? about radios for airplane ethusiast and elderly person.

ProudDUB

Hey guys, hope this is the right place to ask this. I am looking for help getting my hands on two different radios.

1. I want to get an radio for an airplane enthusiast, who likes to go out to the airport and listen in on communication between the airport and the pilots. How much do radios like these go for, and where (in Dublin) would you get one? It doesn't need to be mega fancy or expensive, as its a prezzie from two broke teens for their Dad.

2. A bog standard radio, that has buttons that you can preset stations on, as well as the standard dial/knob. You know the way car radio consoles have 6 buttons, so that you can preset stations on them? (I presume they are there so drivers won't take their eye off the road while driving.)

I need something like that for an elderly person with arthritis. She bounces around a lot from station to station, but she finds turning the knob on a traditional radio quite hard. Just being able to press a button to tune in her stations, would be much easier for her.

I was in Power City today and saw nothing suitable. The guy I spoke to wasn't even sure if what I am after is even available. They did have fancy internet radios, with preset buttons. But they were a tad on the pricy side. I just need something simpler and cheaper.

Thanks.

pixbyjohn

Have a look here >>>> http://www.cqcomms.com/products_scanners.htm

ProudDUB

150 quid? :eek:

Seriously?

Is that a top of the range model, or are there cheaper ones out there?

His kids only have a budget of about 60 euros.

watty

Scanners you need money. Anything at €60 is likely not much better than rubbish €15 AM/FM/Air combat styled junk.

The other radio only exists as Second hand at adequate quality.

many of the new models with presets are very awkward to program and have NO tuning knob. Some "forget" all the presets each time it's jiggled or batteries changed. Avoid FM & DAB only models.

There are sets with larger easy to tune knob without presets.

Choice of radio in Retail shops is very bad now.

Avoid the €149 Roberts Revival, it's made by Glen Dimplex and is a €6 radio in a box vaguely like the 1960s model. Very poor.

I may have a positive proposal tomorrow.

deaglan169

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Have a look here >>>> http://www.cqcomms.com/products_scanners.htm

typical cq priced 3 times over the rrp, buy off ebay or radio dealer in uk even with postage and exchange rate cheaper than cq for example the bearcat ez133 €149 from cq is approx €74 including parcel motel fee from ebay

pixbyjohn

deaglan169 wrote: »

typical cq priced 3 times over the rrp, buy off ebay or radio dealer in uk even with postage and exchange rate cheaper than cq for example the bearcat ez133 €149 from cq is approx €74 including parcel motel fee from ebay

I would agree but at least he could look at some of these radios in this shop before he buys online.

PauloMN

Something like this one would suit for the air band listener:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bearcat-EZI-33XLT-VHF-UHF-scanner-UBC30XLT/dp/B00864J60C/ref=sr_1_8/280-1158900-5083143?ie=UTF8&qid=1397149689&sr=8-8&keywords=air+band+radio

£53 and new from a reputable supplier, good reviews too specifically from air band listeners.

I would usually recommend that you spend as much time looking for a good base antenna for the radio to use rather than the built-in rubber duck type, but if the person will be visiting the airport to use the radio, that's not as important as he'll be very close to the action. A good mobile antenna might be useful eventually but you can always get that at a later stage. Don't expect great results from any such scanner inside the house with the built-in antenna - I'd say most people are disappointed when they hear zero and pack the scanner away after a few days. A good antenna is crucial when using these radios at home, and they can me made for peanuts if you don't want to buy one.

CQ Comms are VERY expensive for scanners.