UNIDEN BEARCAT UBC-30XLT

[Goldfynche]

Just ordered one of these on line. I did look at eBay first but found one cheaper on Amazon.
My first question, before I have even received it is. Would I benefit from buying a substitute extending antenna for it?

[Anmer]

Probably not. To gain extra "reach" you would have to invest in a masthead antenna with extra height and for a hand-held it's probably not worth it.

Plus it depends where you are and what you want stations you want to hear. If it's airband, is there a ground station within your line of sight?

Why not see how you get on with the scanner when it arrives?

[Goldfynche]

I shouldn't have any trouble at home, being almost within spitting distance of the Lambourne beacon. But at the moment, I am on one of my frequent visits to my daughter in central Scotland, where all I see are contrails.

[Goldfynche]

Well, my Bearcat arrived yesterday. For some reason, I expected it to be much larger than it is. It is positively tiny.
I haven't had so much as a peep out of it so far. Perhaps, something to do with the fact that I am in the highlands atm.

[Anmer]

To what frequencies are you tuned?

[Goldfynche]

I haven't got that far as yet. So far I've just gone up and down the channels randomly, trying to pick up something. I thought I would try Glasgow approach to see if I get anything. Or I might just wait until I get home to London.

[Anmer]

You might try one of the upper VHF bands for the area you're in at the moment. You might get an aircraft transmission, but probably not ground.

Unless you're within line of sight of Glasgow approach, you won't hear anything.

[Cedric]

I have also just bought one of these, have so far got the following frequencies, 128.8125,129.3750,132.1687,133.1750,& 134.7500 I am in Mid Devon and am still learning how to use the scanner. Have not had time to use it for very long and will only hear aircraft until i can take it to some higher ground.

[Goldfynche]

I have only just managed to even get a carrier wave out of mine. Mind you, at 10.45pm in the Highlands is not the best place to experiment.
I even thought Scottish Volmet might have given something. But still, all I got was static. I have been watching a kind of tutorial that somebody posted on Youtube. But it all happens so fast.
Meanwhile, it's another extremely overcast day up here. Just a couple of aircraft hovering around Glasgow and Edinburgh.
I also bought the 'ABC Airband Radio Guide' from Amazon, which gives a whole page of Scottish frequencies. So I shall persevere.

[Anmer]

The NATS AIS page has frequencies in the AIP.

http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php.html

[Goldfynche]

Well. I tried to get an ordinary analogue airband radio to tune into something, without success, this afternoon. Not a whisper!

[Goldfynche]

You might try one of the upper VHF bands for the area you're in at the moment. You might get an aircraft transmission, but probably not ground.

Unless you're within line of sight of Glasgow approach, you won't hear anything.

Still haven't worked out how to change from the Airband to the Upper VHF band. The manual does leave a little to be desired.

[Anmer]

Sorry, what I meant was VHF for upper (higher) routes.

[Goldfynche]

That's OK. I did realise what you meant. I just haven't figured out how to switch to the VHF (158.000mhz to 174.000mhz band yet. Makes me sound like a bit of a 'Div' I know. But as I said previously, the manual does leave a little to be desired.

[Goldfynche]

OK. I am now in the upper VHF band. Still not a lot going on. Some weird noises around the 153mhz mark.
My daughter wants to go to Ikea in Glasgow soon, which is not too far from the airport. I will take the scanner with me.