Railfan Technology > Digital Handheld Radio Scanner And Antenna Recommendati

Well I know the railroads have not transitioned over to digital communications yet, but I just want to be ready ahead of time for when they do, so I'm wondering is what would you reccomend for a digital handheld radio scanner, and also I'm probably gonna look for a antenna to upgrade the range to pick up slightly some more communication transmission, so I wouldn't mind knowing what you'd recommend for that as well. Thank you for your help for whomever provides.

The railroads are in the process of slowly converting to NXDN digital communications. At this time, there are no consumer grade scanners available that will decode NXDN signals. NXDN uses C4FM modulation that is used in several other digital schemes but a license to use the NXDN software has not been purchased by the scanner manufacturers. A company, AOR has announced a product recently that will decode NXDN but the $1000 price tag is a little stiff and that's for a under dash / home size box. Nothing for portable use.

If you really want a radio today you will have to go to a commercial radio shop to get one, a shop that deals in radios for trucking companies, wrecker operators, etc... companies that deal in radios like police, fire, EMS, utilities, and others use. In most cases, they will have to program the radio for you because the software required to do that is quite expensive. All of this is considered "business" radio, not consumer.

For an antenna, I suggest something similar to the MFJ-1717 (mfjenterprises.com.) There are a few other models by Comet and Diamond. They are about 16 inches long but perform well.

I'll be going to a ham radio convention in about 2 months and I can talk to some of the manufacturers. I'll be reporting my findings around the middle of May.

I know that's probably not the news you wanted to hear but that's the state of the art form March 9, 2015, subject to change at anytime.

John

Ohh well as time goes on it'll eventually happen, but thank you very much for all this useful information John I appreciate it :D

Check out the CS7000 here;

http://www.connectsystems.com/

Does not look to be compatible with NXDN digital, which for now is Icom and Kenwood digital systems.

Pat
WA5VRO
South Austin, TX

The radio is advertised as NSDN capable in one place but then says it comes capable of DMR and D-STAR as it ships with other portocols available later. We used to call this "vapor-ware." It's there but it isn't really there. I wouldn't spend my money at this time on a promise. When it says it has the capability for NSDN when the brown truck comes to your door, then I would consider it.

I do have to admit, it's the closest thing to a solution as a decent price so far.

John

I thought we were all moving to 'Software-Defined Radio'. There was some info on it being programable de-mod, including Digital. I lost track of it over the Winter. I'll have to dig out more info, I seem to remember a discussion on here about that.

Once again, did a search and found 'wa4umr' was all over it:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?9,3414512,3414512#msg-3414512

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought we were all moving to 'Software-Defined
> Radio'. There was some info on it being
> programable de-mod, including Digital. I lost
> track of it over the Winter. I'll have to dig out
> more info, I seem to remember a discussion on here
> about that.
>
> Once again, did a search and found 'wa4umr' was
> all over it:
>
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?9,3
> 414512,3414512#msg-3414512

The migration to SDR, Software Defined Radio will happen but it won't be overnight. Kind of like the railroads converting to NXDN but slower. I try to keep up to date on the status. I'll be going to Dayton in May and should have an update after that. Right now I'm not expecting anything new but I could be pleasantly surprised. A lot of protocols are open source or the license is not cost prohibited. Apparently neither of those apply to NXDN. The rep I talk to at Kenwood has hands on experience wit NXDN and the railroads, so he knows exactly what I'm asking about. The last two years I ask some of the scanner people about it and they didn't know how to spell NXDN.

BTW, thanks for the complement.

John

The rep's for the CS7000 will have a booth at Dayton. Please ask them when they expect NXDN for the radio?

Thanks, Don

We were doing some investigation with SDR at work, we've since moved to other topics and the RE has moved on as well. He was having a lot of trouble with Software Support from a Vendor but I'm not sure which project. The Companies had been merging and buying each other out and the S/W had changed radically. What he started with was not what he ended up with.

Just a heads up.

John,

Thanks for keeping us updated on this topic. Speaking for a lot of people here, we really appreciate your ability to decipher the technical stuff so we can understand it. Years ago I purchased a Motorola HT-1250 when I lived in the DC area because the intermod and bleed over from other transmission sources was horrible and made it difficult to hear railroad transmissions. I have since been sold on the clarity and volume of commercial radios...so it looks like I'll be shelling out a good deal of money when my Motorola goes silent!

Thanks again for all your efforts.