Scanners

[Adam43]

While having a better than average grasp of how these things work, I know little of the practicalities (i.e. physicist not engineer!).

How easy is it to obtain a scanner that can pick up pit to car transmissions. Or clerk of the course to marshals transmissions? I guess assuming no encryption/scrambling.

And do people do this? I can see it being interesting for the race (doesn't CART make their teams transmit on receivable frequencies). Also useful when you are not in a part of the paddock that can here the tannoy - find out why that meeting is running late!

Is it possible to buy a hand held reciever that would allow you to do this. It may add an extra dimension to a race meeting?

Thanks

[graham bahr]

i know that some clubs have had to resort to obtaining mobiles so the clerks can talk in total privicy as there have already been incidents of people on the bank tuning into stuff that they shouldn't of with scanners, i suppose it depends on whats happening and which side of the bank your in as to if that extra diamention is a good thing.

[PaulPerkins]

Adam,

Yes, any 'airband' scanner available from Maplin (other electrical retailers are available) will pick up the radio traffic between race control and marshals' posts (including rescue, fire and tow units). I've just bought one for GBP 50.

As for pit/car radio, I don't know. I would imagine that the traffic is encrypted for obvious reasons.

You need to bear in mind that at a lot of circuits, hard-wired telephones are also used.

[ActiveMS]

Originally posted by PaulPerkins
Adam,

You need to bear in mind that at a lot of circuits, hard-wired telephones are also used.

Ahh, the old baked bean can and a piece of string.... excellent. Works 4 me

Cant be listened in on either, as splicing into the string shuts the whole thing down

[shiny side up!]

NASCAR fans are able to listen to pit/car transmissions via scanners. You can buy them, and you can also rent them at the track (along with a listing of what frequency each team is using).

[Onlooker]

Same in V8SUPERCARS they even have the frequencies on the web site