Scanner Frequencies

[Napoleon]

Where can I get the best up to date scanner frequencies for Champcar?

[TravelGal]

In April I copied a page from www.racebyrace.com/drivers

Now I see that it's changed to a series of downloads for Uniden scanners. It might work. ??

I'll keep looking. I know there are others.

LUCKY YOU NAPOLEON!

[pfc_m_drake]

http://motorsports.thepaddock.com/freqs/cart_freqs.html

Edit: Not sure if they're completely up to date, but this is where I usually start.

[TravelGal]

Yes, I just found that one, finally. The hardest thing is that the drivers keep changing so figuring out which is which can be a real challenge when you get down to the bottom feeders.

Those all look correct, at least as far as Long Beach. That's the only one I've had the opportunity to check. :(

Also,
Sperafico 467.1000
Wirdheim 452.7500
Bremer 457.7500

I never bothered to write down Fabrizio DelMonte so I have no clue how to find his successor.

Wondering if Servia now has Junquiera's. I would think so, which means Servia's now belongs to......... ah you get it.

[cyclepath]

Where can I get the best up to date scanner frequencies for Champcar?
For a complete list... see Racing Radios in the champcar tranporter (T1) ...usually free of charge. (on a limited supply)

[Greasy Side Down]

Go to Racefreqs.com

[Steve99]

Any advice on buying a scanner? I'm thinking about picking one up this summer.

[TravelGal]

Any advice on buying a scanner? I'm thinking about picking one up this summer.

This morning I typed Scanner Frequencies into google and one of the top sites was a blow by blow on Uniden scanners. Gives you a good idea of what's out there. I bought a new one from Radio Shack that is obviously the same thing as a Uniden. Then the thing didn't work worth a darn at LB. Fortunately I had my old scanner with me. That one was the same so it must have been where I was sitting. Just in case, however, I'm not going to mention exactly what I bought.

I did notice that there was a relatively cheap one called "race scanner." The advantage of that one, that I didn't see on any of the others was that you could put in the car number so both the number and the frequency came up along with the channel number. Very handy for races.

[Gizmologist]

I'd recommend the Uniden SC230. The one feature that makes it stand out is that it offers DCS/CTCSS squelching. "What's that???" In layman's terms, it's like the "privacy codes" on TalkAbout FRS radios. The number one pain in the butt with scanners is all the non-racing traffic you pick up from caterers, track security, taxi dispatchers, school bus drivers, track maintenance staff, etc. that use the same frequencies that the cars on the track. Perviously the best solution was it use a "stub" antenna that weakened the distant non-racing radio traffic enough that it won't come through. But that doesn't help with the closer interference... I don't care that the bathrooms in the infield needs toilet paper, or some suite needs more fried chicken!

Enter DCS and CTCSS... CTCSS is the exact same thing as the "privacy codes" on the TalkAbouts. When the driver presses the "talk" button on their radio, a sound tone ("sub-audible") is added to the signal. A receiver set to "listen" for the same tone will only allow audio through that contains the proper tone. This is why the teams aren't bothered with the other people they share the frequency with. DCS is the same, but it uses a "digital" code to eliminate the other traffic.

If you're a member of The Frequency Fan Club, their freq sheets contain the DCS or CTCSS codes the teams are using. Even if you don't have a membership, DCS/CTCSS scanners will report any codes to you it detects during scanning if you desire. In a matter of times, you will have elimated the unwanted traffic.

There are a couple of easily found "race" scanners that are on the market that offer this type of sequelching.... The Radio Shack Pro-99 and the Uniden SC230. However, the RS scanner ONLY offers CTCSS sequelching. Only about 2/3 of the current CART and IRL fields use CTCSS radios... the rest use DCS.

The SC230 also has another feature that you might find useful... They call it "Close Call"... the scanner contains what's commonly known as a "Frequency Counter." Simply put, when the scanner it set to "Close Call", the radio will immediately tune to any strong radio signal it finds. "So, what's that mean to me?" Well, if you're in the pits and don't know which frequency a certain car is using... go near the car's pit stand and wait for the crew to make a transmission... That's a "strong signal"... BINGO, you have the frequency!

Both radios are computer programmable... but the data cable (takes a 9-pin serial PC connection!) is extra from Radio Shack (or cheaper 3rd party cables off of eBay). The cable is included with the Uniden scanner. The RS required 3rd party software to program, you can buy programming software for the Uniden from Uniden's web site. It'll save your fingers from going numb punching rubber buttons for an hour!

The RS Pro-99 will run you $169 at your local Radio Shack. The Uniden SC230 can be had from Sam's Club.com for $189. You can also find it a little cheaper from reputable scanner dealers on eBay.

[nrc]

Wow. What are you, some kind of Gizmologist?

Wait. Nevermind. :)

[KLang]

Any advice on buying a scanner? I'm thinking about picking one up this summer.

Another vote for the Uniden Sport Cat line. We've got a couple of the older SC200's. They have worked great. Really like the PC programming and alphanumeric display. With the alphanumeric display you can set the scanner to display the drivers name rather then the car number or frequency. As Gizmologist pointed out you will likely need a USB to serial adapter and the software is extra. Looks like the current SC230 uses regular AA batterys while the SC200 uses a rechargable battery pack. I would prefer the AA option.

[Gizmologist]

KLang,

I agree about the dedicated rechargables vs. standard AA's. I don't like being locked into the maker's rechargeable pack. If the pack runs down mid-race, you're hosed. With AA's you have the choice of alkalines or NiMH rechargeables and it's a lot more flexible. The Uniden SC230 does indeed only take 2 AA's. My first Radio Shack scanner took 6(!) AA's, the next two took 4, and the Pro-99 takes 3.

And I second the importance of the text display feature. With my first couple of scanners that didn't offer text display, I had to use a scheme where I'd program the frequencies used by "Car 5" into channels, 5, 105, 205, etc. and just rely on the last two digits of the channel to tell me who was talking. That assumed that I could quickly translate car number to driver name... which took longer for some drivers. Text display eliminates all that hassle.

[KLang]

In April I copied a page from www.racebyrace.com/drivers

Now I see that it's changed to a series of downloads for Uniden scanners. It might work. ??


I downloaded the Uniden file and it seems to agree with the other sources available plus the recent driver changes are also included. This means I'm set up for Toronto. :)

[Tom Slick]

While on the subject of scanners.
Does anyone have experience with Audio/Video Receivers?
I would expect to be able to receive the public broadcast feed.
But can you receive the in-car camera video?
http://www.icomamerica.com/products/receivers/r3/

[Gizmologist]

Here's a link that might help: http://www.rayvaughan.com/nascar.htm


While on the subject of scanners.
Does anyone have experience with Audio/Video Receivers?
I would expect to be able to receive the public broadcast feed.
But can you receive the in-car camera video?
http://www.icomamerica.com/products/receivers/r3/

[KLang]

Any Cleveland attendees have any frequency updates?