New to Scanning

Hello to everyone. My wife and I have been talking and we are interested in getting a scanner and getting into radio. Problem is, I'm not sure where to start. I'm trying to figure out what kind of scanner to buy and about the different systems that are being used. Live in LaPorte County if that helps. Don't want to spend money on something that is not going to work. Thanks!

I'm not familiar with your area but, looking at the database, shows only 2 talkgroups on the SafeT trunked system and everything else for your county to be analog conventional. So, you could get by with an inexpensive analog scanner for under $200 if you just want to listen to your county. However, all state police, DNR and just about any other state agency along with many of your neighboring counties are using the digital statewide trunked system.

So, I wouldn't recommend anything other than a digital capable trunking scanner. Uniden 396xt, 996xt, Hp-1 or Radio Shack 197 or 106 or whatever the current models are from radio shack. Any one of these will run $350 or higher. These are new prices, they can be found for a little less in used condition.

Hope this helps,
Jeff.

Looks like Lake County is still on VHF according to the RR database. I will back up JStemann on his post on this one. When Lake county does change over to safe-t you will have a digital scanner and you will be able to hear everything in your county. Lake County Sheriff is still on 154.815 Repeater. We used to hear lLake County Sheriff all the time when Hendricks County Sheriff KNCE 461 was on 154.815. A older Uniden 396t or a Uniden 996T will also work just fine for Safe-t. You can also make a search on Craigslist.I did find a Uniden 996T for sale here in the Indianapolis area that was well below that price of a new one.

W9NES said:

Looks like Lake County is still on VHF

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He didn't mention anything about Lake County. What does that have to do with anything?

He is in Laporte County near Lake County. Laporte County is in Northwest Indiana. According to the RR database Laporte County is still on VHF. It would be a great idea for alayman to buy a digital scanner.A older Uniden 396T or a Uniden 996T will work just fine for safe-t. I do hear Laporte County Sheriff on VHF 155.010 which is the old Marion County Sheriff Headquarters KSE-465 F-5 on the old Marion County Sheriff VHF system here in Indianapolis. I also hear Michigan City Police on 155.610 which is the old Marion County Sheriff North and East Repeater F-1 here in Marion County