You mean like the one Maxwell Smart used?the old shoe phones with extendable antennas.
You mean like the one Maxwell Smart used?the old shoe phones with extendable antennas.
since an NiMh cell is 1.2V vs 1.5V in the alkaline, throwing the switch probably accounts for that or allows current flow towards the batteries to recharge if a usb cord was connected. Never really looked to see which.I would recommend programming the scanner to the same existing 99 AAR channel numbers, so that when the crew says going over to 56 or 72 etc.... you could just switch your scanner to that channel and not be trying to think about frequencies.
In general I think most trips the communication you will hear is rather mundane but it is nice to know what you are waiting for if you do get stopped, especially if you are already used to the railroad lingo. It is not perfect but the on track online site still has a helpful list of different Amtrak trains radio channels/frequencies if someone has not mentioned it.
As far as batteries I just got a separate charger that comes with Energizer rechargeable batteries at Walgreens so one pair could charge while using another. Don't know if they are all the same, but mine you have to remember to flip a small switch under the battery cover if you are using rechargeable or regular batteries.
It generally has to do with disabling the charging circuitry. There are all kinds of warnings about not trying to charge a non-rechargeable alkaline battery.since an NiMh cell is 1.2V vs 1.5V in the alkaline, throwing the switch probably accounts for that or allows current flow towards the batteries to recharge if a usb cord was connected. Never really looked to see which.
With a scanner app on a phone, you are limited to what is provided by other individuals. Private individuals set up a scanner tuned to some frequency of interest and provide the "feed" to app providers such as Broadcastify or Scanner Radio. Railroad radio is even more limited in scope as compared to public safety listening. You may also notice various amounts of delay (many seconds) between what may be heard on an actual scanner vs an app. It's not really a good substitute for having an actual scanner available.I have installed the (for Android) Scanner Radio app for my phone. Does that work as well?
You seemed to have organized your Amtrak frequencies in a most efficient manner. (Do you actually ride on all of these trains?) We use three trains: the Pacific Surfliner, the Southwest Chief, and the Capitol Limited when we travel from San Diego to Ohio and back. Between the three of them, they only use 30 different frequencies, and I’ve combined them all into a single bank on my scanner. (When we're traveling, I keep all of the other banks locked out.) I do have ALL of the AAR Channels programmed into another bank just in case.I recently upgraded from a Radio Shack PRO-60 to a RS PRO-94. 10 banks to now 20. This is how I programmed it for almost all Amtrak routes, using OTOL site. A PRO-94 can be found on ebay for under $75 usually.View attachment 28207
*********************************I have been watching videos for my October 2021 Empire to Coast Starlight to Zephyr journey. One piece of tech I have seen are Scanners, tuned to Amtrak frequencies. It looks like a fun, and useful item, but a few minutes on Amazon show a great cost for a none regular Amtrak passenger. Can these be rented and programmed without buying one?
I also have an older stand along Garmin and wondered it it might be something to bring along, or will the iPhone do enough for tracking progress? I realize Data will be mostly none existent for big distances on the routes.
Thanks, I appreciate your responses and collected wisdom!
You can get a scanner for something around $100 that is more than adequate for receiving the railroad frequencies. The so-called "NASCAR" scanners will do the job. Even with the stock "rubber ducky" antenna, you are close enough to receive the engineer and conductor and most dispatchers use various mountain-top "repeaters" or remote bases to communicate with the trains. Most of the time, you will be able to copy the dispatcher as well. I use a suction-cup mount antenna mounted in the window; my handheld Garmin GPS is also connected to an external antenna hanging on a suction cup in the window.
A lot of "silence" will be heard but over time, you will hear the trackside defect detectors (heard one "catch" us a couple of times); conversation when the air line parts and the train comes to a sudden stop. On the SWC several years ago, the dispatcher relayed a flash flood warning to the engineer while we were in SE Colorado/NE New Mexico. The rain was pounding down on us! Last October on the Coast Starlight near Ventura as we came to a sudden stop (you could hear the air being dumped) the engineer radioed the standard "Emergency, emergency, emergency" to alert the dispatcher and possible nearby trains (we struck a trespasser).
My typical setup in the bedroom. The scanner is a Uniden BCD396XT (no longer made). The GPS a Garmin GPSMAP 62s (also no longer made) handheld GPS (intended for backpacking).
Showing sleeper bedroom window. To the right end you can see the telescoping VHF suction-mount antenna and to its right the external GPS antennas. I normally keep the curtain pulled just enough to cover the hardware in the window! This is way more than what may be needed. For the novice, a handheld scanner with the stock antenna will work fine in most cases.
There are slightly less 200 VHF frequencies designated for railroad use each numbered and referred to by train crews as "channels" - channel 30, channel 96, etc. If you program you frequencies and tag them with the AAR Number, it becomes pretty easy to change to the channel currently in use. Use the Amtrak frequency resource mentioned above or, you might hear the crew mention changing to channel # something. You can also scan those channels to try and find the active frequency. By the way, the dispatchers are with the host railroad, not Amtrak (there are places where Amtrak does the dispatching). In any case, all trains communicate on the appropriate "road channel".
Start simple, sit back and enjoy (and be patient). Don't forget an earbud or earphones if you are in coach.
73, John
You can get a scanner for something around $100 that is more than adequate for receiving the railroad frequencies. The so-called "NASCAR" scanners will do the job. Even with the stock "rubber ducky" antenna, you are close enough to receive the engineer and conductor and most dispatchers use various mountain-top "repeaters" or remote bases to communicate with the trains. Most of the time, you will be able to copy the dispatcher as well. I use a suction-cup mount antenna mounted in the window; my handheld Garmin GPS is also connected to an external antenna hanging on a suction cup in the window.
A lot of "silence" will be heard but over time, you will hear the trackside defect detectors (heard one "catch" us a couple of times); conversation when the air line parts and the train comes to a sudden stop. On the SWC several years ago, the dispatcher relayed a flash flood warning to the engineer while we were in SE Colorado/NE New Mexico. The rain was pounding down on us! Last October on the Coast Starlight near Ventura as we came to a sudden stop (you could hear the air being dumped) the engineer radioed the standard "Emergency, emergency, emergency" to alert the dispatcher and possible nearby trains (we struck a trespasser).
My typical setup in the bedroom. The scanner is a Uniden BCD396XT (no longer made). The GPS a Garmin GPSMAP 62s (also no longer made) handheld GPS (intended for backpacking).
Showing sleeper bedroom window. To the right end you can see the telescoping VHF suction-mount antenna and to its right the external GPS antennas. I normally keep the curtain pulled just enough to cover the hardware in the window! This is way more than what may be needed. For the novice, a handheld scanner with the stock antenna will work fine in most cases.
There are slightly less 200 VHF frequencies designated for railroad use each numbered and referred to by train crews as "channels" - channel 30, channel 96, etc. If you program you frequencies and tag them with the AAR Number, it becomes pretty easy to change to the channel currently in use. Use the Amtrak frequency resource mentioned above or, you might hear the crew mention changing to channel # something. You can also scan those channels to try and find the active frequency. By the way, the dispatchers are with the host railroad, not Amtrak (there are places where Amtrak does the dispatching). In any case, all trains communicate on the appropriate "road channel".
Start simple, sit back and enjoy (and be patient). Don't forget an earbud or earphones if you are in coach.
73, John
I have riden on more than 2/3's of the routes as shown in my signature.You seemed to have organized your Amtrak frequencies in a most efficient manner. (Do you actually ride on all of these trains?) We use three trains: the Pacific Surfliner, the Southwest Chief, and the Capitol Limited when we travel from San Diego to Ohio and back. Between the three of them, they only use 30 different frequencies, and I’ve combined them all into a single bank on my scanner. (When we're traveling, I keep all of the other banks locked out.) I do have ALL of the AAR Channels programmed into another bank just in case.
Your post also helps to emphasize a very good point, mainly that one doesn’t need to spend a lot of money to obtain a perfectly adequate scanner for taking along on train trips. Being able to listen in on conversations between our train’s crew members, conversations between dispatchers and the engineer, and the periodic reports from radio alarm detectors always makes our trips more interesting. We consider a scanner to be one of the essentials to have along whenever we travel by train. With all the bargain priced scanners to be had on eBay, there is no reason why anyone who wants one can’t have one.
*********************************
Going to Amazon, Uniden has some scanners for around $100. E-Bay has some used scanners for much less.
If interested, you might want to consider getting an amateur radio technician license. The cost, I think, is $15 and many amateur radio clubs, across the country, will have volunteers to give you a 35 question exam. You can also take the exam online. The exam isn't hard to pass, with sample questions available on line.
2 meter hand held amateur transceiver will pick up ham frequencies as well as the radio frequencies used by trains and Amtrak. They are a few not much more than $100 (Ham Radio Outlet). I like to take along a 2 meter hand-held when I book an Amtrak sleeper. You can get a booklet listing 2 meter repeaters in your state. A lot of fun to talk to hams from your sleeping compartment.
*****************************
I like the photo of your scanner setup in your sleeper, John. I have found just a "rubber duck" antenna, attached to my 2 meter hand-held, can work well for repeater access or train communication reception much of the time. Depending, of course, on the distance of the repeater from your train.
Here is a list of frequencies used by specific Amtrak trains:
https://is.gd/WnwG4l
73's,
Richard
***********************************************************
I like those pictures of your scanner set-up in your sleeper! Yes, bring along an earbud or earphone as to not disturb your neighbor in the sleeper next door. The walls are thin.
I have had pretty good luck accessing and hearing repeaters with just a rubber duck antenna attached to the 2 meter hand-held. Of course, it depends on the distance of the repeater from the train.
Here is a list of communication frequencies for specific Amtrak trains:
https://is.gd/WnwG4l
73's,
Richard
I calibrate mine in furlongs per fortnight. <grin>It also let me operate in kilometres and kph rather than having to try to make sense of the bushels, or farenheit, or ounces, or whatever it is that you lot use to measure distance and speed.
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