Is this a decent scanner for railfanning? https://www.amazon.com/Uniden-BC125...id=1533693022&sr=8-1&keywords=bearcat+bc125at
I looked at that one, but for less than $20 more, I can get 500 channels vs. 300. More is better in this case, right?
I have a 100 Channel pocket scanner (an older Uniden model) and find that 100 Channels are plenty enough for railfanning. I have a different 10-Channel "bank" for each railroad, including rear-end-device channels. Our local law enforcement has moved to a new technology that I can't receive, so aside from railroads, hams on 2-Meter and a scattering of fire departments, there's not much else to listen to. I met a fan that used a Baofeng pocket scanner and he was pulling in all sorts of rail conversations that I couldn't. Baofeng has a reputation for being tough to program, but I have no idea if that's true or not. Be sure that the batteries are common size (AA or AAA) rechargables. You don't want to get stuck with any model requiring a proprietary battery pack.
This one comes with two NiMh AA batteries, and it can also use alkaline. I see BaoFeng two-way radios on Amazon, but no scanners.
FYI - two way radios are usable as scanners, too. From an article on police scanning, but applies to all applications. (https://www.policeone.com/police-pr...o-know-about-criminals-on-police-frequencies/) "The Baofeng and similar radios will program any public safety frequency in the VHF (150-174 MHz) and UHF (450-475MHz) bands. They will not interface with the upper UHF bands in the 700/800MHz frequency ranges or operate on trunked or cellular-based systems. But, the vast majority of US police agencies still operate on radio channels compatible with the little $30 technological wonders. The programmable portables are sold for use by amateur radio, HAM operators for use on their two-meter and 70-centimeter bands, which are adjacent to the public safety bands. They can be user programmed with up to 128 channels using the keyboard on the face or by computer software and have up to eight watts of transmit power. The units can monitor two channels simultaneously or scan through all the programmed channels. Preppers and Militia-types are buying these radios by the boatloads."
I have owned scanners for about fifty years. It is rare that anyone uses that many channels. Very rare. Only someone who virtually lives with theirs. The most I ever had programmed was just over 100. And that was all listening interests: railroads, police, fire, weather, aircraft operations, etc, etc.
You're right. I just looked at the model that the fan carries and it's as you describe -- a two way radio. I read a bit more and some owners think it makes a poor scanner because the scan rate is too slow.
I sometimes enjoy listening to Internet railfan scanner audio websites, especially when I get a bit homesick for days long ago in IL and NJ. Our house is below a ridgeline, so I can barely receive anything. I placed a scanner antenna in the attic and it helps a small bit. I once had a Bearcat desktop scanner and it was excellent in the receptivity department, but it was very old and finally quit. I'm tempted at times to buy a used desktop unit on eBay. I don't need trunk tracking and all of today's modern jazz, so some of the older units are affordable. Remember the old crystal sets? My first scanner was a 10-Channel Regency, bought in 1975 from Pro Custom Hobbies. It was excellent, but I had to buy specific crystals for each frequency I wanted to monitor.
I reverse my thoughts on sourcing a cheap desktop scanner from eBay -- I just checked and there's a wide gap between my definition of "affordable" and their pricing.
