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Coffee House => Coffee House Boards => CH / Science and Technology => Topic started by: lurkist on April 04, 2008, 01:23:55 AM

Title: Radio / Comms experts
Post by: lurkist on April 04, 2008, 01:23:55 AM

... and 500 post celebration!  :banana:

Anyway, I'm looking for a (much) cheaper alternative to the Icom R3 (aka IC-R3) a/v scanner.  This item looks like a regular wideband handheld scanner, but has a tv screen and can pick up video.  I cannot bring myself to believe that this one item has the market sewn up, there must be others out there.  Anyone know of an alternative?  How about the PCI card versions, do they pick up video as well?

Cheers

Title: Re: Radio / Comms experts
Post by: A4000_Mad on April 04, 2008, 02:49:18 AM

Congrats on your 500th post :pint: :pint: :pint:

It can't pick up video but I really like my Icom IC-R20 (http://www.ukmidlandscanner.co.uk/r20rev.htm). I used it to listen to the first commercial flight of Singapore 308 (Airbus A380) to Heathrow. Because of the R20's dual-watch function I was able to enter and listen to both of the Heathrow Approach frequencies at the same time, so as not to miss it :-)

(I bet you are just dying to know that the frequency for arrivals via the Bovingdon and Lambourne holds is 119.725, and the frequency for arrivals via the Ockham and Biggin holds is 134.975 :lol:)

EDIT - In case someone actually tries to listen in, I'd better point out that the transmissions between Air Traffic Control and the pilots of aircraft are in AM (Amplitude Modulation) :-D

Title: Re: Radio / Comms experts
Post by: Oliver on April 05, 2008, 03:47:13 AM

Hi,

I work for a company designing HF radio equipment. We don't do anything like the scanner you're talking about, though I can say that Icom generally do really good eqipment. As a company, they have access to much more expensive manufacturing processes than what my company uses. They do pretty different equipment from us, though.

Probably a better place to ask, would be a Ham forum or news group, etc. Another company which does some more affordable products is Yaesu. In my opinion, their products are OK, and provide value for money, though are not really as good as Icom in most respects. I'm not sure if they do scanner such as you are after, though.

I can't really offer much more help than that. You could have a look at mods.dk to get some idea of what brands you could look at. I think talking to some hammers would really be your best bet. There is a lot of knowledge in that community.

Good luck.

Oliver

Title: Re: Radio / Comms experts
Post by: lurkist on April 05, 2008, 01:30:24 PM

Okay, thanks for the two replies, I realise it was a VERY specific question.

Cheers,

Lurkist