Scanner for Police and Weather Alert?

[jantman]

Hello,

I'm an EMT and a ham, so I'm pretty familiar with both emergency services communications and radio in general.

I'm looking for a new scanner for my bedroom. I've been looking around online, and found lots of information but nothing that answers my specific question...

I want a scanner that is capable of scanning a VHF channel (158. ...) and SIMULTANEOUSLY receiving SAME weather alerts. Not necessarily receiving audio on both at the same time, but being able to do both functions at once.

I currently have a ham radio capable of receiving SAME alerts, but to do this you have to set it to a WX mode, which prevents scanning.

Does anything actually do this?

 

[crayon]

Welcome to the group here @ rr.com jantman!

AFAIK, there is not a scanner that can do that.

 

[RBMTS]

The closest thing you will find is the Uniden 396, 996, or BC-15. These radios allow scanning while checking the NOAA channels for the 1050hz tone, but not the SAME/FIPS code. I don't believe that any scanner will scan AND listen for the SAME code since there is a possibility of missing the digital SAME data while in the scan mode.

 

[jantman]

hmmm... ok. I guess I'll get one of the one-function SAME alert radios, and an old scanner (heck, I really only listen to one freq.).

I'm quite upset that my portable HT doesn't do it. It's a dual VFO, you'd think it could handle it...

 

[bassmkenk2508]

[edit: info already mentioned above]

also, the pro-96 can do what the 396t, etc. does too.

 

[gmclam]

PRO-92, PRO-93 or PRO-95

Hello,
...
I want a scanner that is capable of scanning a VHF channel (158. ...) and SIMULTANEOUSLY receiving SAME weather alerts. Not necessarily receiving audio on both at the same time, but being able to do both functions at once.
...
Does anything actually do this?

I have three different older Radio Shack scanners that ALL do that. The PRO-92, PRO-93 & PRO-95 ALL have that capability. There is a way to select the weather channel as the priority channel and it will only squawk when a weather (or Amber) alert comes in. And you just leave it in "scan" mode receiving whatever other channels you want with PRI on to receive the SAME messages.

I am fairly certain this is a basic feature of all Radio Shack GRE scanners.

Good luck,
George

 

[bassmkenk2508]

I have three different older Radio Shack scanners that ALL do that. The PRO-92, PRO-93 & PRO-95 ALL have that capability. There is a way to select the weather channel as the priority channel and it will only squawk when a weather (or Amber) alert comes in. And you just leave it in "scan" mode receiving whatever other channels you want with PRI on to receive the SAME messages.

I am fairly certain this is a basic feature of all Radio Shack GRE scanners.

Good luck,
George

I second that. my pro-96 does the same

 

[loumaag]

I have three different older Radio Shack scanners that ALL do that. The PRO-92, PRO-93 & PRO-95 ALL have that capability. There is a way to select the weather channel as the priority channel and it will only squawk when a weather (or Amber) alert comes in. And you just leave it in "scan" mode receiving whatever other channels you want with PRI on to receive the SAME messages.

I am fairly certain this is a basic feature of all Radio Shack GRE scanners.

Good luck,
George

George (and Bryan):

You are mistaken. No scanner will do what you are saying. To respond to the SAME codes sent out, the scanner must be monitoring the single frequency that will carry the coding (i.e. the NOAA WX Channel). Most scanners have a way (including all the ones you mentioned) of monitoring the WX Channel for the 1050 Hz tone (as was explained already) but that is not the same as the SAME code. Remember, SAME codes are sent prior to the 1050 Hz tone; if the NOAA did it the other way (1050 Hz tone first) then the scanner radio firmware could handle what you describe, but the dedicated WX radios would have been more expensive in the beginning and now there are too many out there to change.

To: jantman
Yes, your solution is the only one available, and the one most people who have to monitor for SAME alerts use. That is a dedicated WX Radio with SAME alerting and then scanner(s) for public safety monitoring.

 

[rdale]

Ignore gm and bass - they did not read the question thoroughly. All scanners listed do not have the ability to search for SAME while scanning. RBMTS is correct.

 

[N4JNW]

My RadioShack Pro-97 does that. All you have to do is program your local NWS frequency into the priority channel of the scanner. Hit scan and you're off!

The scanner will scan, normally, letting you monitor Police, Fire, EMS, Whatever, but in the event the NWS broadcasts the 1050hz tone, the scanner will stop scanning, and alert you to the weather situation.

Trust me. I have my Pro-97 programmed like this, and it DOES WORK

 

[loumaag]

My RadioShack Pro-97 does that. All you have to do is program your local NWS frequency into the priority channel of the scanner. Hit scan and you're off!

The scanner will scan, normally, letting you monitor Police, Fire, EMS, Whatever, but in the event the NWS broadcasts the 1050hz tone, the scanner will stop scanning, and alert you to the weather situation.

Trust me. I have my Pro-97 programmed like this, and it DOES WORK

Please read the OP's question.

 

[N4JNW]

I want a scanner that is capable of scanning a VHF channel (158. ...) and SIMULTANEOUSLY receiving SAME weather alerts. Not necessarily receiving audio on both at the same time, but being able to do both functions at once.

And his post asks the question I answered. You can program in the SAME codes for the counties you want.

 

[crayon]

You all are mudding up the thread with quasi-correct information. Take some time and become familiar with the SAME spec.

What is at issue here is if a radio/scanner can correctly receive the SAME encoding while scanning other frequencies. The correct answer is no.

As you both, bassmkenk2508 and KG4LJF have pointed out you can get a radio to receive a SAME alert, but it will be going off on every single alert it gets. That is not how the SAME spec is suppose to work. And on my Pro-95 there is no entry for county codes, perhaps I have assumed incorrectly that all GRE radios are like the 95 ..

 

[loumaag]

And his post asks the question I answered. You can program in the SAME codes for the counties you want.

Yes, but if you don't commit the radio to staying in WX mode, it will go off for every county covered by the NOAA Txmtr you are monitoring thus ignoring your county entry; hence, you are incorrect.

 

[N4JNW]

Well.. I guess it's not the first time I've eaten crow...

 

[n3ncn]

Well.. I guess it's not the first time I've eaten crow...

At least your man enough to admit it.

 

[N4JNW]

I've found a little A1 helps it go down better... LOL

 

[SCPD]

Hello,


I'm looking for a new scanner for my bedroom.

Why don't you just get a good scanner and buy a SAME weather radio for 30 or 40 bucks? Pry work better...

 

[bassmkenk2508]

I know i have made mistakes in the past.
I apologize.

With the knowledge I have learned from this, I am gonna have to go get me a weather radio too!

 

[gmclam]

SAME alerts

Hello,
.... I want a scanner that is capable of scanning a VHF channel (158. ...) and SIMULTANEOUSLY receiving SAME weather alerts. Not necessarily receiving audio on both at the same time, but being able to do both functions at once.

I currently have a ham radio capable of receiving SAME alerts, but to do this you have to set it to a WX mode, which prevents scanning.

Does anything actually do this?

I see nothing in the above question that mentions decoding the SAME stream. All jantman asks is to be able to receive the alerts; and he mentions it is not necessary to receive the audio for both at the same time.

So with a PRO scanner set with Wx as the PRI channel and it is scanning the 158... channels, when the SAME alert comes through, the scanners makes a noise to alert the user there is an alert. At which time you press Wx to hear the message.

Nothing was asked about limiting the alerts to specific counties nor receiving the "digital" SAME message.

George