Everyone is using some nice scanners.
I have a handheld Radio Shack Pro-64 to listen to the Washinton, D.C. MetroRail Trains. I use an AC adapter for my Pro-64. This scanner is connected to a simple Radio Shack ground plane antenna with 19 inch radials about 12 feet in the air.
I also use my Yaesu VX-2R to listen to the MetroRail system at home or when I'm traveling around Northern Virginia. I have two SMA antennas for the VX-2R.
My main rail scanner is my Icom IC-2100 with an MFJ 5/8 wave ground plane antenna in the attic and 25 feet of RG-58 cable.
I can program the IC-2100 to scan between 160.215 and 161.565. I am able to hear Metro Trains all the way in New Carrolton. I am south of the Dunn Loring Metro station. I haven't heard much on Amtrak's road channel 54 (160.920 MHz) though. I might be too far from the railroads. I'm about 8 miles from the Alexandria - King Street Station and 6 miles from the Springfield - Franconia station.
I have a handheld Radio Shack Pro-64 to listen to the Washinton, D.C. MetroRail Trains. I use an AC adapter for my Pro-64. This scanner is connected to a simple Radio Shack ground plane antenna with 19 inch radials about 12 feet in the air.
I also use my Yaesu VX-2R to listen to the MetroRail system at home or when I'm traveling around Northern Virginia. I have two SMA antennas for the VX-2R.
My main rail scanner is my Icom IC-2100 with an MFJ 5/8 wave ground plane antenna in the attic and 25 feet of RG-58 cable.
I can program the IC-2100 to scan between 160.215 and 161.565. I am able to hear Metro Trains all the way in New Carrolton. I am south of the Dunn Loring Metro station. I haven't heard much on Amtrak's road channel 54 (160.920 MHz) though. I might be too far from the railroads. I'm about 8 miles from the Alexandria - King Street Station and 6 miles from the Springfield - Franconia station.