Traveling to Las Vegas Tomorrow

My family is traveling to Las Vegas for spring break tomorrow. I thought I would bring along my Uniden BCD436HP radio for the trip. I'm primarily interested in monitoring law enforcement and fire/EMS. However, the air bases and the testing range has also peaked my interest. I have the following systems programmed into my scanner:

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police
Southern Nevada Area Communications Council
Nellis/Creech AFB
Nevada Test and Training Range
National Nuclear Security Administration
Ceasars Palace Resort and Casino (staying here)

Any other recommended trunked systems or conventional frequencies?

I'd be interested in the replies from the locals, heading there in a couple weeks


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Las Vegas Scanning Visit

I'd make sure you have a current db from sentinel in the 436, also turn on some stuff from NV Federal like DOJ,FBI,FPS etc. Also in clark county under other businesses get the mercy air/medic west/ AMR freqs. The 436 has it already just play around with different service types on or off. Be sure to control the range setting as far as you need it. I would take a look at the Nevada Shared Radio System for Highway patrol. Especially with that system range to maximum value. NNSA quiet on weekends, Nevada Test and Training is all encrypted, Nellis quiet on weekends. All the others you already chose are good. Please post if you find something new, not in the database here.

What channels/talkgroups would be best if I was just interested in hearing stuff in the area of the strip? Probably just police/fire/ems type stuff. I don't know the area and it would probably be helpful to narrow down things a bit.

Have a look at the beat map. So CCAC (Convention Center Area Command) is the strip area but more calls are heard in other area commands. Many people ask the same question and seem to think all the crime is at or near the strip?? http://www.lvmpd.com/Portals/0/pdfs/AC_SB_MapWithZipCode_020213.pdf

KC9IPP
What you suggest programming in your original post will keep you busy. I live in Los Angeles but go to Las Vegas several times a year with my wife. Have brought my 436HP several times. Does great in Las Vegas, including P25 Phase 2 on LVMPD. 737mech obviously has some good recommendations since he lives there. I have had several different scanners in the list below with me when I go to Las Vegas. The 436HP has been the best. I just leave "record" on, go play 21 in hotel at Monte Carlo (where we usually stay), listen to "record," go "eat and see a show," listen to record again, it really works great. Have fun.

it might be fun to listen to the nightclubs. the chateau nightclub near ceasars uses 463.3, 463.575
you can find transmitters within a half mile of where your staying by going to the fcc and doing the site/frequency search, do a radius search on 36 06 58.6, 115 10 28.2, i entered .5 in the radius option to the right of lat/long to find stuff within a half mile
fjallfoss.fcc.gov/General_Menu_Reports/engineering_search.cfm?accessible=NO

I also monitor all the casinos/hotels on the strip. I have a FL/system list just for all the casino trunking sites. Sometimes makes for very interesting monitoring. Don't forget to record from about 2 AM until 7 AM in the morning. You may hear some neat stuff. Another advantage of the x36HPs in Vegas (the recording feature). I usually bring my Diamond RH77CA antenna for VHF/UHF and RS-800 (Radio Shack) antenna for 800 Mhz (works well on UHF too). You might want to ask for a room fairly high up.
Now I don't mind going shopping with wife to the Outlet Malls, just bring the scanner, put it into a backpack, have the earphone wire hanging out of backpack, works nice. My wife usually packs my clothes, but the scanner/antennas/and laptop (for logging) are my responsibility. Life is good.
Especially if I do well on Blackjack while the scanner is recording. But be careful. A lot of the casinos on the strip are going from 3-to-2 payouts on a blackjack to 6-to-5 payouts. Cuts down your odds. I use basic strategy. If you're not into gambling, more time for scanners.

737mech said:

Have a look at the beat map. So CCAC (Convention Center Area Command) is the strip area but more calls are heard in other area commands. Many people ask the same question and seem to think all the crime is at or near the strip?? http://www.lvmpd.com/Portals/0/pdfs/AC_SB_MapWithZipCode_020213.pdf

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When I listen I like to have an idea where the calls are. I've never been to vegas, so I want to try to keep it close to my location. I imagine there is probably a lot of interesting things happening, but for me it takes some of the fun out when I have no idea where things are happening. Truth is I don't think I will get to listen to the scanner much, probably be too busy with everything else. I appreciate the help, should be able to figure something out when I set up my favorites list.

If you don't know already, don't carry a scanner or ham radio in gaming areas. I was at a ham radio convention there once and the casino didn't tell the event organizers anything about this. I wasn't carrying my gear, but one of my friends was and I was whisked away by security along with him. After a great deal of discussion and intervention by the organizers, who had all the paperwork from the casino to prove nothing was said about not carrying handhelds on the gaming floor we were all let go with a warning. Oh, and Metro PD responded as well. This was in 1969 or 1970 and as I understand it things in this regard have not changed.

Exsmokey said:

If you don't know already, don't carry a scanner or ham radio in gaming areas. I was at a ham radio convention there once and the casino didn't tell the event organizers anything about this. I wasn't carrying my gear, but one of my friends was and I was whisked away by security along with him. After a great deal of discussion and intervention by the organizers, who had all the paperwork from the casino to prove nothing was said about not carrying handhelds on the gaming floor we were all let go with a warning. Oh, and Metro PD responded as well. This was in 1969 or 1970 and as I understand it things in this regard have not changed.

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Things must have changed, because I often wander around in & out of casino gaming areas on & off the Strip often with a small radio device easily visible on my belt & sometimes a scanner antenna sticking out of my pocket. Sometimes I'm wearing an earpiece, sometimes I take the radio device off my belt & communicate with it.

No curious stares or contacts with security or other staff, nor in the times I've been monitoring their security net, have they mentioned me.

The only time I knowingly received some extra scrutiny was when three friends plus myself, all carrying Motorola XTS-type radios & earpieces, walked up to a blackjack table. The curiosity by the dealer & pit boss wasn't anything more than anyone else would have given 4 dudes carrying radios & wearing earpieces. Out of common-sense/courtesy, the friends who sat down & gambled at the table did pull the earpieces from their ears on their own volition & gambled without incident. At times, I've also obviously been talking into a two-way radio/speaker-mic while in various casinos -- never any issue.

I think it's like anything else -- if you're somehow 'making a scene' or acting suspicious, you could & should be politely questioned, especially in a casino where there is a lot of security, and in this day & age of "If you see something, say something," but simply going about your business while having a radio on you does not seem to result in reasonable suspicion for Las Vegas area casino security to make contact with you these days.

kc0rzw said:

What channels/talkgroups would be best if I was just interested in hearing stuff in the area of the strip? Probably just police/fire/ems type stuff. I don't know the area and it would probably be helpful to narrow down things a bit.

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Clark County FD 'West' Dispatch talk group on SNACC plus their Tacs, MedicWest, LVMPD CCAC, & some of the casinos. Casinos can be the most interesting, as they get stuck dealing with issues on their property often before the municipal public safety agencies show up, and since the people are "guests" on the property, they listen to the soap-operas & put up with some BS more than LE would.

Unfortunately, political-correctness has invaded the private security services, with numerous casino/hotel security departments now referring to homeless or drunken bums taking shelter on the property as "residentialy challenged."

My suspicion was correct in that I wouldn't listen much, had the scanner on maybe a total of four minutes.


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kc0rzw said:

My suspicion was correct in that I wouldn't listen much, had the scanner on maybe a total of four minutes.


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We'll remember that the next time you want us to take the time to help you.

Hooligan said:

Things must have changed, because I often wander around in & out of casino gaming areas on & off the Strip often with a small radio device easily visible on my belt & sometimes a scanner antenna sticking out of my pocket. Sometimes I'm wearing an earpiece, sometimes I take the radio device off my belt & communicate with it.

No curious stares or contacts with security or other staff, nor in the times I've been monitoring their security net, have they mentioned me.

The only time I knowingly received some extra scrutiny was when three friends plus myself, all carrying Motorola XTS-type radios & earpieces, walked up to a blackjack table. The curiosity by the dealer & pit boss wasn't anything more than anyone else would have given 4 dudes carrying radios & wearing earpieces. Out of common-sense/courtesy, the friends who sat down & gambled at the table did pull the earpieces from their ears on their own volition & gambled without incident. At times, I've also obviously been talking into a two-way radio/speaker-mic while in various casinos -- never any issue.

I think it's like anything else -- if you're somehow 'making a scene' or acting suspicious, you could & should be politely questioned, especially in a casino where there is a lot of security, and in this day & age of "If you see something, say something," but simply going about your business while having a radio on you does not seem to result in reasonable suspicion for Las Vegas area casino security to make contact with you these days.

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Interesting! When this happened to us 45 years ago no one did anything to arouse suspicion unless talking on those radios was the difference. At the time handhelds were not in common use and were large in comparison to those in use now so seeing people use them would have been unusual.

I didn't see the problem with the use of those handhelds then and don't now, with the exception of the blackjack table and having something that could facilitate card counting. Then I suppose a camera could be hidden and be more effective. I don't know enough about blackjack and any other casino games to speculate. I can't even walk into a casino to reach the restaurants inside as the cigarette smoke drives me out in the first 15 feet of the door

I'm glad I mentioned this old experience as I now know the current situation.

If the security guards are paying any attention at all, and they notice you have some kind of earwig/ear-piece/mic/etc on attached to a handheld or belt-mounted device, they will approach and ask what's the purpose of such hardware inside the casino (we're all well aware - at least I think we are - that some of the first words out of their mouths are always "This is private property, so... <explain yourself>"). I live in downtown Las Vegas and I see it happen quite regularly.

It may not happen that often given that in today's world most everyone has a cell phone of whatever kind and a lot of folks will use their headset-mic or earbuds with the phone either in their hands or attached to a belt in some fashion or out of sight completely in a pocket on their person. Again, if they are paying attention to what's going on they'll approach if they realize what they're seeing is not a cellular phone (which are fairly easy to spot these days compared to an actual handheld radio of any kind whether it's a receive-only scanner or something else).

Obviously in the 1970s such hardware was pretty damned noticeable, the crowds even in the middle of summer were nothing like they are now, and in such situations someone wearing an electronic device of any kind - especially if they have some wired earpiece trailing down the side of their neck - would stick out like the proverbial sore thumbs.

These days, there's so many people they probably just don't scrutinize individuals like they should or give enough time on the visual once-overs.

I mean, it's not like you have to actually walk into a casino with a scanner on your person to be able to monitor 'em...

As for the cigarette issue Exsmokey just mentioned above, my Wife has "seasonal" asthma and reacts pretty strongly to massive odors like he just described. The El Cortez is very close to us in downtown and I swear, when you open the door to that place you get hit with the odor of 50 years of smoking and booze that is so embedded in the place, especially the carpet, that they'd have to sandblast the floors and walls and ceilings and then soak the entire building in Febreze or something for a month before you'd ever be able to really tolerate it.

Yep, it's really that bad.

Hooligan said:

We'll remember that the next time you want us to take the time to help you.

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Didn't mean to offend you, I would have liked to listen, but it was pretty far down the list of things to do, and there is lots of things to do there. In the future I will refrain from asking you guys for help.

kc0rzw said:

Didn't mean to offend you, I would have liked to listen, but it was pretty far down the list of things to do, and there is lots of things to do there. In the future I will refrain from asking you guys for help.

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I can't tell if that poster was being sarcastic (probably) or not, and you certainly didn't offend anyone (anyone rational, I suppose) but... obviously you're more than welcome to ask for help anytime around here.

Don't let the statements of a single person ever dissuade you from doing so.

Unless of course it's the website owner or a Forum Admin or Mod, of course - luckily in this instance that's not the case.

Exsmokey said:

Interesting! When this happened to us 45 years ago no one did anything to arouse suspicion unless talking on those radios was the difference. At the time handhelds were not in common use and were large in comparison to those in use now so seeing people use them would have been unusual.

I didn't see the problem with the use of those handhelds then and don't now, with the exception of the blackjack table and having something that could facilitate card counting. Then I suppose a camera could be hidden and be more effective. I don't know enough about blackjack and any other casino games to speculate. I can't even walk into a casino to reach the restaurants inside as the cigarette smoke drives me out in the first 15 feet of the door

I'm glad I mentioned this old experience as I now know the current situation.

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Yeah the weird thing is that 45 years ago, you'd tend to expect anyone with a 'walkie-talkie' to be public safety, whereas these days there should be more of a concern or suspicion.

I don't gamble, so while I'm in gaming areas of casinos often (with at least one radio device in plain sight), I'm not sitting down at a blackjack, roulette table, etc. but as I mentioned before, my friends did (with several radios each) & no problem, though they removed the earpieces at the table.

But with all the 'Generation Y' twerps using their smartphones non-stop while gambling --including playing blackjack-- these days, I guess it fall back on the usual intuition & experience of pit bosses & others, not just seeing someone figiting with a gadget, be it a radio or ??

br0adband said:

If the security guards are paying any attention at all, and they notice you have some kind of earwig/ear-piece/mic/etc on attached to a handheld or belt-mounted device, they will approach and ask what's the purpose of such hardware inside the casino (we're all well aware - at least I think we are - that some of the first words out of their mouths are always "This is private property, so... <explain yourself>"). I live in downtown Las Vegas and I see it happen quite regularly.
(

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I only challenge you to benefit the others who may want to spend time in/near a casino with a handheld radio of some sort. Based on my experiences over the past 6 years, including the past year of living in the area & wandering in & out of on-Strip & off-Strip (Fremont St area near your apartment as well as The ___ Station & ___ Ranch casinos) at least once a week, what you wrote above it complete BS.

You REALLY mean to tell us you see casino security staff challenge someone carrying a scanner/walkie-talkie type radio "regularly?"

You told me in the past that you rarely leave your apartment. Glad to see that's apparently changed, but... I walked thru the el Cortez about a month ago, carrying a large, commercial VHF radio (with a Motorola 'Broadband' VHF antenna on it) in a back pocket & a smaller radio on a beltclip. Plus an iPhone in my pocket. No questions asked. We went from there to the Gold Spike, then FSE, including Binions, 4 Queens, etc. No questions asked. I had some radio stuff in plain sight, but other than that I wasn't looking suspicious, annoying anyone, nor seeking any sort of confrontation.

I love getting exercise & people-watching along FSE & the Strip. Usually it's about a 3 - 6 mile walk, once or twice a week,and in the Summer, it's mostly inside the casinos & hotels to escape the heat.

About a month ago, a friend & I spent about 45 minutes standing (& probably looking somewhat suspicious) inside a hotel/casino walkway across from the main entrance of it's popular nightclub right before opening. We're radio-geeks in our 40s, not clubbers, and we were standing there fiddling around with a Whistler 1080 & Uniden 396XT in our hands, 20' away from a half dozen club security & management types, the occasional casino/hotel security patrols (including directed patrols monitoring the line to get in the club), and who knows how many 1080P digital zoom cameras. No close encounters! I'm not trying to brag -- hell, I'd much rather have been flirting with one of the club bunnies half my age, but I'm just trying to point out how blatant we were with our radios. I think security is generally great at LV area casinos & hotels. I never claim they must not notice me, but based on your broad claim about them making contact with anyone who has some sort of "device" connected between their head area & their hand or waist, they're inattentive for not stopping me?! BS!

You're right, you don't need to be *in* a casino to monitor them. Did anyone ever claim otherwise? The reason we got up-close is because sometimes that's about the only way to capture & confirm a signal from a target location when the signal is known or suspected to be weak & its a high-RF environment.

Maybe YOU get stopped frequently in casinos, but what's so special about me that I don't? Your dis/misinformation is doing a disservice to people.