Thinking of a new scanner in Kanawha County

Thinking it might be fun to invest in a new scanner. I've got a couple scanners but they are conventional style so I think I'm probably missing a lot with them. I live right on the Charleston/South Charleston city limits so hearing what goes on in both cities (Police, Fire, EMS) is a primary interest. I've never messed with a trunked scanner but have done a little reading so I think with a little help I should be able to figure things out ok, realizing it is probably a little more complex than programming my 2 meter handhelds. Have some questions.

1. How much traffic in the county is on trunked systems vs conventional?
2. How much traffic is not covered on the Kan Co. broadcastify feed?
3. It appears WV SIRN is the primary trunked system in the county, is a Phase 1 trunked scanner sufficient for the foreseeable future or does it make sense to go ahead and invest in a Phase 2 capable scanner?
4. What percentage of traffic available on WV SIRN in Kan Co is encrypted?

I'm trying to decide obviously how much more traffic will be available with this new scanner. If it is significant, I won't feel too bad about buying some higher budget equipment. Or would maybe well kept used equipment easily do the job? Obviously the likelihood of Phase 2 in the nearer future will play a large role in my decision (obviously I don't want to buy new Phase 1 equipment if it will be soon obsolete, new Phase 2 or used Phase 1 will make better sense).

Anxiously await whatever information and advice you can provide.

THANKS!

Monty

I'll try to answer your questions.

80% WVSIRN, 20% Conventional. There is traffic on conventional like Sheriff, EMS, Fire, WVSP at times but most of these agencies use WVSIRN.

On My feed I mainly can only use main dispatch channels only due to the TOS Rules on RR. I can add things to it but they can not be tac, private, drug units and etc.

WVSIRN is the main system around here but you have Edac Systems and LTR Systems too.

As far as PHASE II, To my reading and other information I can't say if it will happen around here or not.

Encryption right now is maybe 10%.

I have 2 Pro-197's, one is for the feed and the other for me. I take my Pro-106 with me everywhere I go. I also have a BC396XT that I use for the company I work for. My call sign is KD8RQY. I live close by if you need anything.

Monty in a nut shell if money is an issue just buy a mint RS Pro-197 or Uniden 996XT since these models have been around a few years you should be able to get a good bargain on one. Unless you are looking for a hand held in which case get a Pro-106 or Uniden 396.

A great majority of all WV public safety traffic anymore is the SIRN system. Don't worry about TDMA phase II. It will be many years before it even comes into play in WV. As far as encryption goes no dispatch talkgroups are encrypted only private ones. Many forget task force operations use their respective cell phones far far more than the radios. If you buy a digital trunking scanner you will be surprised at what you are missing in or around kanawha and the surrounding counties. Not to mention with the programming software of Win 500 or ARC these scanners are a joy to program and use

I can't speak to the percentage of coverage on broadcastify as I have no interest in streaming and using it.

Thank you both, sounds like it would be worth it to make the jump.

Would this radio cover what is currently available in the county? Uniden BCD396T.

Thanks!

Bubba1661 said:

On My feed I mainly can only use main dispatch channels only due to the TOS Rules on RR. I can add things to it but they can not be tac, private, drug units and etc.

I have 2 Pro-197's, one is for the feed and the other for me. I take my Pro-106 with me everywhere I go. I also have a BC396XT that I use for the company I work for. My call sign is KD8RQY. I live close by if you need anything.

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Thanks for providing that feed, I listen to it several times a week. Also appreciate your offer to help out. I may end up needing to take you up on that if I get too far in over my head!

I keep going back and forth between new and used. This one looks really appealing, Uniden BCD436HP, especially since it looks like I can get started with the basics pretty easy and then build on that...but getting into a radio at half the price is attractive too!

BCD396T

KD8USW said:

Thank you both, sounds like it would be worth it to make the jump.

Would this radio cover what is currently available in the county? Uniden BCD396T.

Thanks!

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Check this link out:BCD396T - The RadioReference Wiki

Bubba1661 said:

Check this link out:BCD396T - The RadioReference Wiki

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Based on that and what I read on eham and Mark's Scanner page, I don't see any shortcomings except they still seem to be selling for quite a bit for a 10 year old radio.

Makes the UNIDEN BCD-436HP at HRO for $400 shipped look a whole lot more attractive. I've already started adding up my pennies. Unless I find a killer deal on a digital trunking scanner, I expect I'll order this one in the next couple days.

No shortage of traffic on your scanner feed tonight through ;-)

Thanks!

You may want to look at the HP-1 Scanners, They are going for 250.00-300.00 used and 325.00 new on E-Bay , E-ham , etc. I have 2 . One for the House and 1 Mobile. They work great, Spent several evenings in Motels in Charleston, listening to Traffic.

himelrick said:

You may want to look at the HP-1 Scanners, They are going for 250.00-300.00 used and 325.00 new on E-Bay , E-ham , etc. I have 2 . One for the House and 1 Mobile. They work great, Spent several evenings in Motels in Charleston, listening to Traffic.

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I've been watching those, looks like it would be a great buy if Phase 2 doesn't come along soon. Looks like the perfect starter radio...and then some. Thanks!

himelrick said:

You may want to look at the HP-1 Scanners, They are going for 250.00-300.00 used and 325.00 new on E-Bay , E-ham , etc. I have 2 . One for the House and 1 Mobile. They work great, Spent several evenings in Motels in Charleston, listening to Traffic.

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My HP-1 should be here mid next week. Looking forward to getting started with it. Appreciate the recommendation!

Monty

KD8USW said:

My HP-1 should be here mid next week. Looking forward to getting started with it. Appreciate the recommendation!

Monty

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Greatest scanner listening weekend ever and USPS has my scanner. Thankful for the Kanawha feed! Thanks!

Quick question

KD8USW said:

Greatest scanner listening weekend ever and USPS has my scanner. Thankful for the Kanawha feed! Thanks!

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Who was the "high profile person" the SIRN was abuzz about around 2230 on friday night.
Seems they were stuck in the big traffic jam on I-77 in a ford explorer (Silver) and could not get out.
They had been stuck for 5 hours. The location was just north of the 77/79 split.
From the sound of the callsigns, there was a lot of leadership on this one. J6 was leading the national guard.
The 6 is always the boss and the J is the joint staff, I think. There were state police, multiple squads, Dot people Plows, and they had HEMITTS to pull stuff out of the way to get to the person.
Turned out it was easy to get to the guy and then there was some drama over who was to deliver him to the downtown hotel and report back to J6 that he was happy there. So there was a convoy of helpers who went and reported to their respective govermental overlords when the deed was done. I suspect Earl Ray got a couple of calls right after that.
So, Who was the Mystery man?

Elvis?

Don't know, but there was a big fuss over who was getting the guy and his wife. DOT 2 was playing tug a war with the National Guard. DOT 2 won.

Was that all on the feed or did you have to have more of SIRN to hear all that? I obviously missed it. ��

More WVSIRN that isn't on the feed.

Bubba1661 said:

More WVSIRN that isn't on the feed.

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Hopefully by next weekend I'll be into those and more. Looking forward to it!

K4OM said:

Who was the "high profile person" the SIRN was abuzz about around 2230 on friday night.
Seems they were stuck in the big traffic jam on I-77 in a ford explorer (Silver) and could not get out.
They had been stuck for 5 hours. The location was just north of the 77/79 split.
From the sound of the callsigns, there was a lot of leadership on this one. J6 was leading the national guard.
The 6 is always the boss and the J is the joint staff, I think. There were state police, multiple squads, Dot people Plows, and they had HEMITTS to pull stuff out of the way to get to the person.
Turned out it was easy to get to the guy and then there was some drama over who was to deliver him to the downtown hotel and report back to J6 that he was happy there. So there was a convoy of helpers who went and reported to their respective govermental overlords when the deed was done. I suspect Earl Ray got a couple of calls right after that.
So, Who was the Mystery man?

Elvis?

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Anybody ever find out who the VIP was?

There are a lot of talkgroups that are have titles that sound boring.
Some of them are the most informative on the radio.
Fire Marshal, Medical Examiner, DOT, The military JOC groups
all have very timely info on them. Don't go avoiding them out before
they have a chance to talk. Wait for something to happen.
ALSO: Even if there is an event out of your area there is a chance that
you will hear traffic when someone in your area wants to communicate
with the scene. A good example was the 2 killers that shot a couple of cops
in Lewisburg (wounded) , The WVSP groups came alive with troopers on the scene and enroute
to the area. You could follow the whole story on the radio as it happened.
Warning: Don't throw your old scanner away. use it for the most busy local analog stuff.
Don't tie up your digital scanner with a lot of analog (old) stuff.


K4OM

K4OM said:

Warning: Don't throw your old scanner away. use it for the most busy local analog stuff.
Don't tie up your digital scanner with a lot of analog (old) stuff.

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Throw away? I'm not familiar with that phrase...LOL.

Having a blast with the HomePatrol-1. Amazing how much more there is to listen to...and only appear to be scratching the surface.

Bumping my old thread. Still enjoying the HP-1 but now looking to adding a mobile in my truck. Tired of being limited to the analog freqs I can get on my dual band ham radio.

Any thoughts on the Whistler WS1095 for using around the Kanawha valley? Price and features look right, love the removable control head.

Thanks!