New Scanner Help

[nibnoses]

Ok, I know that eavesdropping on your local police and fire are not easy now days (or cheap) due to all the new technology used in this day and age but I'm willing to give it a try. Being a former volunteer firefighter, I miss some of the action. Here is the problem, I'm not sure which type of scanner I need to buy with all the technology these days. I'm just wanting to listen in on the action without spending an arm and a leg for a base scanner (fire, police, EMS) and I'm not sure if I want analog or digital. Any input would be greatly appreciated. If it means anything I reside in Barnesville Ohio, Thanks again in advance!

 

[captclint]

I'm not sure which type of scanner I need to buy with all the technology these days. I'm just wanting to listen in on the action without spending an arm and a leg for a base scanner (fire, police, EMS) and I'm not sure if I want analog or digital. Any input would be greatly appreciated. If it means anything I reside in Barnesville Ohio, Thanks again in advance!

Welcome to RR and the high tech scanning world. Bad news. You need a digital Base scanner $400-$600 as most of Belmont is on this system: Ohio MARCS - Multi-Agency Trunking System
If you can swing, people can give you recommendations.

 

[nibnoses]

I can't say that I mind paying a good price for a great scanner, but I want to be sure I get the correct unit for my location. I'd hate to pay $400-600 for a unit that doesn't pick up in my area.
Recommendations please.

 

[bailly2]

barnesville police is on the belmont county trunked system, they are using digital p25 mode. to hear them your going to need a digital p25 scanner $300+, unless you have an analog trunking scanner and can hook up the scanner's discriminator tap to the computer's line in jack and run the dsd computer program to decode p25. that would be cheaper but you need someone that know electronics to solder the connection inside the scanner. with any scanner you can hear belmont county fire on 155.76, belmont ems on 155.28

belmont county trunked system Belmont County Trunking System, St. Clairsville, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies

 

[bailly2]

also, is barnesville police encrypted? it says just digital unencrypted, but i have seen radioreference database listing that said unencrypted but went encrypted. i would want to make sure before buying an expensive digital scanner

 

[bailly2]

3rd thing, just noticed there are many sites in the belmont county trunked system and they are all using the same frequencies which means they are using LSM, which will cause alot of annoying simulcast distortion, so i would recommend buying the uniden bcd436hp or bcd536hp, the best scanners you can buy for dealing with multiple towers transmitting on the same frequency at the same time.

 

[N8IAA]

I can't say that I mind paying a good price for a great scanner, but I want to be sure I get the correct unit for my location. I'd hate to pay $400-600 for a unit that doesn't pick up in my area.
Recommendations please.

You will be fine with the Whistler 1040/1065. You will pay $100 to $200 less than the Uniden x36HP's cost.
Belmont county is basically on their Motorola system. Digital for law enforcement, Analog for fire and others.
HTH,
Larry

 

[nibnoses]

Thanks for all the input guys, I'm thinking the Whistler 1040 is more in my price range.

Thanks again and standby, I may need a little help with programming!