Nebie question about BC246T in HarCo

[flstf99]

Hi gang, I'm a total newbie when it comes to scanners, but I'm not new to technology and communications. I just opened the box this afternoon and have gotten comfortable with the menuig system on the BC246T. I have keypad programmed a couple of conventional freqs from local Harford County systems and also tried to program some Moto Type II Trunk systems. Not sure what I'm missing but all I seem to get when scanning is a periodic static. I'm just wondering if I have the wrong system types or something. The only thing I have been able to get voice on is weather and CD channels (19). I'm using the following links for freq's.

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1200

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=2846

http://www.trunktracker.com/states/md.html

I have not downloaded any firmware, patches, or programming software as I wanted to become comfortable with the keypad programming first.

Suggestions from anyone familiar with Harford Count, Northern Baltimore County freq/s and systems.

Thanks in advance,

-Brian (flstf99)

 

[ka3jjz]

Let's start by eliminating one source of confusion....
The 2nd link tells the story - there's only 1 or 2 talkgroups on the Harford system that the 246 could hear, the rest will be just noise. How much of that first link is still good, I don't know - I thought most of the sheriff and town stuff was now on the trunk, and the county services, for the most part, stayed conventional.

To hear the Harford 800 system, you will need a BC396, 296 or 796; or from the RS/GRE side, a PRO-96 or PRO-2096. We have a full page on each of these scanners in the Wiki section (which you can get to by simply going to the top blue tool bar, and clicking 'Wiki', then select 'Uniden Scanners' or 'Radio Shack Scanners' from the list on the right about 2/3 down the page)

I would not use the trunktracker db for anything, as it's WAY out of date in many respects (Heck, it still lists the OLD Anne Arundel system).... Here's the link from the RadioReference database that lists the Baltimore county systems; with a decent antenna, at least some of these will be audible to you...

Baltimore county page

73s Mike

 

[flstf99]

Mike, I appreciate your quick and candid response. I jumped into the 246T for a couple of reasons. One was it fit my budget, two was it got pretty good reviews, three I didn't do enough homework in my specific area to know NOT to buy it.

I hope I can get some use out of it.

I'll try your link and report back.

Thanks again,

-Brian

 

[TinEar]

Unfortunately Brian, your story is all too common. Someone new to scanning just doesn't get the info from the sellers that they need to know the differences between conventional/analog and digital trunked systems and what will or won't work in the buyers' areas. As Mike pointed out, you need one of the digital capable scanners for Harford County. From anywhere in Harford, you should be able with the 246 to receive both Baltimore County's and Anne Arundel County's trunked systems. In addition, there are a few hundred conventional frequencies in this area which should work well in that scanner. If I can help with those conventional frequencies, let me know and I'll send you a list of a couple of hundred police/fire to get you started.
(I edited out an offer to send you a list of military air frequencies in case you were interested in those after I remembered the 246 does not have the 225-400 mHz MilAir band capabilities.)

Alan

 

[flstf99]

Thanks very much Alan. PM incoming.