Handheld receiver

KRyan

KRyan

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
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438
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Piqua, Ohio
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KRyan
I go to a lot of airshows. I think it would be interesting to listen to the communication between the ground and the performers, and perhaps the plane to plane communication during the show. I’d be looking for a passive, handheld aviation receiver, probably with some scanning capability, that won’t cost me a fortune. Any ideas?
 
E-Bay.

I found an older Sportys handheld with nav/comm for under $200 that way. Works great, and it's convenient for teaching VORs to CAP cadets. You can drive them around the airport and watch it move (even if the transmitter isn't on the field).

I find uses for that thing all the time. Getting ATIS, including the code, without draining the aircraft's battery. Coordinating wing runner teams during glider ops. And so on.
 
KRyan said:
I go to a lot of airshows. I think it would be interesting to listen to the communication between the ground and the performers, and perhaps the plane to plane communication during the show. I’d be looking for a passive, handheld aviation receiver, probably with some scanning capability, that won’t cost me a fortune. Any ideas?
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Definitely keep it passive, and if you do figure out the freq. don't share it. When there's a show, there's a discrete frequency for the performers and the airboss, and we're not supposed to give the frequency out. Too much possibility for a troublemaker accidentally, or intentionally interfering with communications, some of which can be critical. Yes, it has happened.
 
A Sporty's SP-400 or even a scanner from radio shack should do the trick.
 
I second the suggestion for a passive receiver, they can be found cheap. I got on on CraigsList locally for $50, IIRC. Including headphones. (for car racing)
 
I got one of the RadioSnack scanners (a pro43 if I recall). You can find these dirt cheap on ebay. They work fine for the airband or even NASCAR. They're sort of out of favor for the scanning crowd as it lacks the support for the trunked systems that many police and fire departments now use.
 
A little Googling of scanner fan sites will reveal the airboss frequencies at any airshow in North America.
 
flyingron said:
I got one of the RadioSnack scanners (a pro43 if I recall). You can find these dirt cheap on ebay. They work fine for the airband or even NASCAR. They're sort of out of favor for the scanning crowd as it lacks the support for the trunked systems that many police and fire departments now use.
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I bought a couple of scanners that support trunking. They are horribly complex, and the manuals are woefully inadequate. It was a major research project just to find out how to tune in a couple of specific frequencies in time to monitor Air Force One when it landed here.
 
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