Transceivers

[Hagar]

Brett

Thank you for that, an answer at last.......................and some one who is a believer too

I believe you. Back in the 60's we used to intercept police & local taxi radio messages on our group amplifiers. This only happened at certain venues which were near a main road so it was obviously a short range phenomenon.

[Fozzer]

I gather the latest Radios are Very High Frequency, FM transmitters/receivers which don't seem to affect our old Valve AM Radio receivers and amplifiers.

I have a number of Ex-WW II, HF AM radio transmitter/receivers, (which I purchased just after the War), which no longer work because of the modern VHF, Single Sideband transmissions....so no more Short Wave reception on them... ....!

Beautiful pieces of equipment...but now obsolete!

F.... 8-)...!

[Ivan]

I gather the latest Radios are Very High Frequency, FM transmitters/receivers which don't seem to affect our old Valve AM Radio receivers and amplifiers.

I have a number of Ex-WW II, HF AM radio transmitter/receivers, (which I purchased just after the War), which no longer work because of the modern VHF, Single Sideband transmissions....so no more Short Wave reception on them... ....!

Beautiful pieces of equipment...but now obsolete!

F.... 8-)...!

Maybe... but my 5.1 speaker set sometimes picks up AM radio...

[evanatorx]

Hey.

A while back, before I got my transceiver, I took an old portable radio and modded it.

If you crack open your generic medium sized fm radio, you can twst a few screws, and seperate some springs to give you a higher frequency range than before.

I did this with a novelty radio and it worked!

I went beside CYHM and listened to ATC. After that I realy wanted a transceiver so I could tune to whatever freq. I wanted.

If you want to make a scanner out of a radio, I believe there is an article on www.makezine.com

That probably explains the walkman myth for you guys.

-evan

[Brett_Henderson]

It's no myth; it's just induction.. In fact, you can take an old earphone; wrap several coils of its chord around something metallic (like a big screwdriver); stand near an AM transmitter and hear the broadcast... no radio, Walkman, battery or anything  8-)

Now.. as far as your transceiver goes.. Are you sure it's a TRANSceiver ?.. as in capable of transmitting ?  As in, if you were so inclined, you could talk to the pilots ? If all you were (hopefully) intersted in doing, was listening, you'd only need a scanner, or basic receiver. Hand-held aviation transceivers are serious devices.. usually in the $300-$500  range... and should only be owned by pilots.

[evanatorx]

:-? I said transceiver...or did I not?

[evanatorx]

I have a Vertex Standard VXA-220.

Yes, this unit has the ability to broadcast to pilots and atc. However I choose not to use this feature becuase I understand the seriousness of aviation.

I did not require a liscence to purchase the unit.

There

[beaky]

I have a Vertex Standard VXA-220.

Yes, this unit has the ability to broadcast to pilots and atc. However I choose not to use this feature becuase I understand the seriousness of aviation.

I did not require a liscence to purchase the unit.

There

I just bought the same unit...

Your restraint is appreciated; there's enough unnecessary chatter from pilots out there as it is...

[Hagar]

I have a Vertex Standard VXA-220.

Yes, this unit has the ability to broadcast to pilots and atc. However I choose not to use this feature becuase I understand the seriousness of aviation.

I did not require a liscence to purchase the unit.

There

OK, I'll risk asking the question. If you're not going to use this feature why do you need a transceiver in the first place? Surely an airband scanner would be cheaper.

[evanatorx]

There[/quote]
OK, I'll risk asking the question. If you're not going to use this feature why do you need a transceiver in the first place? Surely an airband scanner would be cheaper.[/quote]


No need to risk, I got it mad cheap from a surplus/liquidation store. I was amazed that such a product even made it's way there!

I've since checked and they no longer have it in stock. It was $101.99 CND

[Brett_Henderson]

I said transceiver...or did I not?

OK, I'll risk asking the question. If you're not going to use this feature why do you need a transceiver in the first place? Surely an airband scanner would be cheaper

And... for listening, a scanner can "scan" all the channels (ground, clearance delivery. approach, departure, ATIS, and the tower)... With a transceiver, you'll need to keep changing channels. And... there's the risk of an untimely, inadvertant transmission, or even a mal-function... we've all heard the guy whose radio stuck "open", tying up the air.. and those are several thousand dollar radios.

Transceivers for fun, in the hands of non-pilots,

[evanatorx]

woah sorry I ever bought one...

[Mobius]

It's just one of those things you have to be careful with.  If you make a mistake with it, or someone else makes a mistake with it, it could cost someone their life.  I don't let anyone else touch my transceiver, and I only turn it on to test new batteries in-case I get stuck in the clouds with no one to talk to.  We're just saying be careful and use it wisely.  It's not one of those things that many people would trust a 16 year old with, but if you have it, and use it properly and carefully, it can be a great learning tool.  

[evanatorx]

17

[Mobius]

17

Sorry I don't know you better.




Don't worry, be happy...