Scanners

[Ali]

[harrypalmer]

[Lightspeed]

Ali, you are right. Expensive and time consuming, unless there is an emergency.

Not having communications equipment, or having it but not knowing how to use it could be a problem after a big event.

What HP recommends ( UV5r) is a good building block. Add a shortwave capable receiver to that to have a wide rage of listening options and the UV5r will also give you the ability to communicate on two Ham bands, marine, and PMR446.

See radio communications PREPCOM standard on the main SUK site.

[Ali]

[Ali]

Hmm think I need to ponder about this some more, the need for a licence to use this radio brings the price up to the scanner price range anyway.
Many of the people chatting about these radios all say its difficult to set up, some taking two days to find the info and set up stuff, needing to by program leads etc, plus the distance for transmit can be limited by hills, mountains etc.
I just want to hear whats going on, not discuss and inadvertantly give my location away.
So i'm looking for a scanner that picks up everything - wide mhz range with AM-FM-VHF-UHF ETC. Who knows what stuff frequences might be jammed out!

[harrypalmer]

Training and the Boafeng are still cheaper than some single use scanner.

Give your location away? Nonsense, won't happen.

If you just want to listen get a multiband receiver, Sony do some nice ones but not in your budget, look at Grundig for cheap options.

[Lightspeed]

[CharlesHarris]

[Lightspeed]

Nice radio suggested by CH, especially the SSB version.

Experience tells me that you should expect the final price paid for one landed in UK will be the Dollar value, with a Pound sign substituting the Dollar sign:-(

[Ali]

Very greatful for all the input (and time taken). I will do my research and look into this in more detail, but I think the multiband scanner might be the best option for myself.
I like the idea of the uv5r, but its limited in its bandwidth options. Plus the thought of putting my name and address on some ham radio licence list does not sound such a good plan, even the FBI have been hacked, and too many radio hams are known preppers. Its a ripe place to look when people get desperate during an event. I remember back in the day locating other CB radio users just by the signal strength. I realise I could just receive with a uv5r, but why limit myself to a small radio area, with no MW,LW, AM, etc.
Very interesting topic this, that has brought up many twists and turns for me.