[Scan-DC] New topic! First Scanner

[Ed Tobias]

Anyone who began listening to public safety radio using a scanner is still a 
rookie.  Anyone who began using a crystal controlled radio wasn't around in 
the the really old days when you had to TUNE in your station.

I first listened to the NYC Fire Department in the late 1950s using a 
Hallicrafters S-95 "Civic Patrol" radio.  It tuned between 154 and 173 mcs 
(not mHz back then).  I listened to FDNY Manhattan on 154.25 and CityWide on 
154.43.  Brooklyn was on 154.37, Queens on 154.40 and the Bronx and Staten 
Island shared 154.19. Interestingly, FDNY is only now finishing a transition 
to the 482 mHz band.

I tuned a little higher to listen to NYPD's Manhattan South frequency, which 
gave me everything south of 59th Street.  I had my brain trained so that I 
could fall asleep with the radio on listening to the NYPD only awaken if 
there was something major, such as a shooting.

This listening was part of what led to my career in broadcast news, since I 
would listen to the scanner and then run out and freelance cop stories for 
our local, weekly neighborhood newspaper.  The listening that I did on my 
Hallicrafters S-38E shortwave receiver led to my first ham ticket (WV2VKK) 
in 1961.

You can find plenty of pictures of both of these receivers on the Internet.

Ed. KR3E

-----Original Message----- 
From: Greg Danes
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2014 11:38 AM
To: Lawrence Whetzel-Katz
Cc: Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] New topic! First Scanner

This topic is not with thoughts just of bringing back memories. I am
writing a ebook on radio receivers (all bands) and would like to have some
input from members and perhaps a one paragraph blirb as to a most memorable
intercept. I can think of a few of my own. If you want to send me such off
list you can at danesgs1 at gmail.com, pictures of the rig are cool also. The
really odd ones like I had are hard to find on the net. I will not use
anyone's personal info in the ebook. HAM calls are OK if you want credit
for the input. Its not going to be a definitive write-up, just memorable
scans, foibles, What got you started in scanning etc. It is also going to
be free!

Greg

KJ4DGE

On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 11:20 AM, Lawrence Whetzel-Katz <
n2tbx at larryka.tzo.com> wrote:

> Hi Greg,
>
> My first scanner was a BC100XLT. I kept it for 19 years or so. The LCD
> started leaking from the top and the antenna connector broke loose, so it
> was time to retire it.
>
> Thanks for bringing back memories.
>
> - Lawrence
> On Nov 17, 2014 11:15 AM, "Greg Danes" <danesgs1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Would like to know what radios the members started using in the "dim 
>> time"
>> before SDR and all the stuff we have today. Mine was a RS Patrolman 60. I
>> was never very much into crystal control radios. Also had a very weird 
>> VHF
>> radio , not sure who made it. Was the size of a mobile CB with a tiny
>> half-moon tuning dial, squelch and volume, built like a brick. Of course
>> my
>> dream scanner was back then the Bearcat/Electra 300 with service search.
>> In
>> those days (1984?) it was considered the top of the line for those 
>> wanting
>> a primo scanner, I later bought 2 off of Ebay and no longer own them but
>> it
>> was still a "fun" radio to mess with. I have since owned RS PRO-2006's,
>> Pro-2020, BC-210, Pro-83, Pro-94/97, AOR early model digital's and a few
>> others. My later pride and joy were the PRO-2006's with the 800 mod, IF
>> tap
>> and even replacing the back-light was a cool project and needed most of
>> the
>> time.
>>
>> KJ4DGE
>>
>> --
>> "I seek not to know all the answers, but to understand the questions"
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Scan-DC mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>


-- 
"I seek not to know all the answers, but to understand the questions"
______________________________________________________________
Scan-DC mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html