Portable Radio receiver (recommended )

[Carb63]

I was wondering if anyone at the forum has used portable 2 way radios , also, the receiver to hear pilot communication that the courses mentioned. (1way only) receiving of course. What does the forum members highly recommend?

 

[sdold]

I don't think it would be that useful unless you're going to be flying near the approach or departure end of a runway. Is that what you're planning to do? On the downwind leg, planes are usually 800' or higher, and even on crosswind or base leg they wouldn't normally be below 500' or so. It might be useful near a helipad in a metropolitan area, but I think even that's a stretch. People transiting through the area at altitudes low enough to be a factor aren't typically making calls in the blind announcing their position.

 

[Carb63]

I don't think it would be that useful unless you're going to be flying near the approach or departure end of a runway. Is that what you're planning to do? On the downwind leg, planes are usually 800' or higher, and even on crosswind or base leg they wouldn't normally be below 500' or so. It might be useful near a helipad in a metropolitan area, but I think even that's a stretch. People transiting through the area at altitudes low enough to be a factor aren't typically making calls in the blind announcing their position.

I was curious because it’s mentioned in the course I am taking. I guess there referring to having the ability to hear plane traffic if your in rural areas , around mountains, and such. What about 2 way radios? For use on commercial missions?

 

[sdold]

What about 2 way radios? For use on commercial missions?

For you to communicate with others on your team? FRS radios would be good for that if you're not at a congested location like a ski resort. They are good up to maybe a half mile or so. For longer distances better quality GMRS radios are pretty good.

As far as hearing pilots in rural areas, they aren't likely to be on the radio talking about it so there would be nothing to hear.

 

[johnmeyer]

I was wondering if anyone at the forum has used portable 2 way radios , also, the receiver to hear pilot communication that the courses mentioned. (1way only) receiving of course. What does the forum members highly recommend?

Pretty much any scanner will let you listen to pilots and the tower. Many of the police and fire organizations are switching to digital so these scanners aren't as popular as they once were, but aircraft radio is still analog and unencrypted, so you'll have no problem listening to their chatter.

I still have my 30+ year-old Uniden Bearcat, and you can still buy a later-model version of this:

Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner

I am not current on this technology so I have no idea whether this is the model to get, although Amazon does show it as the #1 best seller.

You can listen to approach and departure control when the planes are a long way out. They then get handed off to the local tower for the actual approach to the airport. Once on ground, they switch to ground control. Planes which are taxiing out to the runway to takeoff also use the ground control frequency.

So, if I were operating near an airport and wanted to know everything about planes that were coming and going, I'd enter the tower and ground control frequencies into one bank of the scanner and have it simply scan continuously through those two frequencies. I'd also find the approach charts for each runway, and learn how to know which one is being used that day. The approach plates will show you the recommended approach altitudes.

 

[Carb63]

Thank you.

 

[Carb63]

Pretty much any scanner will let you listen to pilots and the tower. Many of the police and fire organizations are switching to digital so these scanners aren't as popular as they once were, but aircraft radio is still analog and unencrypted, so you'll have no problem listening to their chatter.

I still have my 30+ year-old Uniden Bearcat, and you can still buy a later-model version of this:

Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner

I am not current on this technology so I have no idea whether this is the model to get, although Amazon does show it as the #1 best seller.

You can listen to approach and departure control when the planes are a long way out. They then get handed off to the local tower for the actual approach to the airport. Once on ground, they switch to ground control. Planes which are taxiing out to the runway to takeoff also use the ground control frequency.

So, if I were operating near an airport and wanted to know everything about planes that were coming and going, I'd enter the tower and ground control frequencies into one bank of the scanner and have it simply scan continuously through those two frequencies. I'd also find the approach charts for each runway, and learn how to know which one is being used that day. The approach plates will show you the recommended approach altitudes.

Awesome info. Thx

 

[Mavic Mac]

I was curious because it’s mentioned in the course I am taking. I guess there referring to having the ability to hear plane traffic if your in rural areas , around mountains, and such. What about 2 way radios? For use on commercial missions?

Just curious which course you are taking - I am getting ready to take a course to get my certificate.

 

[Carb63]

Udemy remote pilot $10.99

 

[Carb63]

But I also refer back to YouTube and review the charts and airspace and weather taf and Metar’s that are shown.

 

[Mavic Mac]

Udemy remote pilot $10.99

Thanks

 

[tmtwomey]

If you have an Android phone that you're not using to fly with, you can use the app LiveATC to listen to ATC communications. I'm sure the same or a similar app is available for IOS

 

[Thomas B]

If you’re flying legally and your flight doesn’t require a waiver I don’t see where it would be useful, even tough it could be interesting if not too much of a distraction.

 

[Maviac]

I was wondering if anyone at the forum has used portable 2 way radios , also, the receiver to hear pilot communication that the courses mentioned. (1way only) receiving of course. What does the forum members highly recommend?

I have an aviation transceiver (an old Sporty’s SP-200) that I use as a backup while airplane flying, but have never bothered with it for drone flying. It would take luck to figure out what frequency any particular pilot was on (unless you are close to an airport and tune the CTAF). Anyone communicating with the local ARTCC would be flying well above the SUAS allowable heights. Also, unless something is changed recently, FCC rules do not allow transmissions without a license if you’re not actually in an airplane, but I think you were referring mostly to receiving abilities.

I turn it on occasionally to listen to traffic at the local airport, but just for fun.

Edit: sorry - CTAF = Common Traffic Advisory Frequency, used around airports to make traffic calls and advise of flying in the airport. ARTCC = Air Route Traffic Control Center, commonly referred to as “XXXX (geographic area) Center,” which controls air traffic on instrument plans and VFR traffic using flight following; deals with most US IFR air traffic communications after handover from departure control facility and before approach control.

 

[Carb63]

Thanks

Best of luck. Hope to see your work soon

 

[theDRONEranger]

I thought the 2 way radios were once required! I was thinking in B Airspace, but I can’t remember.

 

[Drbobk]

Also, unless something is changed recently, FCC rules do not allow transmissions without a license if you’re not actually in an airplane, but I think you were referring mostly to receiving abilities.

I was granted a Certificate of Authorization to fly up to 100’ (in a 0’ ceiling area in the UAS facilities map) in Class D airspace near my home in FL. In the application I wrote:

“In the unlikely event of a "fly-away" in which the drone stops responding to remote commands, I will either call the tower immediately, or use
my air-band radio to alert nearby traffic of the location and direction/altitude of the drone (if such a broadcast is not against some other regulation that you might alert me to in your response to this authorization request).”

FWIW, in approving my application they didn’t mention anything about using the two way radio being against regs, but of course the FAA granted the authorization, not the FCC. In any case, I’d rather face the consequences of using a radio illegally than having my drone climb up into the traffic pattern and endanger manned aircraft without giving them a warning.

The radio is an old Sporty’s model, I think maybe A300 (radio is in FL, I’m not).

 

[Drbobk]

I thought the 2 way radios were once required! I was thinking in B Airspace, but I can’t remember.

As I recall, that’s the requirement for aircraft before they can enter Class B airspace. That Reg was written before drones...and I assume only pertains to manned aircraft.

 

[AMann]

As mentioned above, I was specifically asked by our local airport to carry a two-way transceiver in order to be able to both monitor air traffic and to announce an emergency if I had androne out of control while doing some aerial work nearby them. This is a good radio also used by pilots as a backup radio. You can find it used for less on EBay as well:

Yaesu FTA550 Handheld VHF Transceiver Amazon.com: Yaesu FTA550 Handheld VHF Transceiver: GPS & Navigation

 

[kingsnake11]

I can certainly vouch for the Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner as it's been absolutely problem free and works great to listen to local air frequencies, especially when mated to a diamond antenna. As to transceivers, while it may be a good idea to have one, especially near places that may put you close to flight paths, there are specific requirements before you can actually use it to talk. In Canada, you need to have a ROC-A certification (restricted operators certificate-air). The main reason to have a transceiver for us RPAS/sUAV pilots is to report immediate problems such as flyaways. As part of the flight preparation procedure, you should have a look at the charts and/or airport info and record the reporting telephone number....as a cell phone to call in such incidents is deemed to meet the requirements to report. Well, it is in Canada, can't speak for other places. I generally have my Bearcat scanning and have the phone numbers of nearby towers/operators handy.