Scanner blocking

[epwspower]

I am somewhat new to the whole scanner idea. I live in the US, and I've heard something about frequencies used by cell phones being blocked? I was about to buy a scanner, but I'd rather want one that can pick up everything...Could someone fill me in a little about whether or not all scanners are like this or what?

[Dubbin]

Originally Posted by epwspower

I am somewhat new to the whole scanner idea. I live in the US, and I've heard something about frequencies used by cell phones being blocked? I was about to buy a scanner, but I'd rather want one that can pick up everything...Could someone fill me in a little about whether or not all scanners are like this or what?

All scanners sold in the US have the cell range blocked. It really doesn't matter though since there isn't anything to hear there anymore since most went digital.

[epwspower]

What about those new digital scanners?

[NeFire242]

It would be the wrong digital format.

[dangitdoug]

About 142 years ago (early 90's), I worked building security for Pacific Bell. Our radios were old Uniden bricks. Beautiful old two channel radio. The problem we had was the cell phone towers from a company in the next block. Their signals would blow out our ch-1. After having to listen to so much of that for four years, I have no desire to listen to cell phones anymore. It is the most boring inane traffic ever to go across an airwave. If you really feel the need to listen to cell phones, just go down the street to Starbucks. There are plenty of loud talking cell-phone users there who are more than willing to have the whole world hear their conversations. If you're really lucky, you will have a Nextel user with a 100 decibel speaker sharing both sides of his conversation.

Doug K