Scanner Radios for Beeline Transmitter

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eastvolt

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Just curious if anyone had a recommendation for a receiver for the beeline type transmitter using a police scanner rather than a dedicated HT. I know that some police scanners cover the 70cm band. I'm not going to do any transmitting and police scanner capability would be a plus.
 
I can't really make any hard recommendations, but just two general comments regarding features that are really 'nice to have'.

1) A signal strenght meter -- much easier to 'see' signal strength than to 'hear' it.

2) An easy way to change frequencies. Many scanners require manual entry of frequencies via a keypad. A dial or button that tweaks the frequency makes it much easier to tune around near the target frequency -- very useful as a way of attenuating the signal when closing in on it.

-- Greg
 
I bought the Pro-82 scanner from RadioShack for $100. It doesn't have a signal strength meter, but I found I could use the squelch control to help determine the location. I adjust the squelch control just slightly below the signal level. Then I turn in different directions until I lose the signal. At this point I know the transmitter is behind me.

I also use three different antennas -- a Yagi antenna, a short rubber antenna that came with the scanner, and a short piece of coax on a BNC connector. I use the Yagi antenna when the transmitter is a half-mile or so away. As I get closer I switch to the rubber antenna, and then to the coax. I switch from one antenna to the next when I can no longer squelch the signal.

When I get to within 100 feet of the transmitter I twist the end of the coax and the shield together to further attenuate the signal. With the Pro-82, I found that I also need to sheild the receiver with aluminum foil because even without an antenna the receiver will be able to pick up the signal.

Dave
 
I never found a scanner I liked, so I always thought I'd build a 433MHz receiver. I figured what the heck, the beeline is built from a 433 transmitter chip, so there must be a corresponding receiver chip. nope, can't really find one! anyone have an idea for a $10 433 MHz packet RX chip??!??

after some use, I disagree that the signal bars (visual) are better than listening (audio) to a changing signal. but the bees are FM so the signal quality is always "really good". so ya gotta keep yer eyes on the HT signal bars, at just the moments you should be scanning the horizon for the rocket. in that way, the AM transmitters (Rocket Hunter, Walston) have a slight advantage.
 
Just curious if anyone had a recommendation for a receiver for the beeline type transmitter using a police scanner rather than a dedicated HT. I know that some police scanners cover the 70cm band. I'm not going to do any transmitting and police scanner capability would be a plus.

In my experience, SSB and CW can be picked up at a much greater range than FM (even with squelch open). I use LINX "LC" transmitters on 433.925mhz for beacons, and I can hear them a lot better with my Yaesu FT-817 in SSB or CW mode than my VX-1 in FM.

I don't know what transmitter is in the BeeLine, or if it's an overtone oscillator, but I expect it to have better range on SSB/CW.

Oh, yeah, you can have a LOT more fun in ham radio with SSB/CW! See my personal web page for some pictures resulting from that disease :) The Sept VHF+ contest is this weekend!

Glen
 
The BeeLine transmitter uses a PLL to generate the carrier frequency. It then changes the frequency of the carrier based on the data input to generate FM tones.

I certainly could change it to just turn the carrier on and off -- that's pretty simple, then I'd have a CW transmitter -- unfortuantely, CW Receivers aren't as common as FM receivers in the HT world -- so I haven't been persuing this track.

-- Greg
 
I bought the Pro-82 scanner from RadioShack for $100.

I also got the Pro-82 but found it on sale for $70. Has direct frequency (keyboard) input as Greg recommends. Works great.

Really, I don't think the receiver is all that important. Spend money on a seven segment Yagi--that is what really makes the difference.
 
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