we go.

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Oblivian

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#2611778 27-Nov-2020 13:45

Seems to cover the NZ Range. Albeit not an AU model (we have the EZI30). Other services if you decide to branch out may be missed.

Unless you need a ciggy lighter or external power theres a NZ company that does a basic one. not sure how the price compares, Guy at the airport had one and sounded Ok when it locked on

https://pilotshop.co.nz/collections/scanners/products/tti-tsc-100ra-airband-scanner

kiwingenuity

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#2611803 27-Nov-2020 14:06

Thanks for that, believe even though the Uniden covers NZ frequencies, it does have gaps (which are not specifically stated).

Will have a look at pilotshop (similar price), they are fairly reputable.

Oblivian

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#2611822 27-Nov-2020 14:21

We've gone full cycle with Uniden really.

Newer Scanners were limited due to price when police was analoge. Then all and sundry models appeared on TM (overpriced) when they went digital (with advertising not normally indicating they were about to be no good)

Now the digital or SDR based ones are popular with more DMR networks taking over, so they're discontinuing a lot of the cheaper NZ uniden models. Believe the EZI130 and 126AT are all but end of production.

Technofreak

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#2611825 27-Nov-2020 14:32

If it's just the aviation frequencies you want, these frequencies are universal so any device that has these frequencies will be OK. To honest what you hear is pretty boring though if you're using it to get familiar with what to say as a novice pilot then there's value in that. Though I'd temper that with caution if you're listening to the radio traffic at some of the smaller unattended airfields as some of these transmissions can be rather "unconventional".

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kiwingenuity

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#2611826 27-Nov-2020 14:32

I'm fairly rural, so would actually be nice to listen to any Police/Fire events if anything happened also. Notice the TSC-100RA Airband Scanner seems to have a good VHF range, but doesn't do UHF.

Do police/fire usually transmit on VHF or UHF?

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#2611834 27-Nov-2020 14:34

kiwingenuity:

I'm fairly rural, so would actually be nice to listen to any Police/Fire events if anything happened also. Notice the TSC-100RA Airband Scanner seems to have a good VHF range, but doesn't do UHF.

Do police/fire usually transmit on VHF or UHF?

The Police have gone digital (and I think encoded) so the standard VHF receiver will be of no use. I think the Fire Service are still using VHF.

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Oblivian

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#2611840 27-Nov-2020 14:45

(not all police are digital, depends on region - 3 main centres sure are)

Fire have new UHF handhelds and so on. And starting to move in that direction. But for the most part still VHF

Airband on the 92xlt is rather spotty, I hear stuff overhead coming into CHC. And very little tower unless at the airfield. Mainly use it for photos. Work out when things with a special livery, or cool plane due in and be ready. Or catch them rockn' and rollin in on strong windy days :)

Other than that, yeah. Not a lot out of them that isn't commercial flightplans and ground movements. Or local airfield air-to-air or un-controlled VFR procedure announcement.

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#2611843 27-Nov-2020 14:51

Oblivian:

(not all police are digital, depends on region - 3 main centres sure are)

Fire have new UHF handhelds and so on. And starting to move in that direction. But for the most part still VHF

Airband on the 92xlt is rather spotty, I hear stuff overhead coming into CHC. And very little tower unless at the airfield. Mainly use it for photos. Work out when things with a special livery, or cool plane due in and be ready. Or catch them rockn' and rollin in on strong windy days :)

Other than that, yeah. Not a lot out of them that isn't commercial flightplans and ground movements. Or local airfield air-to-air or un-controlled VFR procedure announcement.

VHF is basically line of sight. Using a rubber ducky style aerial especially inside won't give a lot of reception range for ground stations.

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kiwingenuity

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#2611893 27-Nov-2020 14:57

Thanks for all of the responses guys!

Think I'll go for the TSC-100RA. I live opposite the airfield I train at. If nothing else, I will get used to the aircraft overhead and "unconventional" radio calls.

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#2611932 27-Nov-2020 16:11

DIY yourself a J-Pole antenna on the rooftop - excellent for that purpose.

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kiwingenuity

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#2612204 28-Nov-2020 12:48

Might give the J-Pole antenna a whirl.

Received the scanner today (pretty good service from Pilot Shop!!). Can hear taxiing (i.e. on ground calls) from local aerodrome at my house....so will definitely do the trick!

Thanks for the help guys.

kiwingenuity

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#2614799 2-Dec-2020 15:05

Any idea why I would hear Hamilton ATIS (128.6) interfering with Tower frequency (126.8) as somebody transmits on 126.8?

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#2614865 2-Dec-2020 16:30

https://www.vatnz.net/airspace/airport/NZHN says that Hamilton ATIS is 126.65 so make sure you are on channel.

If I recall you said you lived close to the airport so it might be that the front end of the scanner is overloaded when the tower hits the transmit button, the transmitter may not be in the tower itself, it may be out in a field else ware, this is rather common practice to separate the transmitter from the receiver to prevent overloading amongst other things.

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#2614979 2-Dec-2020 20:48

Same issue in CHC if you are within about 100m of the ATIS antennas out the back by the aero club.

Any other hot mic is over-run by it.

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