Red Wave Radio

Dear Scanner Guru's:

Here's today's query-

I'm planning to attend the Fall NASCAR Winston Cup race at Talladega.  This
has me considering my scanner options / WANTS / and needs. For full effect,
one MUST have a scanner at the track!

A friend suggested I get one of the new Yeasu handheld rigs - right at $300.
And it transmits too.  Naturally, I have a license (N5KBD). But really, I'd
just rather have a real scanner.  I don't care about xmit capabilities.

I'm the proud owner of an AOR AR-1500. It's a helluva radio. But not quite
handheld, but not impossible either.  Problem is, I don't want to
have to tote a gel cell for power for it, too.

So, as I look through the various trade/sport rags, several companies
specialize in trackside communications - for the fan as well as the driver
(RaceScan and Racing Electronics seem to be the major trackside players -- but
there are severael well known mail order houses too).  The only thing that
makes a scanner for a race track  "special" is that:

1) Most often during the race, you can have 40+ cars in very close
proximity to each other and to your scanner! Antenna is seldom an
issue! ;-) A stub or nothing at all is preferred! Aside from the
aforementioned 40+ cars x at least freqs each, there are also various
vendors ("Hey Billy, get the golf cart guy to bring 20 more kegs of Bud to
south concession area...").  Arrrgghh.  Bleedover /  adjacent rejection IS
a big issue.

2) Not only is the RF noise a problem, the acoustic (car!) noise is damn near
unbearable w/o hearing protection.  So most racing scanners are 'audio
modified' for increased output level and usually you can buy an (external)
noise cancelling headset with them.

Some specifics:
###############
There seem to be two MAJOR players at the track - Uniden/Bearcat and RELM.

Uniden is very well known.  However, I've never been really impressed by their
quality and rejection.

RELM on the other hand, I believe, is the 'new &
improved' Regency Electronics group. They show cut away photos of their units
and brag about their metal shielding in every rig.  Whadda YOU think?

What would you buy / bring?  Let's say $300 is the limit.  A Uniden?  A RELM?
Or other?

So, I welcome your suggestions for makes/models and "where-to-buy" sources.

Cheers & Thanks for your time,

--Pete

The box said Windows 95 or better,...So I bought a Mac.

Well, I picked up a RELM HS180 and it's been great for me ! Picks up
everything fine with no troubles ! Comes with stub antennae and long one -
100 channel memory, scan, etc. I recommend it. I got it through
www.racingradios.com

--

Trivia Contest - JULY 10th  10:30pm - PRIZES !
Mike  "DaytonaMike"   ICQ # 9541824
http://home1.gte.net/filter1/dale/
DaytonaMike's NASCAR Center

Quote:> Dear Scanner Guru's:

> Here's today's query-

> I'm planning to attend the Fall NASCAR Winston Cup race at Talladega.
This
> has me considering my scanner options / WANTS / and needs. For full
effect,
> one MUST have a scanner at the track!

> A friend suggested I get one of the new Yeasu handheld rigs - right at
$300.
> And it transmits too.  Naturally, I have a license (N5KBD). But really,
I'd
> just rather have a real scanner.  I don't care about xmit capabilities.

> I'm the proud owner of an AOR AR-1500. It's a helluva radio. But not
quite
> handheld, but not impossible either.  Problem is, I don't want to
> have to tote a gel cell for power for it, too.

> So, as I look through the various trade/sport rags, several companies
> specialize in trackside communications - for the fan as well as the
driver
> (RaceScan and Racing Electronics seem to be the major trackside players
-- but
> there are severael well known mail order houses too).  The only thing
that
> makes a scanner for a race track  "special" is that:

> 1) Most often during the race, you can have 40+ cars in very close
> proximity to each other and to your scanner! Antenna is seldom an
> issue! ;-) A stub or nothing at all is preferred! Aside from the
> aforementioned 40+ cars x at least freqs each, there are also various
> vendors ("Hey Billy, get the golf cart guy to bring 20 more kegs of Bud
to
> south concession area...").  Arrrgghh.  Bleedover /  adjacent rejection
IS
> a big issue.

> 2) Not only is the RF noise a problem, the acoustic (car!) noise is damn
near
> unbearable w/o hearing protection.  So most racing scanners are 'audio
> modified' for increased output level and usually you can buy an
(external)
> noise cancelling headset with them.

> Some specifics:
> ###############
> There seem to be two MAJOR players at the track - Uniden/Bearcat and
RELM.

> Uniden is very well known.  However, I've never been really impressed by
their
> quality and rejection.

> RELM on the other hand, I believe, is the 'new &
> improved' Regency Electronics group. They show cut away photos of their
units
> and brag about their metal shielding in every rig.  Whadda YOU think?

> What would you buy / bring?  Let's say $300 is the limit.  A Uniden?  A
RELM?
> Or other?

> So, I welcome your suggestions for makes/models and "where-to-buy"
sources.

> Cheers & Thanks for your time,

> --Pete

> The box said Windows 95 or better,...So I bought a Mac.

What about the RadioShack Pro-74? It is specifically designed for using at
the racetrack. It has a special memory function that lets you assign several
frequencies to a racecar number.  I don't think you should need a scanner
with any kind of audio modification. There are plenty of racescanner grade
headphones that muffle the race track noise just fine.

i believe that the antenna may have something to do with it. the stock
antenna that came with mine was terrible and i got alot of bleedover. the
stub "special" antenna works better. im not much on electronics and dont
understand why a shorter antenna would work better but your idea of "no"
antenna. well if shorter is better than longer, maybe none is better than
shorter.   ?