The scanner mega-thread

[Red_08]

Originally Posted by skeee

When I heard Mildred's voice say
"anyone with a scanner on 4a, the restart is delayed, you've time to move the mini" which was nice!
.......

Admittedly we didn't start on the mini until I relayed the message to the IO and go his nod!

That's good.

And excellent work in getting the go-ahead from your IO first. The chain of command on a post is very important and benefits the whole team. If everyone is aware of what's happening, it makes the situation a lot safer and gets it sorted a lot quicker too.

[alimcb]

Originally Posted by skeee

Admittedly we didn't start on the mini until I relayed the message to the IO and go his nod!

Seems more like an argument for the IOs having radio.

[skeee]

I seem to remember there was only one radio on the post but we had split into two or three "pairs" plus an IO each. Can't remember if our IO had the radio, it's a long way from the track to the post.

(I counted seven minis in the gravel at one point!)

[Clive]

Originally Posted by alimcb

Seems more like an argument for the IOs having radio.

Should be the post chief who has the radio, he/she can then manage the situation, delegating the incident handling to the IO or marshals team, as well as be aware of everythign else going on round the circuit.

[The Fat Clerk]

Not easy when you're the opposite side of the track

[Clive]

That's another thread!!

[The Fat Clerk]

Indeed, indeed, and the very reason why I don't 'Observe' at Silverstone very often.

[alimcb]

Both points taken!

I really think if we're looking forward to digital radios (as talked about for Silverstone) - the PC, IO and flag marshals should all have radio, should be able to talk to each other on the same post, and also to race control. Obviously the PC should be the main point of contact for race control, but there might be a need to talk directly to a flaggie or the IO depending on the situation.

[richrad smith]

Originally Posted by BSA Susie

I'm a flaggie and have used a scanner for the last 4 years and find in invaluable. I never act on the info heard but it does help to let you get ready and know what is going on where you can't see the whole of the circuit.
No sensitive info is ever put over the radio, any medical info is in code anyway or if CMO uses his phone instead.
Chief marshals I have talked to also see their benefits but have stopped short on my recommendation of publishing the frequencies in final instructions. I hate those first few minutes of the meeting trying to find the channel if it is not the normal ones.

have just started flag marshalling and was handed a scanner from the post chief with the Instruction "DONT ACT ON IT" I found it added to my enjoyment of the meeeting. found it esp. helpful when a red flag was called as a heads up

[Paul Newns]

Especially useful if you are flagging alone. No matter which way you are looking you are guaranteed to miss the red flag or SC board coming out!

It's also useful when the flag point is a long way from the PC, which is often the case at many circuits. It can be the only way to find out what's going on if the PC can't easily communicate with you.

[alimcb]

Scanners are also useful if you've actually been given a radio - as you sometimes are when flagging - and you either don't get a headset or the headset has some kind of problem so you're forced to go hand-held. It's useful to have the scanner in to be able to hear incoming calls.

If the racing is noisy a set of ear defenders fit neatly over the earpiece. And if you do need to report something in, when you press the transmit button you can hear yourself talk so you know if there's a problem.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by alimcb

Scanners are also useful if you've actually been given a radio - as you sometimes are when flagging - and you either don't get a headset or the headset has some kind of problem so you're forced to go hand-held. It's useful to have the scanner in to be able to hear incoming calls.

If the racing is noisy a set of ear defenders fit neatly over the earpiece. And if you do need to report something in, when you press the transmit button you can hear yourself talk so you know if there's a problem.

Good idea, but. . .

Make sure somebody hasn't switched the radio off at lunchtime.

Don't leave the radio behind when you go out to a big incident.

. . . as has happened to "a friend"!

[Clive]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

Good idea, but. . .

Make sure somebody hasn't switched the radio off at lunchtime.

Don't leave the radio behind when you go out to a big incident.

. . . as has happened to "a friend"!

and if you need a 'pit stop' don't do a 'Button'

[beltanedeath]

Geeks....in the nicest possible way of course....

I bought an maycom AR-108 thinking it would solve all my scanner problems...but it hasn't, as I went to BSB at Croft last weekend and found out they were on (frequency starting with 4) and apparently my ar doesn't "do" the 4. One of the guys had a Maycom FR 100 which does the 4 thing but does it do the 165.2125 MHz thing as well? If it does i know where there is a brand new ar 108 for sale....


thanks for your help

Sean

[Guinness2702]

http://www.radios-uk.com/maycom_fr100.htm

The 100 does 108-136 and 136-174

[beltanedeath]

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

http://www.radios-uk.com/maycom_fr100.htm

The 100 does 108-136 and 136-174

so that means it's good for cars as well yes?

Sean

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by beltanedeath

so that means it's good for cars as well yes?

IME, most car meetings are on 160-170, including the MSA frequency, so this should cover that. There are a couple that use the 4xx range too. Obviously, it'll be no good for places that switch over to digital, as has been talked about. Just to cover my backside, I should point out that I'm going off the above specs and I've never used on of these, so I can't *promise* anything.

[deadsquirrel]

Originally Posted by beltanedeath

Geeks....in the nicest possible way of course....

I bought an maycom AR-108 thinking it would solve all my scanner problems...but it hasn't, as I went to BSB at Croft last weekend and found out they were on (frequency starting with 4) and apparently my ar doesn't "do" the 4. One of the guys had a Maycom FR 100 which does the 4 thing but does it do the 165.2125 MHz thing as well? If it does i know where there is a brand new ar 108 for sale....


thanks for your help

Sean

Think you'll be looking for something like an ICOM-R2 or R5 for a '4' reception

[beltanedeath]

Guinness and Squirrel....thank you, as ever, very useful


Sean

[Steve Milward]

One thing you should be made aware of is that the more frequency bands a scanner covers it gets less sensitive. So a scanner like the Icom that covers from 25mhz to 1300mhz with no gaps is less sensitive than the Maycom.

Which in simple terms means that a Maycom user may be able to hear a weak transmission whereas the Icom user won't even know anything was said.

Try to buy a scanner that covers what you need and not one that does everything that you'll never use.

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by deadsquirrel

Think you'll be looking for something like an ICOM-R2 or R5 for a '4' reception

The specs for the FR 100 say it does 420-470, and my old Uniden Bearcat UBC-72XLT did something in 4xx too. No need to be spending the sort of money an ICOM R series will set you back.

Plus, the Bearcat does "close call" which makes it really easy to find transmissions. Only problem I found with it is I could never set the step right to get it exactly on the MSA Freq, so you had to tune to .335 or .340, and it sometimes seemed to miss or pick up late a few transmissions that Maycom users stood next to me got.

[HairyDJ]

Hmmmm, do I get extra saddo points for having a Bearcat as well as an FR-100 to keep my 2 AR-108s company?

Bearcat gobbles batteries and is indeed a problem with last decimal places. Plus point is the close-call if you are in a new site. Covers a lot more ranges and takes longer to set up and play with.

FR-100 is not as good as the AR-108 but does cover the lower band for Rally as well as the higher 400 stuff.

AR-108 is best where the traditional range is used - especially as you can lock the buttons & stuff it in your pocket unattended.

With all scanners, we use them differently to most folk - we tend to only want to hear one specific frequency all day and not all the local taxi firms. Sensitivity is more related to optimum aerial length, rather than number of bands available - it just means that with more bands, you tend to be further from that optimum most of the time.

finally, those nasty little 8-channel walkie talkies that kids / families play with appear close to the marshal bands in the 446 area (Channel 1 will actually pick up Curborough traffic!). Bikes were in the 450-465 area I believe?

RaceSafe training this year did mention their hopes to be able to bleed from the new freqs and rebroadcast on their old frequencies just for scanners - much more expected / desired at bikes than cars!!

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by HairyDJ

Bearcat gobbles batteries and is indeed a problem with last decimal places.

Sensitivity is more related to optimum aerial length, rather than number of bands available

Agreed, was gonna mention the battery life on the Bearcat. Got through a pair of Duracells in about a day and a half IME. And I found that it worked better after I bought a new aerial too, although eventually got the aerial caught climbing through a fence and broke it off leaving the centre pin irretrievably wedged in the connector, rendering it useless. Another minus is that it's a bit bulky compared to the maycom, especially with the replacement aerial - the one I used made it a bit top heavy too.

Having said all that, tho', the close call is a big plus. If you're prepared to pay an extra few quid, I'd probably recommend it. Having replaced mine with the bog standard Maycom, I'd probably go back to one at some point in the future. Really waiting to find out what's happening with digital tho.

[PVDA]

Don't tell me you guys use scanners with telescopic antennas??

Haven't they invented multiband flexible "whips" in the UK yet??

I know there are diadvantages to the whip style antenna like range but lets face it you're not trying to monitor a radio a thousand miles away, most race track comms is only over a mile of so.

[Drummer]

Hmmm. Ok, so I'm looking for a scanner that covers most/all marshalling frequencies, but I'm not rich enough to afford anything much over 40 quid. Does anyone have any suggestions? The circuits I'll be using it on, this season, are Silverstone, Croft, Donners, Snet and possibly Knockhill. I'd just like to feel a little more involved, by hearing everything that's going on, it might help me learn stuff too! (and let's face it, you look more like a marshal with an ear piece in!) XD