211 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
211 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
ÇEnie(tm) RADIO RTC - April 22, 1990 - 10:00 P.M. Eastern
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Improving Scanner Listening
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> The topic for tonight's RTC is Improving Scanner Listening...
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I'm the Co-Topic leader for Scanning here in the Radio RT.
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I've been using scanners for about 12 years...
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I'm a member of tha AOSC, and have worked in setting up a 911
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center.
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<[Brian KB9BVN] MURREY> What is AOSC?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Let's go with questions. (AOSC All Ohio Scanner Club).
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Somebody asked about antennas?
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<E.EALY> what is the best ant to use?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> That depends on your situation. Mobile or base?
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<E.EALY> base
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I have had good luck with a discone. It is widebanded and
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onmi-directional. But offers no gain....
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<D.GOODLING2> channel master scannin base ant it pick 30 to 512 mhz, exclude
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108 to 136.000 mhz.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Bob Grove sells a nice beam for scanner use. Cost about
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$60...
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> but you also must figure in a rotor.
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<[Bob] R.YEOMAN> What Rotor would be best?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> For one of those Grove models a TV rotor would be fine.
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<D.K.CALDWELL> I live rural, and very seldome here anything from control
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towers, but always here passing aircraft. Closest airport is 30 miles,
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anything I can do to improve the quality of the control tower conversation?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Also when consider when taling antennas is the coax. I have
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found the best to be good old RG59.
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<ERIC.MEADE> My question is, do you think I would encounter any prob with
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scanning since I live near an AM transmitter about 10 blocks up the street?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> It may give you problems. But not as much as say an FM
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station's transmitter...
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> the only way to be for sure is to try it out.
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<ERIC.MEADE> I'm considering a scanner myself
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Start with just the antenna on the back of the scanner. I
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would say...
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> being that close, if you were going to have problems you
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would get them from the start....
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> Also he needs to make sure that there aren't any other
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business two-way's on the tower also. If so he needs to be a bit more
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selective with the scanner that he chooses.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> you my consider having a friend with a scanner bring it over
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and try it out.
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<D.GOODLING2> the beam i have is grove ant. pick up about up to 150 miles
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away. tv rotor and tv ant. vhf omi ant. the two ant . air craft ilive in
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reading pa, pulancaster air port
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Yes if you get one, try for one of the better RS models.
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<D.GOODLING2> the beam ant. is more directerional pointed
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<[Bob] R.YEOMAN> See ya, Brian!
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<E.EALY> lets talk sat listening
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> About the aircraft. What kind of problems ary you having?
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<R.BECKHAM1> does anyone have any experience w/ the Radio shack 50-channel
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job.
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<ERIC.MEADE> not I
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<D.GOODLING2> not i
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<E.EALY> not i
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> me neither on the 50 ch RS.
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<D.K.CALDWELL> I'm not pulling in control towers as close as 30 miles away,
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but pull in passing aircraft. I have Radio Shack 200 chanel
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<R.BECKHAM1> the aircraft are higher than the tower !
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Control towers use very low power, you would need a beam,
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and a real high location to pull them in.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> yes the aircraft are higher so they can talk farther.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Sat listening..I haven't had much experience with that.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Has anybody here had any experience with pre-amps? I used
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one a few years back with not too good results.
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<R.BECKHAM1> Is it possible to re-program a ROM in the R/S scanners to pick up
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more channels ???
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<ERIC.MEADE> no exp with that here
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<D.GOODLING2> grove preamps are excellent in the car and home
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<R.BECKHAM1> A good antenna is better than any preamp
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> My advice on those is, unless your in a really rural area.
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You just get too much signal from local staions.
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<ERIC.MEADE> I would obviously have problems with that
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<ERIC.MEADE> :)
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<ERIC.MEADE> no preamps for me
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> You would Eric for sure.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> As for reprogramming ROMS, you might be able to do something
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along the lines of adding channels...
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> Does anyone have any experience with the add-on for
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the RS Pro-2004/5 that automatically stores frequencies found in search mode?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> or speeding it up.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I think Ed got one of those...ED?
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<R.BECKHAM1> I tried speeding up my 2002, and unless you have extensive
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manufacturing facilities, forget it !
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> They have been rated highly by the reviews I have seen.
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> What I'd really like to have is a way to interface
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(both control and read) my 2004 with one of the computers in the shack.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Things like that (reprogramming) are more or less out for
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the casual user...although i could see a market for...
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<R.BECKHAM1> I got a chip burner...
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> third parties to come out with update ROMs. Not onlike to
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mod for the PRO34.
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> I am going to buy the book and check out the mode to give
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the PRO-34 3200 channels. Sounds interesting.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Jim, like a RS232 port on the ICOMS and such?
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> AOR's also have a RS232 port. But haven't seen any programs
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for them like I have the R7000 ICOM.
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> Yes Will. Or the AOR that Ed mentioned. Or the
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"front panelless" scanner offered by Cobra.
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> That's a new one on me. What is the Cobra?
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<[Bob] R.YEOMAN> What's the Cobra Model, Jim?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I suppose that would be possible, if you had the
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knowhow..TELL US ABOUT THE COBRA!
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> I don't know the model number, I've only seen it
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mentioned in PopCom.
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> It has no "front panel", only an RS-232 control
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interface.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> looking at May POP COMM...
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> Missed that one I guess. Recent?
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> Sometime this winter.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I must need glasses worse than I thought.
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> Sounds like the "OLD" never existed Bearcat 2000 from years
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ago.
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<[Jim AI8A/6] JTITTSLER> Yes... I wondered if it was a marketing "trial
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balloon."
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<R.BECKHAM1> Any kin to VAPORWARE ?
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> If so, it busted!
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> The 'Comp-u-Scan' ED?
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> That's it. I forgot what they called it. There were very
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few made and then only for the Commodore that I recall.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Yes it sounded like a good idea at the time.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Maybe if it were a little more generic it would have flowen,
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of it was just before it's time.
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<R.BECKHAM1> cUStudebaker
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> I have an idea that GRE, the manufacture of the RS 2004/2005
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PRO-34, may be getting ready to enter the market on their own. If so, look
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for a close to 2005 radio with a RS232 interface.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Back to improving listening..how do you guys rate the new
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Regency frequency Directories?
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> Careful, my friend Norm Schrein is doing those for Uniden.
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<RICHARD-TX43> regency has a freq direc ???
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> The Texas area will be out very soon Richard. Will be like
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the old FOX books.
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<RICHARD-TX43> typei think ill wait for the movie...
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<RICHARD-TX43> if it's something that cant be found on the microfiche i guess
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i dont need it...
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> The Regency Frequency books are taken from the Actual FCC
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microfiche. There are entries from local monitor folks to help with the
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accuracy. They are more in depth than the "Police Call" books.
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> I've seen one, actually I helped put the Texas area
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together.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> OK, I hate those Police Call books. I guess it's time to
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order.
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> Hey, they are the only thing we have except for the
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Microfiche.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Do they have business listings as well as PSB?
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<RICHARD-TX43> YES, THEY'RE A GREAT SOURCE FOR THAT SORT OF THING...
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<RICHARD-TX43> WHEN I WAS IN THE NORTHEAST- THAT'S WHERE I FOUND MY LISTING
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FOR THE CASINOS IN ATLANIC CITY....
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<[Bob] R.YEOMAN> Ed, do you have any idea how many people are putting together
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those new Regency Frequency Books?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> The microfiche or the Regency books Richard?
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> Not really. Norm called on some of us who helped with the
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Fox books.
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<RICHARD-TX43> THE MICROFICHE...
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> I don't think that Norm is including the business listing
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this time around. You have to have the microfich for that.
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<RICHARD-TX43> IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A FCC OFFICE- THEY HAVE THE MASTER LIST
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WITH THE XMTR SITES LISTED
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<RICHARD-TX43> AND THE ADDRESS WEHRE THE LICENCE WAS SENT TO... HELPS IN
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TRACKING
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<RICHARD-TX43> DOWN SOME REALLY ODD BALL STUFF YOU HAVE TROUBLE TRACKING DOWN
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Richard, please tell us how to get a copy of the 'fiche.
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<RICHARD-TX43> NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE US DEPT OF COMMERENCE
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<RICHARD-TX43> SPRINGFIELD VA 22161
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<RICHARD-TX43> disconnected.
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> just saw a news bit on WPIX about how news stations/papers
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use scanners to find news..kinda interesting, but sorta sleazy.
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> ..anyone see the article in USA TODAY about the cellular
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phones?
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> That's not uncommon for news services to do that Ash.
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<[Bob] R.YEOMAN> I noticed that in Friday's USA Today, Ash..Didn't get to read
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it though.
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<[..Ed..] ELENTZ> That's the only way they can get the news in time for video.
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<RICHARD-TX43> is here.
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<RICHARD-TX43> HELLO AGAIN-
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> That's how the local radio station do their moring traffic
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reports here.
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> ..they had this scanners that has a text display that shows
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what service itis tuned to.
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> Bob: the article quotes Bob Grove (MT Publisher) about how
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many people snnop on the cellular callers.
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<[Bob] R.YEOMAN> And how many microfiches are there, Richard? In short, how do
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you know which Microfiche to get for your region, or a region you want to look
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at?
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<RICHARD-TX43> IT'S GOING TO BE HARD WITH THE TRAFFIC MY PH: NUMBER IS (713)
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876-1339 OR LEAVE ME MESSAGE WITH YOURS
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<RICHARD-TX43> THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES SORTED BY STATES, LICENSE OR SERVICES
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IF I REMEMBER
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> does anyone here have a GRE (or similar) 800 mhz converter?
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<RICHARD-TX43> THE MICROFICHE COVER EVERYTHING THE FCC COVERS IN THE US AND
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TERR.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I think the State index would be the way to go.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> What do you need to know about the GRE converter?
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<RICHARD-TX43> WELL, I GOTTA RUN NOW- ANYONE EDING INFO ON FCC MICROFICHE CAN
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CONTACT ME VIA GEMAIL - RICHARD-TX43
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> I was wondering if anyone had one because I cannot convert
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my Pro-2021
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<[Ash] A.HARDESTY> thought I might give it a look
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> I have read about them, they are highly rated..the next best
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thing to a scanner with 800 coverage.
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<[Joe] CAPASSINC> Will, do you know there is a new scanner called A0R 900?
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<[Joe] CAPASSINC> it has all the 800 MHz
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Yes I have seen ads in the Mags for several new models.
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<[Will] W.LOFTIS> Well that looks like it for Improving Scanner Listening.
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I hope you all found something of interest here and be sure and stop in again.
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END OF FILE
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