Scanners

[AGR26]

Do any of you guys listen to scanners when you go to the race? I am thinking about getting one for chicagoland race, but know nothing about it. Is it worth it? Can you listen to it when you are at home watching on tv? Are there any websites that broadcast radio comuunication among the team during the race?

I also wish that satellite tv's would have a channel for every in-car camera. I would love to watch most of the race from Kanaan's in-car camera, while listening to his radio?

[Kicking-back]

The F1 digital service we had in the UK for the 2002 F1 season offered those options.

Very good it was, too!

[Tim Northcutt]

My son and I had a scanner with a splitter with two sets of headphones at Kentucky last weekend...He asked for one for his birthday, so it was our first time to use one...

It was excellent....I highly recommend it!!!

Be sure to get it in time to tune in the frequencies of the various teams, including alternate frequencies, so that you can "quick change" the cars you are monitoring....

The radio we got was from Radio Shack....but it had some frequencies from last year...so you'll have to go to the internet to seek the frequencies they are using this year...

Also, be sure to plug in the ABC/ESPN frequencies and the IRL's own Race Control frequencies....you pick up a great deal of additional info from monitoring those two as well....

On ABC you can hear the producers talking to the broadcast team and can hear how they are following the action, as well as hear the producer telling which image they will be putting on the screen, and feeding Paul & Scott info and insight to add to their commentary...

I'm not sure how the IRL does it, but most races have a helicopter that provides the radio signals for the teams, etc., so I don't know if you could monitor them unless it was on the web...

But I could be wrong on that...

[macdaddy]

Tim's provided some good info there. Several years ago, I bought a scanner specifically for my weekends at MIS. It was pretty cool, but very difficult to hear over the roar of the engines.

Every race that I've ever been to has had a booth in the midway, renting scanners. You can purchase a list of all of the teams' frequencies for around five bucks.

And finally, "no", you cannot listen to the teams from your own home. The broadcast range is very small, the McDonalds DriveThru just thirty miles away from the track may be using the same frequency as Tony Kanaan! I do believe that the FCC limits the transmission power.

I would recommend a scanner - it adds a whole new dimension to your raceday experience.

[AGR26]

thanks, i'm going to look into it more.
sounds awesome

[Refutation]

And finally, "no", you cannot listen to the teams from your own home. The broadcast range is very small, the McDonalds DriveThru just thirty miles away from the track may be using the same frequency as Tony Kanaan! I do believe that the FCC limits the transmission power.

Well if Tony Kanaan starts hearing "Cheeseburger, Milkshake,Fries" instead of "Inside,inside,clear" we'll know they got there wires crossed.

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Refutation
Well if Tony Kanaan starts hearing "Cheeseburger, Milkshake,Fries" instead of "Inside,inside,clear" we'll know they got there wires crossed.

Speaking of interference, didn't somebody get on Sarah Fishers frequency during the Indy 500?

I think thats why she did so poorly...

[macdaddy]

Too bad that they never caught whoever did that.
It's illegal to broadcast in that bandwidth without a license from the FCC.