Scanner

[damigg]

What are some of the better scanners to get for your phone to listen to cabs when out train spotting?

thank you

[mlehman]

Are you talking about web-based live feeds from scanners turned to RR freqs? Here's one with a number of options: http://www.railroadradio.net/

Links to many more: http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Radio_Scanning/RailRoad/

More: http://streema.com/radios/genre/Railroad

These are useful for listening to locations that are far away. For local traffic, any scanner that receives RR freqs listed at the following website will do to allow you to listen directly in real time, many for less than $100.

http://www.on-track-on-line.com/scanner-radio.shtml

[ricktrains4824]

For some areas, no online links to radio frequencies exists. So, a scanner is the only option. (If I wanted to hear channels near me, we have available online fire, police, weather, skywarn/ACSES channel, and zero others.... So, for trains in my area, scanner is it.

I have one, got at Radio Shak, before they closed, for $95.00. It will pick up rail, air, fire, police, skywarn, ham, marine, amateur, NASCAR, other sports, and more.

So, point is, do not overlook scanner options for radio listening.

(One note: If you get the kind from oversees that can transmit and receive, do not try to transmit on frequencies without the proper licenses... Very big fines, and bigger headaches if you do this....)

[dcrailfan]

I would suggest broadcastify.com. They have a wide variety of streams that may or may not be mentioned by railroadradio. However, they do link to the former. Broadcastify also has in some cases will have the best of both worlds when it comes to channel variety. Case in point is that the Chautaqua Co. NY feed includes both CSX and NS as well as the sherriff's, EMS and the like all bundled on the one stream. One can easily knock themselves out silly just listening to it. 

As far as scanners are concerned simply don't think that just because it has some sport league logo, SpongeBob or whatever that it is not just the only thing it is worth for. A friend of mine uses one that has the NASCAR label clearly on the screen and it catches all of the feeds when he is fanning. And I believe it was fairly cheap when he found it. 

[avonlea22]

I use the "5-0 Radio" iphone app sometimes and I like it. It doesn't seem to use too much bandwidth. I just bought a small scanner though, so will not likely use the app too much now.