Scanners

[tonynz]

Was wondering if anyone on here owns a scanner that they use to listen in on drivers at the supercar races?
If so what brand and model?
I have hired them before when I have been at NASCAR races in the US.
Been meaning to buy one, I should get one before this weekend.
Any help would be great.

Tony

[spoonster05]

I've got a Uniden Bearcat 57 which has served me well, only downside is you have to manually program frequencies in but it works well at Bathurst which is fine with me.

Some other forum members have newer I-Kom (I-Com or something along those lines anyway) units that you can download frequencies from your PC to the scanner.

The frequencies for each round are on the V8 Supercar site and it does add an extra element to watching the racing..

[crispy crunchy]

i have a uniden bearcat 245xlt....good scanner althiugh i find the speaker is lacking(not as good as my old tandy one

do yourself a favour and get one there a fantastic thing to have at a v8 meet

[Oh Five]

I have an Icom, and a uniden. The icom is definately a better unit, but it is a bit complicated. Whenever i go to a race, i visit the McCall communications transporter and nicely ask them to download the frequencies off their computer.
The uniden is alot more user friendly (and cheaper).
Adds a special touch hearing who is getting a penalty before the commentators know, and who is preparing to pit etc.

[bazzel]

hi all just wanting to no what the freqencies were , i have a scanner but never thought to listen in when they were in melbourne any help
cheers barry.

[BAM1]

Go to http://www.v8supercar.com.au/calendars/clndrevento pt.asp?ind=M and select which round
Click on it's "Event Schedule"
About the middle of the next screen (without scrolling down) there is a link to the "Radio Frequency List"

Seems they only have the next 2 rounds entered at the moment though

[Leigh]

Seems they only have the next 2 rounds entered at the moment though
Allocation of frequencies need to occur from the local frequency assigner (at Australian tracks its the ACMA)...depending on availability of frequencies around the area depends on what they get...these can and do change from year-to-year and definately from track-to-track.

Cheers

[WET 24/7]

Thought you guys might like this ...... http://www.bathurstscan.bigpondhosting.com/online. html

Enjoy !

[b sharp]

Just buy a cheap one for now if your going to buy one, digital is on the way and an older type scanner will eventually become old news.
digital scanners are around but very expensive at the moment like all new technology it will get cheaper.

[Leigh]

b sharp,

What do you mean by digital scanner?

Cheers

[spoonster05]

There have been digital scanners around for a few years now, they use the APCO-P25 standard for digital voice/data radios.

The teams are the ones responsible for radio frequencies when they enter the team/car for the year and any changes are only made if there's a clash with the race organisers emergency services and the licencing authorities but as the teams need to ensure that the frequencies they use are licensed.

Any changes prior to a meeting and the teams have to advise McCall Communications..

Division D Sporting Rules, sub section D19.1 contains all the radio regs..

[BILLFORD1]

Sounds like Black magic to me !! Whilst on the general subject...I was perusing some Advertising/Tech info for several brands of DVD Recorders a while back. Part of the way through the spec listing for one brand was "will not record Digital Broadcasts"...!! As they say on the Toy Yota ads, "Bugger", I thought DVD stood for Digital Video Disc ???!!! :D

[spoonster05]

It's similiar with the digital scanners, the ones general available don't pick up cellular phone service conversations nearby, etc but you can get ones that do..

[HRT 1-2]

Sounds like Black magic to me !! Whilst on the general subject...I was perusing some Advertising/Tech info for several brands of DVD Recorders a while back. Part of the way through the spec listing for one brand was "will not record Digital Broadcasts"...!! As they say on the Toy Yota ads, "Bugger", I thought DVD stood for Digital Video Disc ???!!! :D

It actually stands Digital Versatile Disc!

I would have thought it could record it provided it had a digital tuner or you could input a signal from a digital tuner! I've never had any problems with the VCR recording digital stations!

[Leigh]

There have been digital scanners around for a few years now, they use the APCO-P25 standard for digital voice/data radios.

The teams are the ones responsible for radio frequencies when they enter the team/car for the year and any changes are only made if there's a clash with the race organisers emergency services and the licencing authorities but as the teams need to ensure that the frequencies they use are licensed.

Any changes prior to a meeting and the teams have to advise McCall Communications..

Division D Sporting Rules, sub section D19.1 contains all the radio regs..
This may be how V8SA thinks it works, but the ACMA knows differently;)

Unfortunately this has created problems over the years with new teams thinking that V8SA and its predecessors (AVESCO and CAMS) are the authority...

[Chev_350]

I had my scanner at Indy couple years back (couldn't hear anything anyway) and one of the patroling cops told me off for it :?

[b sharp]

b sharp,

What do you mean by digital scanner?

Cheers

Like the mobile phone network and TV network was all analogue and changed
to digital.
The police are now starting to change there systems to digital as well, some of the police are using it now but are having some teething problems.
Once all police do the change over to digital a normal UHF/VHF scanner wont be able to receive the signals.
Most new scanners have the technology to receive local signal without you having to program them to receive a particular frequency, so for instance if your at the races and have your scanner turned on it will pickup all transmissions made by pit crews automatically on any channel.
I'm not shore how well this works in a busy area with a lot of transmutations happening at once.
It would mean you wouldn't miss anything from being on one channel but if there is more than one transmission at the same time the strongest i say would be the one that you would here.
Uniden make a digital scanner for around $1500 big ones but they will get cheaper.:)

[Leigh]

That's what I thought you meant. I will find out if this is likely to occur soon;)

Cheers

[BILLFORD1]

It actually stands Digital Versatile Disc!

I would have thought it could record it provided it had a digital tuner or you could input a signal from a digital tuner! I've never had any problems with the VCR recording digital stations! No idea HRT 1-2, but it sure had me amused...Seemed pretty sus to me that a DVD would not record digital, & being a 2005/6 spec machine I cannot think of a logical reason for such a case !! I just took my red pen & crossed it off the list as I was in fact picking a replacement out for a Hyundai 900I, 10 months old/3 year warranty, which had suffered a brain tumor !! The replacement works AOK. :D

[tonynz]

I ended up buying a Uniden 92XLT,
Also I have a Panasonic DVD recorder/ hard drive, it records all our Sky Digital channels(all the ones I have tried anyway)

[spoonster05]

I had my scanner at Indy couple years back (couldn't hear anything anyway) and one of the patroling cops told me off for it :?

Can't vouch for the laws regarding scanners in Queensland but in Vic you can legally own one and listen in but you can't use information you hear for criminal or commercial gain nor can you listen in to peoples telephone conversations legally.

I got pulled over in Cootamundra on the way back from Bathurst and had the scanner in the centre console of the car and the cop didn't say anything about it, he was more concerned my folding stretcher in it's bag in the back of the car was a gun I think !!

[a9x]

i've got a radio shack pro 96 digital scanner works perfect with police freqs (just hope they don't turn on the encryption any time soon).

i used to have a uniden programmed with all police freqs that came in handy on a trip away to kempsey years ago that saved my brother a possible hefty speeding fine.
when i had the uniden set up with all the teams at oran park in 97 all i picked up most of the day was mobile phone calls

[GSXR1]

I bought a Uniden 120XLT just before the F1 GP last year - was really disappointed at the track as I struggled to pick up anything worthwhile at all - but then I took it up to Barbagallo later in the year and what a difference! Was able to pick up most of the team's transmissions and it really put a different perspective to watching how the races unfolded.

I know there's been some comment about what Channel 10 broadcast on their TV telecasts over the latter part of last year, mainly foul language from Skaife and his crew from memory, but they aren't a patch on some of the blue language coming through over John Bowe's channel through the races - I certainly learnt a few new words that day!:D

The one thing I would suggest is not bothering with the single earpiece you get with the scanner, go for a set of stereo headphones (I got some reasonable quality ones cheap off Ebay) - they really make a difference to the sound quality. They block out a lot of the background noise (but you can still obviously hear the cars) and you can hear what's being said a lot easier.

Already got mine charged and programmed for this weekend! :cool: