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A GENERAL GUIDE TO FREQUENCIES
Reception of the frequencies covered by your scanner is mainly “line-of-sight.” That
means you usually cannot hear stations that are beyond the horizon.
US Weather Frequencies (in MHz)
162.400
162.425
162.450
162.475
162.500
162.525
162.550
Ham Radio Frequencies
Ham radio operators often transmit emergency information when other means of
communication break down. The chart below shows the frequencies the scanner
receives that ham radio operators normally use.
Wavelength
Frequencies (MHz)
10-Meter ...................... 28.000–29.700
6-Meter ........................ 50.000–54.000
2-Meter ........................ 144.000–148.000
70-cm........................... 420.000–450.000
33-cm........................... 902.000–928.000
23-cm........................... 1240.000–1300.000
Birdie Frequencies
Every scanner has birdie frequencies. Birdies are signals created inside the scanner’s
receiver. On rare occasions, birdies can cause interference to channels you want to
listen to.
Birdies typically occur with approximately equal strength with and without the scanner’s
antenna attached. If you receive an interfering signal and suspect that it is a birdie, try
removing the scanner’s antenna. If the interference disappears, the interference may be
the result of other electronic equipment in the vicinity of the scanner. If the interference
remains, it is likely a birdie signal.