Android radio scanner app

[TinCan782]

Thanks for the ideas. Now what do you think of this? http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-Handheld-Scanner-Black-BC75XLT/dp/B00A1VSO9M/ref=sr_1_4?s=security-surveillance&ie=UTF8&qid=1399845264&sr=1-4&keywords=hand+held+scanner+radio

That would certainly work well for railroad frequencies.

 

[Alice]

Thanks for the ideas. Now what do you think of this? http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-Handheld-Scanner-Black-BC75XLT/dp/B00A1VSO9M/ref=sr_1_4?s=security-surveillance&ie=UTF8&qid=1399845264&sr=1-4&keywords=hand+held+scanner+radio

I got one of these to replace a unit that didn't have narrow bands. The feature I use the most is the service band, where I can get all rail frequencies without programming the specific frequencies for the route I'm on. I add police and fire bands to the mix when we are stopped for a long time as they often have more info when there is trouble. The battery life is pretty good for intermittent use, but an AC converter is much better for just leaving it on all the time. I do more train chasing than riding, so also have DC converter in the car. The power cord accessory is pretty standard and you might already have one if you have a shoebox in the garage full of unused converters. The 300 programmable channels can be keyed in on a spreadsheet then uploaded fairly easily. The physical size is pretty compact compared to older scanners.

One downside is the controls do multiple things and I keep forgetting how to do basic things like change the volume, so have to dig out the manual.

The manual is online somewhere so you can read it before buying if you still aren't sure what you want.

 

[user 1215]

Actually, there is a way to use your smartphone as a direct scanner. First, you need a ~$30 DVB stick. If you Google rtl-SDR you'll find a site (something osmocom) that talks about the hardware and how to get it to work on your computer. To get it to work on your phone, you need an OTG adapter, these are usually used for hooking up keyboards or mice to phones and tablets. You'll also need the RTL232 driver from the Play store, not sure if there's a version for iPhone. You'll also need an app that can use the driver to receive audio. A free one is SDR Touch, but there's a paid version for ~$10. In theory, just the free apps should allow you to listen to railroad communications, I have not tested this yet, but I have tested my setup against a known FM broadcast station and weather radio station and it worked. The Terratec stick I use uses a nonstandard antenna connector (for the U.S.) so I haven't built a more compact mobile antenna yet for it yet for use with railroad frequencies. The usual disclaimer of liability for scanner laws, phone warranty, etc. applies here.

I just totally geeked out. This is way cheaper than a handheld scanner. Perhaps a bit bulky, tho....

 

[MattW]

Just a bit bulky, though combined weighs less and takes up less space than a full scanner. The USB stick that I got is about 3 inches long and less than an inch wide, so like a very bulky flash drive. It includes a short USB extension cable so the stick isn't fixed sticking out. The problem is the antenna. Ideally, I'd plug the antenna directly into the stick, but it uses a European PAL connector and "bench" versions like I would normally use to build an antenna are hard to come by. The Terratec stick's antenna that came with it did come with both a magnetic and suction base so for a "fixed" installation in a sleeper or even coach seat it would work well.

 

[MattW]

Ok I decided to put up rather than shut up. Here's a pic of my setup which should work:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd230/Zatnikitelman/20140514_170006_zps9936ffa4.jpg (large pic)

(legal note: the following is not an endorsement of any of the products, they are simply what I happened to use to make it work, any similar products should work)

The Terratec stick is the only part that came with the stick, the box also had a short USB extension cable, and telescoping antenna with suction and magnetic mount.

The rightmost cable is a smartphone OTG adapter cable, designed for connecting keyboards and mice to phones and tablets.

The first object to the left is a Radioshack PAL Male to F Female adapter. https://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103468

The second object is an F female to BNC female adapter. https://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104083

The antenna is my rubber duck antenna off my ham radio handheld. Any scanner antenna with a BNC connector should work. Ideally, the antenna should be about 18 inches long for best reception of the railroad radio signal.

Eventually I'm planning on attaching some velcro to the stick and my laptop so I can stick it there while I'm using it.

While the above is my setup for my phone, using the included USB cable rather than the USB OTG cable pictured you can run this to your laptop and listen to the audio out of your laptop rather than your phone. This is arguably an easier method, though of course less portable should you wish to visit the lounge or diner, or while you're at the station.