Looking for suggestions for my truck

[Carl2500]

My goal is to travel through Canada and Alaska, and I'm looking to find out what communications would be most appropriate.

CB - Because that's what most people carry
2M Radio - For real communications
Radio scanner - To know what's going on around me.

Would that about cover me for where I'm going, or would you suggest something else?

All I know on these so far, is I'll go for a cheapo CB with a good antenna. I don't have a clue which 2M to get yet, except for I want a dual band radio. As far as the radio scanner, I know alot of the larger cities have triple trunking systems, so that's the only criteria for a scanner I have for now.

What do you think?

 

[crawler#976]

CB - get a cheap one - they are handy.

A dual band radio like the Yaesu FT-7800 has a wide band reciever (108 to 520 MHz, and 700 to 999.99 MHz) that covers most of the common bands - 2M, 1.25M, 70 CM, plus the high frequency stuff. The scan rate is very fast, and can be limited to specific frequencies to speed up the process. With a little research you can eliminate the need for a scanner by programming in only the range of frequencies you wish to scan. Memory channels can also be scanned, and again, with a little research you can program in specific frequencies to monitor.

Mark

 

[gary in ohio]

CB - Because that's what most people carry
2M Radio - For real communications
Radio scanner - To know what's going on around me.

For you CB, in most cases it really doesnt matter. get something cost effective, put money into a good antenna.
2m radio, you list 2m but then say dual band. There are only a couple of dual band radio per manufacture. They range in price but have the same general features. Pick one that fits your price class.
Scanner, Whatever you get make sure you know your scanner laws. If your a ham you often have an out to most laws, but not true for all states or cities. I am also not sure about canadian laws for scanner.

 

[taugust]

Scanners may be outlawed for mobile use in Canada, not sure.

In scanners, there is analog or digital. Analog will get you most fire and government agencies. For many police and sheriff, you will need a digital scanner to receive. Price difference is about $300 in favor of the analog. With all the different agencies out there, for travel, a scanner would be impractical. Even with PC programming, you would spend your entire trip programming freq's for an area, then have to leave and reprogram for a new area. A waste of your time, IMO.

If you are listening to a local repeater, you will get local info from the local hams (many who listen to scanners), to know what is going on around you.

Tim

 

[Rallyroo]

With all the different agencies out there, for travel, a scanner would be impractical. Even with PC programming, you would spend your entire trip programming freq's for an area, then have to leave and reprogram for a new area. A waste of your time, IMO.

I gave up programming all the different frequencies. Now I only have banks set up for my home area and areas that a frequent the most.

Now what would be nice is an integrated system to link:

GPS + laptop + frequency database + scanner

Now that would be a dream.

 

[gary in ohio]

I gave up programming all the different frequencies. Now I only have banks set up for my home area and areas that a frequent the most.

Now what would be nice is an integrated system to link:

GPS + laptop + frequency database + scanner

Now that would be a dream.

There are serveral scanner control programs can pull data from radio referance.com database of scanner frequencies. You select a state and county and click. Down comes the frequencies. Now RR doesnt support "secret" military and lawn enforcement channels but do have all the normal public safety channel.

 

[Rallyroo]

There are serveral scanner control programs can pull data from radio referance.com database of scanner frequencies. You select a state and county and click. Down comes the frequencies. Now RR doesnt support "secret" military and lawn enforcement channels but do have all the normal public safety channel.

I used radioreference.com's database to download frequencies. I'm just wishing I can use a GPS to tell my scanner which frequencies to turn scan for while in a certain area and which not to scan. When driving long range, it's hard to keep track of all the counties/cities one passes through.

 

[gary in ohio]

I used radioreference.com's database to download frequencies. I'm just wishing I can use a GPS to tell my scanner which frequencies to turn scan for while in a certain area and which not to scan. When driving long range, it's hard to keep track of all the counties/cities one passes through.

The Uniden Bearcat BCD996T has a GPS interface and can program some preset frequencies.

 

[Rallyroo]

The Uniden Bearcat BCD996T has a GPS interface and can program some preset frequencies.

I guess I should add, I don't have a GPS. *gasp*

On top of that, I have the handheld BCD396T, which doesn't have the GPS ability. But I can carry my scanner around with me.

Would be nice to have both though.

 

[Fishenough]

Active commercial use Canadian backroads post the VHF channel (normally 150-170mhz) road side, which the huge offroad trucks use to call there position on. Monitoring that channel, with your scanner, opens up many areas for exploring.