How long have you been scanning?

[KC0QNB]

I was remembering my first scanning adventure. Actually I didn't have a scanner then, but I did have a multi-band receiver. It was a Wards Airline ten-band receiver.
It had various shortwave bands, AM and FM broadcast bands, and VHF Low, VHF Hi, and aircraft. Back in those days, that was all you really needed.
Most of the Nebraska public safety agencies used 39.90, 39.94, and 39.82 mHz; the state patrol used primarily 42.46 mHz. Of course, all of these agencies also used other frequencies that I don't remember. In order for the local police to talk to the state patrol, NSP had Plectron monitor receivers in the vehicles, and some of the dispatch offices for local authorities had a similar monitoring device, maybe even a crystal-controlled scanner of some type. The Plectron units were expensive, but they were made in Overton, NE. Now, most of the state and local agencies use a statewide P25 system, but not all.

 

[kc2asb]

My interest in radio/scanning started in the mid-80's when I was a kid, discovering my father's 1970's Arrow AM/FM/VHF radio could pick up the aircraft going to nearby Newark Airport. A Realistic SW-60 multiband radio soon followed, and a couple of years later, I received a 10 channel Uniden BC-140XLT programmable scanner. I had a lot more fun in the hobby in those early years with simple radios than I do now.

 

[trentbob]

Similar experience for me, very lucky that my dad and uncle were ham radio operators so, they set me up early with tunable monitors, same here, police 39.XX and Fire 33.XX.

For swl I had the inner guts of a Zenith stand up piece of Furniture shortwave radio with 200 ft of wire, a used Lafayette he90 CB and a CLR 2 that my dad got the license for in 1965 as I was only 12.

Never stopped listening through Crystal's, programmables, trunking, digital and simulcast so this fall it will be 60 years.

 

[KK4JUG]

I think it was in my mid-teens but four channels (crystals) is a poor excuse for scanning. I don't wanna do the math to count the years. I'm 81 now and I might start crying if I came up with a number.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I'm a bit younger than a lot here but I caught the bug maybe 1999-2000ish. Hearing lots of sirens in my neighborhood then joining my high school's amateur radio club were to blame for that

 

[mikegilbert]

Since ~ 1993. I went for a sleepover at my friend's house in middle school. His dad was an engineer for a forestry company and had a lifted Chevy Celebrity station wagon. Inside there was a CB, Midland lowband, Uniden 800mhz duplex radiophone and a Uniden BC760xlt. We spent the whole night listening to the police. It was magical.

I was hooked. Later that year, his dad upgraded cars, and bought a new scanner, so he gifted me the BC760xlt. I spent many late nights scanning for new police channels, etc. The department was on a voted conventional UHF analog system with Kenwood TK330sp handhelds with DTMF signaling, and Motorola Spectras for mobiles. Local sheriff was UHF as well, but it was a multicast setup with different hilltops. They used Motorola Sabers and Spectras.

Once I'd figured out most of the channels, I rode my bike to a local radio shop. The guy there GAVE me a Kenwood TK340, showed me how to program it from the keypad (well rotary knobs) and sent me on my way. I was blown away by his generosity. I used the heck out of that radio, and still have it to this day. I made a little list of what was in it, and the frequencies in case I needed to reprogram it. Once the battery kicked the bucket, I used it in my truck as a spare via the DC jack.

Maybe a year later, I went back and asked if they sold the same radio the police department used. Sure enough, they had used one for a good deal. IIRC, the new battery cost more than he sold it to me for. He told me to come back in a week, and he'd program it for me. I asked him if there was a way to program it with the keypad - just as the TK340 could do. He said "call me in a week , and I'll see what I can do." Turns out the TK330 had a field programming plug! This one had the 100 channel kit, and you better believe I filled that thing up! Still have that very radio as well. Need to find the programming plug.

The local FD was VHF simplex with receiver voting, so hearing mobiles/portables was hit or miss. I used the 760xlt for that. Eventually picked up a dual band Vertex FTH-2070 Duo for VHF and UHF. It was okay, but the small display was a pain to use.

The department went P25 conventional in the early 2000s, so I picked up an Astro Saber 3. Miss those analog days, so here's a recording I made in 1997 or so:

 

[trentbob]

Since ~ 1993. I went for a sleepover at my friend's house in middle school. His dad was an engineer for a forestry company and had a lifted Chevy Celebrity station wagon. Inside there was a CB, Midland lowband, Uniden 800mhz duplex radiophone and a Uniden BC760xlt. We spent the whole night listening to the police. It was magical.

I was hooked. Later that year, his dad upgraded cars, and bought a new scanner, so he gifted me the BC760xlt. I spent many late nights scanning for new police channels, etc. The department was on a voted conventional UHF analog system with Kenwood TK330sp handhelds with DTMF signaling, and Motorola Spectras for mobiles. Local sheriff was UHF as well, but it was a multicast setup with different hilltops. They used Motorola Sabers and Spectras.

Once I'd figured out most of the channels, I rode my bike to a local radio shop. The guy there GAVE me a Kenwood TK340, showed me how to program it from the keypad (well rotary knobs) and sent me on my way. I was blown away by his generosity. I used the heck out of that radio, and still have it to this day. I made a little list of what was in it, and the frequencies in case I needed to reprogram it. Once the battery kicked the bucket, I used it in my truck as a spare via the DC jack.

Maybe a year later, I went back and asked if they sold the same radio the police department used. Sure enough, they had used one for a good deal. IIRC, the new battery cost more than he sold it to me for. He told me to come back in a week, and he'd program it for me. I asked him if there was a way to program it with the keypad - just as the TK340 could do. He said "call me in a week , and I'll see what I can do." Turns out the TK330 had a field programming plug! This one had the 100 channel kit, and you better believe I filled that thing up! Still have that very radio as well. Need to find the programming plug.

The local FD was VHF simplex with receiver voting, so hearing mobiles/portables was hit or miss. I used the 760xlt for that. Eventually picked up a dual band Vertex FTH-2070 Duo for VHF and UHF. It was okay, but the small display was a pain to use.

The department went P25 conventional in the early 2000s, so I picked up an Astro Saber 3. Miss those analog days, so here's a recording I made in 1997 or so:

That audio sounds great! I miss it. I miss the analog days also, especially 800 MHz cell phones but the ads just kept saying digital is so much better and clearer, they never sold me that my ears were lying.😉

 

[kc2asb]

That audio sounds great! I miss it. I miss the analog days also, especially 800 MHz cell phones but the ads just kept saying digital is so much better and clearer, they never sold me that my ears were lying.😉

Same here - love analog and miss those old cellphones.

 

[rgchristy]

Before there were scanners...

 

[Golay]

Before there were scanners...

I remember those days. A cheap five band AM/FM/Shortwave/VHF. No squelch. The selectivity was so broad I could monitor eight different police and fire channels without touching the dial.

 

[mark40]

Since 1972 (monitoring, not quite scanning yet). Grew up in North Jersey. My neighbor Maurice was in the Vol First Aid Corps and had "police radios" at home and in his car. He knew of my enthusiasm for the local PD and Vol FD. So for Christmas 1972 my Dad ensured that I received a Regency MR10D VHF receiver. (pictured in my avatar). Maurice wrote down the local frequencies of interest as well as related unit numbers and codes. Then for Christmas 1973, received a Lafayette Guardian 5000 receiver that had VHF high and low band. In 1976 after joining the FD I had a Plectron to monitor with. In 1977 received my first scanner, a Pearce Simpson Chyenne 8 channel scanner.

 

[trentbob]

first scanner, a Pearce Simpson Chyenne 8 channel scanner.

WOW!

Amazing how many years ago that was, so far the respondents have been doing this a long time. Good stories.

 

[rk911]

First scanner was +/- 1972, a Robyn 8-ch, VHF only mobile. On cold mornings it would sczn agonizingly slow. From there my scanner inventory exploded. At one time I had 7 or 8 crystal scanners running simultaneously each one scanning a different service....local police, local fire, state police, county sheriffs, maritime, rail, aviation, local govt. Favorite sxanners were from Radio Shack but first programmanble scanner was a Tenellec Memory Scan which used DIP switches to program.

I currently have a Uniden 536, RS Pro-197, RXS Pro-106, Pro-83 and the excellent air band scanner, the RS Pro-43. The 197 and 536 are on 24/7. Out local system is still Phase 1 unencrypted.

 

[kc2asb]

WOW!

Amazing how many years ago that was, so far the respondents have been doing this a long time. Good stories.

Scary, actually. 1977 - I was not even old enough for kindergarten yet. Wish I had been able to experience the hobby in the 70's - the early scanners, CB craze, etc. At least the hobby still had some of that simplicity when I got into it in the 80's. The source for frequencies was still books, magazines, other hobbyists, etc. I still have my Betty Bearcat book. Going online meant dialing into a BBS. LOL

 

[buddrousa]

Over 53 years Started with old Radio Monitor that had the slide dial like the old car radios. Next was Regency Crystal Scanner.

 

[KC0QNB]

Scary, actually. 1977 - I was not even old enough for kindergarten yet. Wish I had been able to experience the hobby in the 70's - the early scanners, CB craze, etc. At least the hobby still had some of that simplicity when I got into it in the 80's. The source for frequencies was still books, magazines, other hobbyists, etc. I still have my Betty Bearcat book. Going online meant dialing into a BBS. LOL

I remember using an early TRS-80 Model 100 "laptop" computer to dial into a BBS for some fire dept related info. That phone call cost me over $50 I had to print the document as I was receiving it with a DMP printer, it took forever. 1984 ish.

 

[kc2asb]

I remember using an early TRS-80 Model 100 "laptop" computer to dial into a BBS for some fire dept related info. That phone call cost me over $50 I had to print the document as I was receiving it with a DMP printer, it took forever. 1984 ish.

Dial-up was great, wasn't it? I had a Commodore 64 with a 300baud modem, around 1985.

 

[PACNWDude]

Late 1970's for me. Parents moved us to a small town, and they were used to the city, CB radios, and related technology. They were amazed at the Plectron units local fire and police had, and one of them advised that a Realistic Pro-52 could be used to listen to local comms. (Still have that Pro-52 too). As programmable scanners were developed, we often ended up with a new one for the house.....I would tinker with the old ones.

Best time for me though was the early 1990's and a Pro-2006, when analog cell phones and cordless phones were everywhere. I still hoard radio technology, and monitor a lot. Great to hear what is going on in the surrounding area. However, for vacation...I now go where radio and cell phone signal non-existent.

 

[buddrousa]

I downloaded the FCC Radio Database for 100 Mile Radius Stored backups on 3 1/2 floppy disks.
We were looking for UHF and VHF pairs to set up repeaters. Converted it all to DBASE 3 plus to make it searchable.

 

[KK4JUG]

I downloaded the FCC Radio Database for 100 Mile Radius Stored backups on 3 1/2 floppy disks.
We were looking for UHF and VHF pairs to set up repeaters. Converted it all to DBASE 3 plus to make it searchable.

I used Lotus 123.