The scanner mega-thread

[haystacks]

Thanks I will look it up on web

[Darren Holmes]

Ok, having managed to get the purchase of new boots, probans, waterproofs and gloves past the gestapo (or the wife as she's known to her face!) I am going to try my luck with a scanner.

A quick search of these forums suggests that a Maycom AR108 may be the one to choose, although the £69.99 price tag is a bit off putting.

What do you use? is it any good? does it work at all circuits? Your recommendations welcome.

[chezza]

I have a AR108 and have never had any problems with it. Whats more its small and light and fits in my top pocket. Its worked at all the circuits I've been to and thats quite a few.

I find it invaluable as I know whats going on, especially if a post is spilt into two positions and you can't always talk to the IO/ observer.

[JLD]

I've recently got an AR108 as well. Great little piece of kit. Small and compact but does the job well.

[Mark Mitchell]

I have a Maycom AR108 but have just recently bought a Motorola GP68 2-way radio - to use as a scanner.

Got it from E-Bay for £24.95 plus around £15 P&P (From Hong Kong)
It's brilliant and picks up so much more than the maycom.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/motorola-gp...motrolaQ20gp68

Make sure it's VHF though!

[gachjoel]

Check E Bay,Maplins & places like that,
it all depends on what your other half will let you get away with,to the amount your gonna pay.
I use a uniden bearcat,its got a really good range.

The only problem with a 2 way radio is they are usually a set frequency.
Not all circuits use the same frequency.

If you get one that does not have a rechargable battery pack in it.
Get yourself 2 sets of rechargable batteries.
There`s nowt worse than your scanner going down in the middle of a meeting.

[badgeman62]

the AR108 is a good piece of kit,and whats more is small enough to hide from the wife...if you need to that is.

[Nighthawk]

Maplins i paid £49 for my AR108
Good value best scanner i have had

[mark ch]

Maycom very good, small, light.. and very good memory without batteries for storing channels/frequency ie over winter

but won't work at goodwood - wrong frequency range and I've had difficulties wth it at Cadwell weak reception thats about it's only faults

[Darren Holmes]

Thanks for the replies, looks like its the one to choose then!

[CombeMarshal]

The Maycom is a brilliant piece of kit, and can be picked up for far less than that, don't maplins do a recon one???

Isn't that Motorola a 2 way radio, if so that should never be used as a scanner, what is it develops a fault and block the air waves, and some one is bound to be tempted to use it as a 2 way radio one day (not implying any one would!) the use should be discouraged!

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by CombeMarshal

tempted to use it as a 2 way radio one day (not implying any one would!) the use should be discouraged!

But it has been known to.
My Obs one day got a telling off from RC coz a flaggy used his 2 way when coms was via phone.
i agree with combe and should be discouraged from using a 2 way.

[devon kev]

Originally Posted by gachjoel

But it has been known to.
My Obs one day got a telling off from RC coz a flaggy used his 2 way when coms was via phone.
i agree with combe and should be discouraged from using a 2 way.

Still uses it too

[Craig Senior]

I have a Maycom. Picked it up on ebay, brand new for £40.

Never had any problems with it and it will do a 2 day meeting on 1 set of 2300mAh rechargable batteries.

[Lord Summerisle]

AS above - another user of the AR108

i got one for myself from a Maplin sale for £40... when SWMBO wanted one all those on ebay and maplin et al where going for £60-80.... found one at http://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/acatalog/maycom-ar108.html which was ex display for £40

only thing is also get yourself either a cheap pair of earphones or something like the Altai K240 Clip over ear piece on here: http://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/acatalo...speakers1.html (can be found cheaper on ebay and in Maplin)

[sputnik421]

Here is another site to try for a scaner if you don't have a creditcard they will take a cheque. l don't have a credit card or a paypal account so I needed to find a scaner suplier who takes a cheque.

http://www.radioscan.co.uk/index.html

[BeeJ]

I must agree with the consensus, I have an ar108 and have not hat a problem with it, range is not bad because when I am Donnington I can hera Alton Towers security on the same frequency as RC.

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by BeeJ

I must agree with the consensus, I have an ar108 and have not hat a problem with it, range is not bad because when I am Donnington I can hera Alton Towers security on the same frequency as RC.

so you don`t have the pleasure of listening to the local taxi firm.
does come a bit annoying around 4-30

[Darren Holmes]

Thanks for the advice, got the AR108 in my mitts tonight, and currently can only get the local taxi firm lol still least I know it works, will try it out at Oulton this Saturday - if my tickets come!

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by Darren Holmes

Thanks for the advice, got the AR108 in my mitts tonight, and currently can only get the local taxi firm lol still least I know it works, will try it out at Oulton this Saturday - if my tickets come!

If you want to pre programme you scanner
The usual Frequency for most circuits is 169.3375.

or close as possible,depending on the number steps.

[sputnik421]

Here are the Frequency's I found for race tracks.

Thruxton, Brands, Malory, Snetterton, Donington C3 are 169.3375 (MHz)
Goodwood HC 460.3125 (FM)
Donington C1 166.7625 (MHz)
Donington C2 169.0125 (MHz)

Only checked out those tracks though as there the ones I'm likely to attend. I don't know which of Donington's 3 Chanel's they have the marshals on though.

[Gerryc]

Thw Marshalspost website http://www.marshalspost.comhas the frequencies for each circuit as part of the "circuits" part of the site.

[adstubbs]

Has anyone upgraded the antenna on their AR-108? I'm wondering if it's worth doing to improve the reception, as i sometimes find I'm only hearing one half of conversations (e.g, I can hear race control, but not the person they are talking to). Might just be fading batteries I suppose (or my hearing....)

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by adstubbs

Has anyone upgraded the antenna on their AR-108? I'm wondering if it's worth doing to improve the reception,

A dedicated VHF antenna will improve reception, although at many circuits reception of anything other than race control will be limited at certain posts.

I use an Icom FA-S75V antenna - definitely gives better reception than the standard item.

...and for anybody who finds the AR-108 User's Operation Manual confusing, I've written an 'Idiot's Guide' to setting up the scanner:

http://web.onetel.com/~davebrand/Maycomsetup.doc

[PaulPerkins]

Excellent one, Dave. Link added from MP, too.