Newbie Here......need some help

[cjprowant]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the scanning hobby. (Actually my father is. I am trying to assist.)

He received a new BC278CLT for christmas. Based on what I have read, we are going to be limited on what we can do with this model. Please assist as much as you can.

Questions:

Does anyone have a list of channels we can listen to in the Oceana County Area?

How do I get the scanner to recognize those channels?

Will this scanner pick up Michigan State Police?

What are going to be tha major difficulties with this model?

We would like to listen in on:

Local Police For Shelby
Hart Police
Oceana County Police
New Era Police
Rothbury Police
Oceana County Central Dispatch
Oceana County Ambulance
Shelby Fire Dept.
Hart Fire Dept.
Coast Guard


That is all I can think of right now. Thanks in advance for the assistance......

[cjprowant]

Also,

Is it legal to carry a portible scanner in a vehicle in Michigan that monitors police band?

Thanks......

[n211cr]

Start here http://www.radioreference.com/module...e=RR&ctid=1290
for the frequencies you need to enter in for your county. If the smaller cities you have listed are also in Oceana county then Central Dispatch will probably cover them as well.

As for the coast guard I know some of their operations are now on MPSCS the statewide Digital system that the MSP also uses, your scanner will not be able to track any of these systems. There are probably other Coast Guard channels that are not on MPSCS, but I am not sure what those are.

It is illegal to equip a vehicle with a scanner that picks up police frequencies in the state of Michigan. While I would take the law as not to have a scanner in your vehicle at any time, some have fought and won, saying a portable is not equipping the vehicle. There are 2 exceptions to this law. If you hold an Amateur Radio license, or if you hold a permit from the MSP, then you can legally carry the scanner in the vehicle. The permit from the MSP usually only takes a week or two and is very easy to get, I have heard both ways that they do background checks but for most thats probably not a problem. Here is where you get that form.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/com-022_8561_7.pdf

[seamusg]

It looks like your county is on MPSCS sysyem, which your scanner won't receive. For the little that's left see:
http://www.radioreference.com/module...e=RR&ctid=1290

[mikey60]

Originally Posted by cjprowant

Hello everyone,

I am new to the scanning hobby. (Actually my father is. I am trying to assist.)

He received a new BC278CLT for christmas. Based on what I have read, we are going to be limited on what we can do with this model. Please assist as much as you can.

Questions:

Does anyone have a list of channels we can listen to in the Oceana County Area?

How do I get the scanner to recognize those channels?

Will this scanner pick up Michigan State Police?

What are going to be tha major difficulties with this model?

We would like to listen in on:

Local Police For Shelby
Hart Police
Oceana County Police
New Era Police
Rothbury Police
Oceana County Central Dispatch
Oceana County Ambulance
Shelby Fire Dept.
Hart Fire Dept.
Coast Guard


That is all I can think of right now. Thanks in advance for the assistance......

Unfortunately you won't be able to hear much with that radio.

Oceana county law enforcement (as well as Mason County and the state police, since they share a dispatch center) are on the MPSCS almost exclusively. This system requires a digital capable scanner, which the 278 is not...

The fire departments in Oceana county were still on VHF last I heard, but I haven't been up there since October, so I don't know if anything has changed since then. You will be able to at least hear the tone outs for the fire departments on the VHF paging frequency (157.45).

The coast guard operates on the normal VHF marine channels although at least station Ludington has MPSCS radios for communication with Mason-Oceana Central Dispatch. Most of the activity you will hear on VHF will be on 156.8 (Ch 16), 157.05 (Ch 21), 157.1 (Ch 22), and 157.15 (Ch 23).

Mike

[cjprowant]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate your assistance. I need to do more research on other scaners I suppose. I will push forward with this scanner witht he info you have provided and see where I get.

[cjprowant]

Ok,

I have done alot of reading the last day or so on this site. It seems that my fathers scanner will be inadequate for waht we want to do. I would like to join the hobby as well. Seeing what we want to be able to accomplish from my post above, what scanner would you recommend for my area of the state?

I know I have a ton to learn, and am willing to invest the time. I am really busy though right now and would love a little assistance froma all of you.

I am not looking to spend a ton to get started. So far these seem to be a couple of good beginner scanners. Please let me know if they will work for what I want them to do. Looking to start out for $175.00 or less. I travel 150 miles a day so a mobile unit might be interesting. I am not opposed to a base unit though if there are better reasons for getting one.

Radio Shack Pro-97

UNIDEN BCT-8

I appreciate the assistance.......

I know this topic has been beat to death, so please bear with me.

[seamusg]

The only scanners that will receive MPSCS are all around $500. They are BC796D, BC296D, Bcd396T, Pro-96 and PRO-2096.