Transmission1

Hello I'm new to scanners and posting on behalf of my 88 year old father in law. He has just bought a Uniden UBC3500XLT scanner, which I am told is a good piece of kit but complicated to use. I have been trying to put some frequencies in for him but am struggling to understand the manual. He lives in Easington, is housebound and interested in listening to anything but particularly marine, lifeboats, ports, aircraft, airports , emergency services. Can anyone provide me with a list of local frequencies to get him started.

Also can anyone explain the difference between channels and frequencies. In other words if I have the frequency for a particular service can I just input this into the scanner without channel information.

As you can see by this post I have never had a scanner and am totally confused by it all, just trying to help him spend a few hours listening to local services. On the plus side I did discover that Newcastle Airport Approach was 124.375 and have managed to input this into the scanner and have been able to listen to some conversations between aircraft and I'm assuming the tower, although at times the reception is not that clear

Any help would be greatly appreciated

A channel is a frequency that is designated a name or number. I.E. Channel 19 on the CB band is 27.7812 MHz.

Marine band common channels are: 156.6 and 156.8 MHz. Those frequencies are also channels 12 and 16 I think, and the number would be displayed on the radio rather than the actual frequency. Both those are used locally, and I can pick then up here in Consett with an indoor antenna.

http://marksscanners.com/3500/3500.shtml this may help.

Hello and thanks to thelad for the link to marksscanners and to thedeerhunter for the info on channels

Do I need the channel info to input the marine band frequencies or can I just input the frequency and name it and save it. For regular users I'm sure this will seem a stupid question but I'm afraid I'm a total novice with scanners. All I really want do is input 20 to 30 named frequencies so that my father in law can listen to the conversation. The scanner he has bought is probably way over the top for this purpose

Thanks again

Hi

The 3500 is probably the best piece of kit in the price range but not the simplest to get your head round if you are a beginner.

Lots to go at from Easington so a few local freqs to get you started.....

156.800 ch16 Humber Coastguard
156.000 ch. 0 Humber CG/RNLL
157.550 ch.31a RNLI
160.600 ch.99 CG Teams
161.225 ch.115 Hartlepool and Sunderland Lifeguards
156.700 ch.14 Tees VTS
156.450 ch.09 Tees Pilots
162.075 Tees Pilots Private
158.500 ch.50 Windfarm
156.600 ch.12 Seaham/Sunderland/Tyne

119.700 Newcastle Tower
124.375 Ncle Approach
119.800 Durham TV Twr
118.850 DTV App

123.100 SaR
244.600 SaR
282.800 SaR

160.81875 Tees Wear MRT
164.750 TWMRT repeater

205.750 Network Rail Eston Mast
206.300 NwR Eston
205.350 NwR Seaham
204.900 NwR Gateshead

453.100 TW Metro
453.475 TWM
453.700 TWM

453.1125 Hartlepool Shop/Pub Watch
453.1125 Different tone Easington SW
166.125 Hpool PE
453.175 Peterlee SW
456.525 Sunderland SW
456.950 Sland PW

459.850 Hpool FC Control
460.450 Hpool FC ch.2
453.700 Mbro FC Control
163.300 St John Amb

177.975 Stagecoach Sunderland
178.175 ditto
178.325 ditto

TJL75 wrote: Do I need the channel info to input the marine band frequencies or can I just input the frequency and name it and save it.

No you just need the frequency. After a while you tend to remember them, or have a list handy with the corresponding channel. Aircraft, typically don't use channels, they'll quote frequencies in transmissions.

Thanks again to Neil and deerhunter, I'll put those frequencies in and see what happens

TJL

I have input some frequencies and given them a name eg 124.375 Newcastle Approach. However I've got a problem in that the text tag is not being displayed when in receiving or scan or hold modes but the frequency is being displayed. Reading the user guide if a text tag or name is given to a channel then this should be displayed not the frequency.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

Regarding my last post re text tag display I have sorted this issue out using Function+5

What may not be obvious if you are new is that the Network Rail and Stagecoach band III freqs may default to WFM on the 3500. You will have to manually change the mode to NFM.

Another that you will get from Easington in Cleveland SRT on 156.18125.

Hello Neil

You are absolutely right in that I'm new and it was not obvious , the rail modulations were set to auto and I'm assuming WFM so I've changed them to NFM. Don't know why but I'm sure you do. I've also added the Cleveland SRT frequency thanks

Are there any others on your list which need the modulation changing

Airband all am
Marine fm
Everything else nfm

On auto the set will set the correct mode for you apart from band III (177-210 ish) which will go to wfm because that's broadcast band in the USA and elsewhere so you simply need to manually change it.

From Easington you will receive lots of the Teesside industrial stuff and much more. Very little digital. Did not want to overwhelm you with to many if you are just starting.

Search 156 to 170 and 440 to 462.5 and you will pick up a lots. Lock it the data channels when you hit them.

That's very helpful thanks very much