Radio's for the airport

[Kieran Wells]

Ok, so this may sound a bit of a stupid question. What and where can i get a good radio to tune into Syd ATC when im at the airport? I tried my local dick smith powerhouse, how they looked at me quite funny, and saying that they didn't have a clue...

[Brad M]

i got mine from Dick smith
they obviously had no idea..

i have the uniden UBC92xlt scanner...
it tunes into everything i need it to...

[Michael Mak]

Originally Posted by Brad Mayne

i got mine from Dick smith
they obviously had no idea..

i have the uniden UBC92xlt scanner...
it tunes into everything i need it to...

Got mine from Dicksmith too, my is Uniden UBC72XLT, has all the frequencies I need.

[Daniel F]

I got mine from Contact Communications. They were cheaper than Dick Smith and they offer free delivery Australia wide. I got the Uniden UBC73XLT.

Website is http://www.contactcom.net.au

[NickN]

I also have the Uniden and purchased from Dick Smith.

[Joseph D]

Originally Posted by kieran wells

Ok, so this may sound a bit of a stupid question. What and where can i get a good radio to tune into Syd ATC when im at the airport? I tried my local dick smith powerhouse, how they looked at me quite funny, and saying that they didn't have a clue...

Just ask for a VHF scanner and they should know what you are talking about.

On a separate note, has anyone else picked up ATC communications on their FM radios? It has happened to me on a few occasions while in the car (near the airport of course).

[Mick F]

Probably because you're just so close to the transmitter, it'll come through on nearly any frequency.

One thing we are taught to do when we're doing a search for an emergency beacon, are as we're narrowing down the search location, you de-tune your radio, until it breaks through again. You continue to do this until you find the beacon basically.

An example is you start of 121.500Mhz (the ELB frequency), and then as you're narrowing it down, you might tune to say 121.525Mhz, then to say 121.550Mhz. All along, the beacon of course is still only transmitting on 121.50Mhz, but because you end up so close to the beacon, it'll come through on a wide range of frequencies.

So, basically because the Aviation VHF frequencies (108.00-136.00) are only just above those of FM Radio (88.00-107.90?), then when you're close to the transmitter, you're bound to at times get a little interference.

Cheers

Mick

[Nigel C]

We do the same on the airport when there's a report of a beacon going off locally. Even on 121.700 it can come screaming through.

As for picking up airbands in the car, in my old Mini I could get some break-through transmissions around Hurstville on King Georges Rd when listening to 104.9 Triple M about 8 or 9 years ago.

[NickN]

in my old Mini I could get some break-through transmissions around Hurstville on King Georges Rd when listening to 104.9 Triple M about 8 or 9 years ago.

So thats why Wendy Harmer sounded like an airline pilot!!!!!