I have been scanning at race tracks for almost 25 years. Long before programmable handheld scanners, my first scanning setup consisted of a big old Bearcat 250 mobile scanner hooked up to a huge 12 volt flashlight battery. The entire setup must have weighed 10 pounds and I had to lug it around in a large camera bag! I guarantee you I was the only guy in the stands at The Milwaukee Mile listening to those USAC stock cars go round and round in 1980! Things have changed a bit since then.
It is estimated that there may be upwards of 10% of the fans at a typical NASCAR event “scanner-equipped”. Racetrack scanning has become so popular that it has expanded far beyond NASCAR super racetracks to dirt tracks, racetracks, and even Saturday nights at local short tracks. I have compiled a collection of hints and tips to help you get the most out of your racing scan experience. If you have others to add, please send them to me so we can share them with others. Enjoy!
Why bring a scanner to the races? What can I hear?
Once you’ve experienced a career with a scanner, you’ll be hooked forever. Scanning in races adds that extra “dimension” or layer to the experience. You will be able to listen to conversations between the driver, his crew and the observers. You will hear from the race officials and security teams. You’ll even be able to monitor the action “behind the scenes” of TV and radio broadcast crews. IMPORTANT! One thing you might want to keep in mind regarding listening to race communications, it’s not necessarily for children! Emotions can run high during the racing action and quite often the language can get a bit ‘colorful’, to put it mildly. You may want to consider this if you are easily offended by harsh language. What kind of equipment do I need in the races? The two main elements of a race scan setup are the scanner itself and a noise canceling headset.
First – The scanner. What type of scanner will you need? It really depends on your needs or your budget. Almost any handheld scanner will work in the races. They are available with as few as 10 or as many as 5,000 channels! Price wise, expect to spend as little as $75 to over $400. The most popular frequency ranges are 150 – 174 megahertz and 450 – 470 megahertz. There is some, but not much racing activity on the 800 megahertz band. Popular “racing” scanners are the Uniden Sportcat 200 and 230, Racing Electronics RE-2000, and Radio Shack Pro 99. A couple of features that are really nice are the alpha displays, which allow you to program the driver’s name instead. frequency-only and CTCSS or tone function, which allows you to program a certain tone code on a channel to help reduce interference.
The second thing you’ll need is a good quality noise-reducing headset. Racing is LOUD! A headset will not only help protect your hearing, but it will also help you hear your scanner more clearly. They are available in various styles to suit your personal preferences. You can also get the little foam-in-ear devices similar to what drivers wear. Some other accessories you might consider are a “racing” or spike antenna, which will help reduce local interference, a leg strap to help keep your scanner secure while watching the race, and a headphone splitter or “unit.” Boostaroo” so you can bring a second earbud so your friend can listen too. Don’t forget the extra batteries! Nothing worse than running out of “juice” in the middle of the race. Where can I buy a race scan setup? You can purchase a complete setup as close as your local Radio Shack store. Some specialist vendors that sell racing scan equipment are Racing Electronics and Racing Radios.
If you’re still not sure if you’re ready to buy a setup, most of these providers also offer rentals. These providers have trailers that offer equipment at most of the larger races.
OK, I have my scanner and headphones, now where do I find the frequencies?
While you can find information for free on the Internet, most of it is out of date, incomplete, or just plain wrong. I highly recommend purchasing updates from one of the vendors above. Well worth the few dollars it costs. They have information on national series like NASCAR, IRL, and Champ Car. Most of the newer scanners are computer programmable. You can even take them to the provider’s trailer at the track and get the latest frequencies loaded right to your radio while you wait.
The new Uniden SC230 scanner comes with the frequencies for Nextel Cup, Busch Grand National, Craftsman Trucks, Champ Car and IRL already programmed! For regional series, your options are more limited. For fans of the Midwest, we have created the Midwest Racing Frequencies website. Contains information for local tracks as well as regional touring series such as ASA Late Models, Big 8 Series, and MidAm Limited Late Models. Information on the Midwest Racing Frequencies website can be found at; www.midwestracingfrequencies.com
Tips on the track
1 – Do everything you can before leaving home. If you can get frequency information before the race, you’ll save a lot of time by pre-programming your scanner before you hit the track. Don’t forget extra batteries, paper and pencil to take notes, and sunscreen. Packing a plastic bag to put your scanner in in case of sudden rain is also a nice addition.
2 – Programming advice. A popular trick is to program the frequencies so that the channel number is the same as the car number. For example, I would program Mark Martin, Car #6 on channel 6 of his scanner. That way, during the race, if you want to quickly switch to a particular car, you can manually switch to that channel. With newer scanners with alpha screens, it’s much easier to keep track of who’s who.
3 – Don’t try to hear everything! In a big race, there’s just too much going on. Choose the leaders or your favorites and block everything else. It also helps to have race control on your scouting list. In the big races, you can also listen to TV and radio broadcasts (MRN broadcasts on 454,000 Mhz). Some tracks will broadcast the track’s PA on a scanner frequency or low power FM radio station. However, these transmissions will “block” your scanner, since they are continuously transmitting. You’ll have to block and change them manually if you want to listen.
4 – Get to the track early. If there is a provider that sells racing frequencies there, this will give you a good chance of checking it out or programming your scanner for you. Buy a souvenir program. They will have the lineups so you know who to listen to.
5 – Practice and qualifying are a good time to check the frequencies. Taking notes now will help you during the race. Hear spotters and crew chiefs talking to drivers. You may be able to tell “who’s who” when passing or pitting.
6 – When the drivers get into their cars before the race it is a good time to listen to the radio checks. Pacing lapses and caution periods are also the time when radio traffic increases.
7 – If you are using the search mode on your scanner to try to find new frequencies, limit your search to smaller ranges at a time. The 450 to 470 Mhz range will cover almost all race communications. Some racing officials will use frequencies in the 150 – 174 Mhz range. Even if you already have an accurate list, you can usually find some new stuff using the search function.
8 – Take good notes!
Using your scanner really adds a new dimension to the “racing experience” and on top of that, it’s just plain FUN! As you can see, racing scanning can seem challenging at first. The more you do it, the better. I’ll get to work. I have gone to a race with almost no information and by using these techniques I have found over 90% of the field by the time the race was over.
Happy scanning and see you at the races!
By Scott W. Lowry Editor, Midwest Racing Frequencies
