Frequency Help

[oldsarge55]

Hello folks - I am new here and shopping for a scanner. The scanners I used in the late 1980's are dead and I am wanting to get back into the hobby. I submitted a link to the forum home asking is anyone knows if certain frees are still active in the Cochise County area. I was referred to the AZ forum. I hope you can help. Here are the links:

Frequencies in This City

Frequencies in This City

https://forums.radioreference.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=36

It has been a long time since I used a scanner and many of these frequencies do not show up in the Radio Reference Guide. Any help you can give me is appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[JohnSpartan]

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=94

Check here first. Seems a mix of digital trunked and conventional, with good ole analog. An all around scanner will depend on your preference. I have the 536HP, and am happy with it. Something a little less robust may be your thing.

 

[Phoenix805]

I don't know for certain about the locations and frequencies you're looking for, but MOST public service agencies across the country have gone to digital trunked systems, the old analog freqs and inexpensive scanners of the past are all but gone. If you want to listen to most everything you'll need to invest in a new breed digital scanner and plan in the neighborhood of $500. The old scanners are good for listening to aircraft and railroads but that's about it anymore. Good luck!

 

[AzTac]

You're going to find that radio technology has changed A LOT and not for the better as far as scanner listening is concerned. It requires a much more sophisticated/expensive scanner and a fair amount of computer savvy to program them. Yet, ironically, despite the expense and sophistication scanners simply don't receive the modern radio systems very well.

If you look at the radio reference link that was sent listing the Cochise County frequencies you'll see the words "Project 25 Phase I" and "Project 25 Phase II." That indicates that the county and DPS are transitioning to a new digital radio system that will soon render obsolete any old scanners. The frequencies in the 150MHz and 460MHz ranges will soon go silent.

I went though a painful experience where, like you, I tried to re-enter the scanner hobby and quickly became overwhelmed with the knowledge required and disillusioned with the poor to non-existent reception (and I'm in Phoenix!) I spent money on "pre-programmed" scanners (Uniden Home Patrol) and soon learned it was a waste of money. I was literally hearing maybe 20% of the traffic I was trying to monitor. The problem was not because of an inferior scanner, but the nature of the radio systems and their susceptibility to vague reception problems.

The only thing that got me back in the field was the introduction of a Unication G4 receiver. Do the research through this forum and you'll see that the Unication receiver is the ONLY receiver that reliably handles the Phase I and Phase II systems. (FYI, I'm not affiliated with Unication in any way - I'm just a huge fan because it reinvigorated my passion for the scanner hobby that I thought was dead.)

With all that said, my suggestion to you would be to seriously consider the Unication receiver and not waste time with traditional Uniden or Whistler scanners. You WILL be disappointed in their performance. (Note - The new Uniden SDS100 scanner is showing promise, but it is literally brand new on the market and like most new products it is going through development "pains." It's just too soon to know if this will be a reliable option or not.)

One other note - I don't know how far along Cochise county and DPS are in their radio transition. It could literally be a year or so before the transition is complete. To that end, I would consider buying the least expensive "old" analog scanner that receives VHF and UHF just to get you by until everything moves to digital. In the final analysis though, you can't go wrong with a Unication receiver.

 

[KB7MIB]

No, P25, whether Phase I or Phase II isn't the problem.

Simulcast, or LSM, is the problem with the RWC and TOPAZ RWC in the metro Phoenix area, and only with the simulcast sites, not with the intellirepeater sites. The state AZWINS system is P25 Phase I and there are no issues hearing it on my older GRE PSR-500 because it isn't simulcast. Luke AFB, and the Gila River Indian Community FD are both P25 Phase I, and I have no issues with them, either, because neither is simulcast. (Salt River Indian Community FD is Phase II, which I don't have capabilities for.)

Cochise County has a simulcast site, as well as several single sites. CCSO is/was also on the AZWINS system, and has been monitorable up here in the Phoenix metro area in the past when local sites carried their TG.

And DPS should still be on analog conventional UHF, 460.3250.

A Unication may or may not be necessary to hear Cochise County Sheriff or the local police and fire departments.

I would suggest to the OP to program in the analog conventional channels for his specific area that are listed in the database, assuming he didn't mean that his scanners are completely non-functional, as opposed to them not hearing any activity on the channels that he may have listened to back in the 80's or 90's. It may give him something to listen to until he can purchase a more recent make & model of scanner.

John
Peoria

 

[oldsarge55]

I appreciate all the help and advice. My old scanners are long since gone. Operation was intermittent at best toward the end and then nothing. I unloaded them and now, many years later want to get started again. I am more comfortable now having received the replies. Now it comes down to equipment. No hand held, will be a base style unit. Uniden 536 or 996P2 or a Whistler TRX2 or 1098. Reading through all the manuals and posts on these units. Ford and Chevy. I will also look at the Unicaton G4 mentioned above. Thanks again all. Dave

 

[oldsarge55]

I appreciate al the info and help. I guess I have been reading too much into the frequency changes that have occurred. I wish I still had my old scanners but they died many years ago. Towards the end, they were intermittent at best until nothing. I looked up the G5 and while I assume it is very good, it is not for me. I will be going with a desk unit Uniden 996P2 or 536 or a Whistler 1098 or TRX2. Still researching those. Whatever I get I will have programmed at the time of purchase and then later on, work through the programming on my own. Once again, many thanks. Dave