Hot New Scanner!

For $45, Uniden will preload all the public service bands for my county in Tennessee and also the aircraft and railroad freqs. The main railroad is CSX and the Nashville and Eastern is an important carrier for freight and passenger excursions. The local commuter train, the Music City Star, also operates on the N&E rails.

@Tinplate Art posted:

Just got a new Uniden SDS200 top of the line base/mobile scanner. This baby has all the proverbial "bells and whistles" with great reception on both the 800 bands and the railroad and aircraft VHF freqs. Large speaker and color screen make this a nice unit. It should arrive Wednesday second day UPS Air.

Art, do you think it's worth the $700+ price tag??

Considering all the features and after watching a u tube video from a beta tester, YES! :-)

Always wanted a "super" scanner, so I treated myself to a birthday gift - tomorrow, I turn 78! :-)

Although it is capable of mobile use, it will reside in my train cave!

@Tinplate Art posted:

Always wanted a "super" scanner, so I treated myself to a birthday gift - tomorrow, I turn 78! :-)

Happy Birthday!!

THANK YOU! :-)

Yeah, happy birthday Art!...enjoy your new treat!...

Pat

If you are into trunking, it would be something to look at.  But for railroads and air, only, maybe overkill.  Depends on what you want to listen to.  Actually, many times the antenna will make or break your success in snaring traffic.  Have fun with your new rig.

@Woodson posted:

Art, do you think it's worth the $700+ price tag??

No, not really. The few freqs that I would listen to can be handled by my current scanner.

@PRRMP54 posted:

No, not really. The few freqs that I would listen to can be handled by my current scanner.

Which is??

I also enjoy monitoring the trunked bands of the public safety agencies in my county, such as the highway patrol, sheriff, fire/ems and police. This scanner has a sophisticated control system of the loaded database.

Sounds like a fine scanner.  Probably overkill for many but it sounds like you are listening for a lot more.  Enjoy it.  Happy Birthday!

@Tinplate Art posted:

I also enjoy monitoring the trunked bands of the public safety agencies in my county, such as the highway patrol, sheriff, fire/ems and police. This scanner has a sophisticated control system of the loaded database.

OK.  That does make sense.  Enjoy!

RE: Antennas. Having been a short wave listener in my youth, who could only dream of the much venerated and longed for Hallicrafters receivers,  I quickly learned even my modest Philco required a more than decent antenna to receive worldwide broadcasts. And so it is with modern scanners. I will start with my supplied telescopic BNC and go from there.

And you may need multiple antennas for the best reception.   VHF is a different animal than the higher freqs for trunking.  But you are just listening, so an exact match is not as critical as if you would be transmitting.  But the rig had a BNC which makes changing antennas and coax to them.a lot easier.  And you have SLW experience, so that helps.

Dominic: Were you (are you?) a ham operator? You sound very radio savvy.

I studied the ARRL handbook for the Novice test back in the 1950's, but could not master the code. Even had a nice practice key. Another dream unfulfilled! :-(

The CSX and the Nashville and Eastern stay pretty busy in Nashville and the Music City Star commuter train runs a daily schedule, so hopefully there should be better VHF reception with this unit. The Nashville Western also has a lot of interchange traffic for the oil storage tanks in North Nashville and there are also a number of warehouse shipments on that side of town.