Best scanner for amateur airport spy?

[Airport Widow]

Hi all,

My husband enjoys going to Sydney Airport to watch the planes come and go and he buddies up with someone else there to listen to their scanner.

It's his 30th birthday this month and I was wanting to buy him his own radio but have no idea where to start.

Where do I buy one?
What should I look for?
Can you recommend a decent brand/type that would suit an hobbyist? Not looking for all the bells and whistles, looking for good value that does the job of listening to the tower and pilots.
How much will I be up for? The cheaper the better really!

BTW I know this is the WA users groups, but as we're from Sydney I could be pretty sure he wasn't a member of this group to see my post!

Thanks!

[Toottoot]

Is the question yes to good wife or yes to or a sucker for lonely Saturday mornings?

[Airport Widow]

Duly noted and adjusted!

[Tyranus]

I have a uniden Bearcat UBC93XLT scanner which does the trick for me. If he's going to the airport then he should have no problems with one of these.

Bearcat UBC93XLT

[Steve]

If he's actually at the airport, signal strength will be good no matter what brand of radio he's got.

Go for a Uniden 72XLT (I think it's been replaced by the 73XLT now). Either of these will be fine for his needs.

There are others around, but these are the most widely available: Dick Smith and Tandy should carry them.

[Toottoot]

Try the 93XLT

[Steve]

Tyranus got in just before me! I agree the 93XLT will be ideal also. I bit more expensive than the 72XLT or 73XLT.

[spartacus]

If he's actually at the airport, signal strength will be good no matter what brand of radio he's got.

Go for a Uniden 72XLT (I think it's been replaced by the 73XLT now). Either of these will be fine for his needs.

There are others around, but these are the most widely available: Dick Smith and Tandy should carry them.

agree, I've got the 92 and can here perth atc and jandakot atc comfortably from about twelve kms away.

(the 72 and 92 are essentially the same for the airband, other then the fact that the 92 had 200 channels as opposed to 72)

also, here are some frequencies for him to program

ATIS: 126.250 MHz
Clearance Delivery: 126.500 MHz
Clearance Delivery: 133.800 MHz
Ground: 121.700 MHz
Ground: 126.500 MHz
Tower: 120.500 MHz
Tower: 124.700 MHz
Departure: 118.400 MHz
Departure: 123.000 MHz
Departure: 129.700 MHz
Approach: 124.400 MHz
Approach: 125.300 MHz
Approach: 126.100 MHz
Approach: 128.300 MHz
Approach: 135.900 MHz
Approach: 119.450 MHz
Approach: 124.550 MHz
Approach: 125.800 MHz
Approach: 133.950 MHz
Approach: 133.800 MHz
Approach: 135.100 MHz

so i think that the 72xlt would be the most appropriate ($$$ vs what you get)

EDIT: A 72xlt is $199 here, it **Should** be cheaper on your side of the island.

[Airport Widow]

Thanks Guys. Think I'll have a look for the Uniden 72XLT / 73XLT. Might try eBay first see if I can get one on there, then I'll brave showing my face in Tandy/DSE and asking for a radio scanner...





Toottoot: Noticed your post has been edited. Thanks for the offer but I'm happy with my Antonov An-225 even if it is always at the airport listening to scanners...

[Toottoot]

Admin issue. .Sounds like theres too much room in the hangar anyway.

Hes worth the 93XLT.

[Always RX]

agree, I've got the 92 and can here perth atc and jandakot atc comfortably from about twelve kms away.

(the 72 and 92 are essentially the same for the airband, other then the fact that the 92 had 200 channels as opposed to 72)

also, here are some frequencies for him to program

ATIS: 126.250 MHz
Clearance Delivery: 126.500 MHz
Clearance Delivery: 133.800 MHz
Ground: 121.700 MHz
Ground: 126.500 MHz
Tower: 120.500 MHz
Tower: 124.700 MHz
Departure: 118.400 MHz
Departure: 123.000 MHz
Departure: 129.700 MHz
Approach: 124.400 MHz
Approach: 125.300 MHz
Approach: 126.100 MHz
Approach: 128.300 MHz
Approach: 135.900 MHz
Approach: 119.450 MHz
Approach: 124.550 MHz
Approach: 125.800 MHz
Approach: 133.950 MHz
Approach: 133.800 MHz
Approach: 135.100 MHz

I dunno where u got that list from...but apart from 121.7 and 120.5 the rest have nothing at all to do with Perth.

[Toottoot]

The person who started the thread is from Sydney. That is why Sydney frequencies are listed.

[spartacus]

The person who started the thread is from Sydney. That is why Sydney frequencies are listed.

Precisely

[Always RX]

Oh...sorry my bad....I never read the old posts.

[Tyranus]

At the end of this lesson you have learned, read the previous posts if it is a short thread.