anyone recommend a good police scanner???
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I could be wrong (and if I am I'm sure someone will correct me), but I believe that unless you live in a really small town, most PD's are now using trunked systems with encryption so you most likely wont get much.
You would be correct. However you can buy scanners that do pick up the trunked systems for a about $300 more...
While 95% of the time your right it's not always the case though. While a lot of larger cities use trunked systems some cities like Houston Fire and Police are using UHF. City of Fort Worth on the other hand uses a Trunked system in the 800mhz band which encompasses Fort Worth Police, Fire, Tarrant County Sheriff and other fire departments around the area. It really just depends on preference and costs.
To the OP, I would recommend any portable handheld scanner that has trunking abilities. Uniden makes a good product, though I've never used their portables I have used their base stations, and you can't go wrong with a Radio Shack scanner.
I have a Radio Shack Pro-91 (trunking) and a Realistic (Radio Shack) Pro-46. with 150 and 100 channels, respectively. I have found that these do good for everything I need and they both run on 4 AA batteries or AC power.
I hope this helps.
Radar
What you really need to do is figure out who you want to monitor and what type of radios they use. Right now the big shift is toward digital radios. There are very few digital models on the market right now, less than a dozen really. They are going to set you back at least $380 (on sale) if you buy new. If you don't need digital, you can get a good unit for about $50. Most new scanners will do trunking, even the lower price models. As for not being able to hear anything due to encryption, that's just not true. Encryption costs extra money, so most cities/towns don't go for it. Just switching over to digital keeps lots of people from listening in, because most folks won't spend $500 on a new scanner that decodes digital. If you want to learn more, check out radioreference.com
Roger
Roger
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I second that.
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I own a Radio shack portable Hyperscan Pro 70 it scans 50 channels and runs on 6 AA batteries and is quite sufficient Really only pickup 10-15 frequencies in a givin area . Mine is a direct entry you program the frequencies in it works quite well for my needs.
I have a GRECOM PSR 500 digital to listen to most of whats going on around Raleigh NC (90% of Wake County. Local PD,Fire,Sheriff,EMS). And a Radio Shack Pro 95 to listen to stuff that is still analog trunking (NC HP, and a few towns that havent gone digital) also the few conventional (mostly fire/ems dispatch).
A digital scanner a little costly but worth it around central NC.
Frequencies for your area:
http://www.radioreference.com/
A digital scanner a little costly but worth it around central NC.
Frequencies for your area:
http://www.radioreference.com/
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i have an old realistic brand scanner its basic but works great.
I think the only thing illegal on or around 800mhz is cell phones and cordless phones. I think most sold now are digital. Scanners sold in US block the cell phone band.
Nextels and Cell phones good for one on one communications but radio good for group communication.
MDT's (mobile data terminals) or Computer air cards are good for DMV , background checks, email and position location.
Still plenty of info heard on a scanner.... or you can always wait for the evening news a day later.
Nextels and Cell phones good for one on one communications but radio good for group communication.
MDT's (mobile data terminals) or Computer air cards are good for DMV , background checks, email and position location.
Still plenty of info heard on a scanner.... or you can always wait for the evening news a day later.
Incorrect my kind sir!
All are now using trunking unless your town has 1 stop light.
:The new scanners coming out are either dual or triple.
To answer the question. Radioshack the pro 97. I have it they program it for you. And they are a great price and rugged as hell. You can get eithrer a base mobile or handheld. They are triple truking. If you get the handheld also get the 800MHz antena greatly increases signal. You can by the software to instal more codes makes programing easier. From radioshack. You can if in your car install an anttena and hook it to the handheld to get more signal when mobile!
Hope it helps
Its called car to car. I get them everytime. Even when switched to secured line.
The only thing I can not get is taskforce(nar.) they'er on sat-com. Every other chatter I get I hear I know!!!!!
I don't know where you got your information, but it is completely incorrect. There is no law preventing you from buying a scanner that receives 800 MHz. Part of the 800MHz spectrum is blocked in US scanners because people were able to receive cell phone calls, but analog cell phones are pretty much gone now (scanners are still blocked anyway). The public safety bands in the 800MHz spectrum are still "in the clear" as far as being able to monitor them legally. The only way you would be breaking the law, is if you were somehow able to break the encryption that some (not very many, due to cost) agencies use.
While a lot of officers/departments use cell phones and MDTs, there is still a TON of stuff to listen to. The switch to digital comms has actually made things more interesting IMO. Now instead of only being able to hear dispatch (unless the officer is close to your location) you get to hear the officer too, since it is basically a repeater system now. Also, when there is a fire, you can hear the firefighters talking to each other about what is going on.
Since I live in the sticks, our county doesn't use the digital 800MHz band very much, and my Fire Dept. still sticks to our old analog radios.
Roger
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