[net.aviation] new Sony AIR-8 AIR/VHF-hi/LF/AM/FM scanner radio

parnass@ihu1h.UUCP (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) (01/17/85)

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	  New Sony AIR-8 VHF-HI/AIR/AM/FM/LF Scanner


   Sony, a well	 known	name  in  the  consumer	 electronics
   business,  has introduced a portable	scanner	aimed parti-
   cularly at aviation enthusiasts.  Here is the information
   I have:

   Frequency coverage includes:

      -	commercial aviation 108	-136 MHz.
      -	low frequency weather 200 - 400	KHz.
      -	vhf-hi public service 144 - 174	MHz.
      -	AM commercial broadcast
      -	FM commercial broadcast

   There  are  10  memory  channels  in	 each  of  4  bands.
   Apparently,	channels in different bands cannot be inter-
   mixed.  The unit will "scan the entire aero band  at	 the
   touch of a button in	either direction."

   Appearing as	a  cross  between  an  ICOM  IC02A  2  meter
   walkie-talkie  and a	piece of aero nav equipment, the top
   of the  Air-8  contains  rotary  bandswitch,	 along	with
   squelch and volume controls.	 A top mounted BNC connector
   joins the flexible antenna with the radio.  The back	 lit
   LCD	display	on the front displays frequency	and prompts.
   No speaker grille is	visible	in the picture I have!

   Selectable delay on a  per-channel  basis,  and  priority
   channel  sample  are	 enabled by front panel	pushbuttons.
   The Air-8 also has jacks for	 earphone  and	external  AM
   antenna.  Power is supplied by 4 AA batteries.

   The price I saw quoted was $269.
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Bob Parnass,  Bell Telephone Laboratories - ihnp4!ihu1h!parnass - (312)979-5414