General Race Scanning Questions

General Race Scanning Questions
Race Scanning Basics
Scanner Tips/Troubleshooting

Do I have to attend the race to hear it?
Yes. Radio communications from race cars are very limited in transmission distance—normally only a mile or so.

What can I expect to hear at a race on a scanner?
You can hear race car drivers, crew chiefs, spotters, race officials. You can even hear radio and TV broadcasts, provided the race is being carried on radio and TV.

What skill level is needed to operate a scanner?
Normally, if you can read and dial a phone, you can handle most scanners.

What frequency range is needed on a scanner at the races?

Why do I need a headset at the races?
First, to protect and preserve your hearing. Second, to hear your scanner. No stereo headsets (cheap or expensive) block out sound completely. Only Noise Reduction Rated headsets are acceptable at most tracks. Headsets are very important, and they must be lightweight and comfortable with high noise reduction ratings. 24dB and higher ratings are very good.

Is it possible for two people to listen to the same scanner?
Yes. You can connect up to 4 headsets to one scanner with a custom designed accessory called a "splitter."

What does "Audio Modified" mean on some of the scanners you sell?
Some units do not have sufficient audio output through the headphone jack to drive headset(s). An internal modification is made in the audio circuit to increase the volume.

Why would I need over 50 channels since there are only 40 or so race cars?
We sell more 200 channel scanners than all the others combined. Not only do they have more features (some are critical for race use—PL/DPL Tones), but they are much more convenient for fans to use at the tracks.

The prime example is at a two event weekend. With a 200 channel scanner, you can preprogram two series of racing in your scanner prior to arriving at the track. Example: NASCAR SPRINT Cup programmed in the channels 1-100 (By Car #), and NATIONWIDE Series in channels 101-200 (By Car #, but with a slight difference: Car #8 on channel 108, and car #60 on channel 160). Then the second 100 channels for the NATIONWIDE Series Race, then the first 100 again for the SPRINT Cup "Happy Hour" Practice, and on Sunday you are ready for the SPRINT Cup race.

Reprogramming 50 or so frequencies with 7 digits each takes about 15 minutes in a quiet place. Doing it four times in the grandtstand at a racetrack is very difficult, especially if you want to get the correct digits each time. Drinking a six-pack does not improve programming accuracy.

How many drivers can I listen to at a race?
All that you have the frequencies for, plus race officials' frequencies. However, that is not what most experienced scanner fans do during a race. Most scanner users will program all the cars in the scanner, then "lock out" the cars that they do not want to monitor on a constant basis during the race. They monitor 5 or 6 cars and usually Race Control. If they want to go over and listen to any other driver, all they have to do is press "manual", the car number you want and "manual" again to move to any car you already have programmed. If you want to go back to scanning your "scan group," simply press "scan." It is simple to add or remove cars to your "scan group."

What are sub-audible tones? PL/DPL CTCSS?
Sub-audible tones are unheard tones that 2 way radios emit to other 2 ways in their group to cause the squelch circuit to open and enable that radio to receive a message from the transmitting radio. There are 154 tones available on every frequency. The Relm HS-200, RE2000 Alpha, Uniden BC125AT, Uniden SC200 and Uniden SC230 *Scanners can identify these tones and therefore only open their receiver to certain selected tones. Each race car has a tone on their individual frequency. These scanners only respond to the tones and therefore just hear that particular race car when it transmits. Tone codes are programmed in the scanner just like frequencies are entered.

Can I listen to the radio broadcast of the race and have my favorite drivers "break-in" when they talk?
Yes, that can be done with the priority system on the scanner or by using an additional scanner or AM/FM radio and "back feeding" the signal into your headset. "Back Feeding" is a cleaner method and eliminates the "click" or gaps in the radio broadcast. Details on "back feeding" are available along with the diagrams and parts needed list in our "Scanner Tips & Troubleshooting" article.
*The Uniden SC200 unit can only identify 142 tones, however, those are all the tones normally used in racing.

Contact us if you have questions.