Railroad Forums 

  • Rear End device and Scanner Question

  • Discussion related to railroad radio frequencies, railroad communication practices, equipment, and more.
Discussion related to railroad radio frequencies, railroad communication practices, equipment, and more.

Moderator: Aa3rt

 #1555841  by Tracer
 
Bought a new scanner and it seems to only allow 3 digits past the decimal point. Rear end devices frequency is 4 digits to the right of the decimal(457.93750). Will this frequency work if im only allowed 3 digits on my scanner?

Thank you
 #1555921  by EMTRailfan
 
Tracer wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:12 am Bought a new scanner and it seems to only allow 3 digits past the decimal point. Rear end devices frequency is 4 digits to the right of the decimal(457.93750). Will this frequency work if im only allowed 3 digits on my scanner?

Thank you
Try to enter it as 457.937. Your scanner may take it that way, or it may jump your entry to the closest capable frequency due to your scanner's spacing. It may change it to 457.940 or something like that. It should still receive the EOTs, but it might have a little more static than normal.
 #1556124  by Mr. NIGHT TRAIN
 
There are different types of scanners. Some scanners show the 4 digits after the decimal point and some show only 3. Years ago there was a demand from all agencies for more individual separate frequencies so the FCC instituted new frequencies that are in between the existing ones. I live in the New York City area where there are thousands of frequencies in use. I found that if I just tried using a scanner that would only take 3 digits I was not getting a clear transmission........rounding was no good. When I upgraded to better scanners I received the transmissions perfectly. The New York City Fire Department went to new frequencies that use 5 digits and now I can receive them perfectly.

NYPD new frequencies
476.56250
476.43750
476.33750

NYFD new frequencies
482.00625
485.00625
482.01875
485.01875

Years ago I listened to NYFD Statens Island dispatch on 154.190. Now I need a scanner that can accept
482.04375 [WQFH238 B 151.4 PL FDNY SI Dispatch Staten Island Dispatch]
That's a big difference. You can still buy scanners that don't accept all the decimal digits and I had to reseach to find ones that take 4 or 5 digits.