A radio listener?

[manlymatt83]

I know nothing about frequencies, but I'm curious. I've been reading threads about the ability to listen to the ISS and space shuttles as they take off if I tune to a certain frequency, truckers on the highway if I tune to another frequency, random people in random portions of the country if I tune to another frequency, and finally, train discussion from engineers if I tune to another frequency as a train is passing by (or if I happen to be on Amtrak).

Is there a single radio receiver I can buy (like a hand held one) that would catch all this cool stuff, or does it require different radios?

 

[Colt45]

A decent shortwave set will do a lot of amateur radio, CB, international broadcasts, etc. Not sure what band or modulation the ISS or amtrak use, lol.

Quick google shows ISS being in the hundreds of MHZ, so you'll need a different set for that.

Looks like amtrak is VHF too.

You forgot about fun stuff like air traffic.

 

[frostedflakes]

Get in touch with the amateur radio club in your area, they probably keep track of all the interesting stuff you can tune into and would be able to point you in the right direction as far as equipment goes. I'm pretty sure you can find portable wide-band receivers that can pick up a lot, but I don't have any recommendations for specific products.

Here's a list of some of the broadcasts in my area. Tons of stuff, and this is a pretty small town. Probably much more going on in a large metropolitan area.

http://www.k-state.edu/ksuarc/scan.html

 

[cardiac]

A regular hand held scanner from Universal Radio will allow you to listen to quite a bit of stuff. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/5007.html This covers quite a bit of what you want to listen to.

I am an amateur radio operator (Ham), and I have made 3 contacts with the Space Shuttle. This frequency is 145.800 mhz. They also do school contacts, which is where school kids can ask the shuttle/ISS crew questions in real time. This is usually set up by amateur radio operators for them.

To listen to shortwave broadcasts, and hams from all over the world making contacts, requires a different radio. These frequencies are down in the khz range. 7200 khz is the 40 meter amateur band with a lot of shortwave broadcasts, too, for example. An example of a shortwave receiver: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/1909.html

Air traffic is around 121-123 mhz. Police and fire are becoming encrypted in most larger areas and are tough to receive...

Bob

 

[manlymatt83]

A regular hand held scanner from Universal Radio will allow you to listen to quite a bit of stuff. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/5007.html This covers quite a bit of what you want to listen to.

I am an amateur radio operator (Ham), and I have made 3 contacts with the Space Shuttle. This frequency is 145.800 mhz. They also do school contacts, which is where school kids can ask the shuttle/ISS crew questions in real time. This is usually set up by amateur radio operators for them.

To listen to shortwave broadcasts, and hams from all over the world making contacts, requires a different radio. These frequencies are down in the khz range. 7200 khz is the 40 meter amateur band with a lot of shortwave broadcasts, too, for example. An example of a shortwave receiver: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/1909.html

Air traffic is around 121-123 mhz. Police and fire are becoming encrypted in most larger areas and are tough to receive...

Bob

Surely there'd be a device that has wideband and shortwave combined into one, no?

 

[JEDIYoda]

Surely there'd be a device that has wideband and shortwave combined into one, no?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.....

 

[manlymatt83]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.....

Examples?