Police Bands

[8baal]

Hey all, I am fairly new to scanning I have a simple question for you guys out there. What would I need to do to keep my scanner only scanning on police band frequencies if I were driving into different states? Thanks in advance.

 

[inspector-gaget]

That is kind of a tough question, as an example in Pensacola they use a 800mhz trunked system, the base uses a p25 digital system, Escambia County uses a 460mhz repeater system. Baldwin County Alabama uses a 154mhz repeater. I have a scanner mounted in my vehicle (not generally legal in this state unless you have a Ham License, news crew, security company etc..) you not only have to know the frequencies involved but the State Laws as well. My solution on my scanner is:


0 General Frequencies (Preprogrammed by RS) tends to have the analog non trunked police allocated frequencies.

1 General Frequencies 2 (more of bank 0)

2 Escambia County Frequencies

3 Pensacola City Trunk

4 Baldwin County Frequencies

5 Santa Rosa County Frequencies

6 Mobile County Frequencies

7 Mobile City Trunk

8 Navy Blue Angel Frequencies

9 Civilian Comms (Repeaters, FRS, GMRS, MURSetc...) Duplicated in my FT-857D

As I travel throughout my area I simply turn on that bank. If I go outside the Mobile to Santa Rosa area, I already have 9 banks programmed in my computer north load, east load, and west load. I simply upload the file I need to the scanner before I leave home or at a rest stop.

Theoretically all govt, police, and fire are supposed to go to p25 phase II Digital system to allow interoperability in a national emergency, That is proceeding at the speed of Govt Contracting, You may see it by the year 3000.

Hope this helps, you are at the right place to find the frequencies.

 

[N_Jay]

There are no specific "Police Bands",and there are channels assigned to many different services in almost every band.

Even the Public Safety channels can vary from area to area because the FCC has allowed waivers of the rules so public safety can use what used to be a business or industrial channel.

 

[n5ims]

This would be difficult to do. The frequency for the PD in one town may be the same one used by the trash collector in a city a hundred miles away. Also many Police Departments (state, county, or local) are on various trunked radio systems (see Trunking Basics - The RadioReference Wiki for more info) where a few frequencies host numerous different systems.

To accomplish what you want to do, you will need to carefully plan out your route and program the necessary frequencies, trunking information (including system type, desired talkgroups, etc.) for your specific route. You will then need to enable the entries that are in range and disable those that aren't as you travel.

One other comment, based on your two questions. It sounds like you may be attempting to use your scanner to watch out for police as you travel to attempt to prevent speeding (or other) tickets. Please be aware that this doesn't work very well. The police don't say "I'm on highway 3 eastbound near mile marker 192 running radar", letting you know where they are. Much of the time, you'll only hear where they are when they stop someone and they'll often give information that may be understood by a local, but not by someone just passing through (e.g. "Traffic on 123 ABC, eastbound by the Morgan place").

Hopefully this will start you in the right direction. Enjoy your trip.

 

[8baal]

To accomplish what you want to do, you will need to carefully plan out your route and program the necessary frequencies, trunking information (including system type, desired talkgroups, etc.) for your specific route. You will then need to enable the entries that are in range and disable those that aren't as you travel.

Do you think a GPS supported scanner would make this much more easier when changing in and out of different frequiencies? Again thanks for the quick response.

 

[N8IAA]

The best that I can offer is that if you know your route, go to the database here on RR. Do a study of what you want to listen too. Then You can make up your mind as to what scanner will best work on your trip. If you have mostly conventional and analog, choose an analog trunktracker. If there is a lot of digital that would make your trip more fun, get a digital scanner. It will do all the conventional and analog as well.
Larry

 

[8baal]

The best that I can offer is that if you know your route, go to the database here on RR. Do a study of what you want to listen too. Then You can make up your mind as to what scanner will best work on your trip. If you have mostly conventional and analog, choose an analog trunktracker. If there is a lot of digital that would make your trip more fun, get a digital scanner. It will do all the conventional and analog as well.
Larry

That does sound like the most thorough way, what would show a frequency as being digital or analog? And can a digital scanner also pick up analog or only digital?

 

[N8IAA]

If there is a lot of digital that would make your trip more fun, get a digital scanner. It will do all the conventional and analog as well. Larry

Simple: 'D' in the mode equals digital, 'E' in the mode equals encrypted. The answer was in the last two sentences of my previous reply
Larry

 

[8baal]

Simple: 'D' in the mode equals digital, 'E' in the mode equals encrypted. The answer was in the last two sentences of my previous reply
Larry

hahah whoops i must have read it too quick, so digital seems the best way to go however are there any digital scanners out there that arent absurdly expensive? plus would it be logical to get a digital scanner as my first real scanner or would that just be too much at once? Thanks!

 

[whiskeytango]

digital scanners are gonna be at least 450...check ebay tho, you can save a good chunk of money...and the classifieds on this site