Hello, I am a scanner enthusiast and also am a fire explorer, while learning more about the people I listen to, their pagers can optionally only be set off if there is a certain tone pattern such as two sequential tones, my question is why can’t scanners do this, specifically the BCD436HP, I thought it was impossible to do this since you couldn’t hear a solid noise with a digital signal, is there a way to make the scanner a pager? Thanks for any help and understanding more
Tone outs-paging
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ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
Many times a digital system chops up such tones, so trying to get them there is often a waste. However many departments have kept their Fire Tone outs on other analog frequencies. I don't know of any of the high end Unidens that don't this functionality.
Additionally, we keep the FTO information in our wiki, not in the database as it's not set up to handle this. For example, for your state we have this; keep in mind that this is member-supported data which may or may not be up to date.
wiki.radioreference.com
Sad to say, Uniden's documentation skills leave a LOT to be desired, but fortunately the Easier to Read manual has a section on this...
Mike
Additionally, we keep the FTO information in our wiki, not in the database as it's not set up to handle this. For example, for your state we have this; keep in mind that this is member-supported data which may or may not be up to date.
Category:Alabama Fire Tone Outs - The RadioReference Wiki
Sad to say, Uniden's documentation skills leave a LOT to be desired, but fortunately the Easier to Read manual has a section on this...
Mike
Agreed - around our area (Jefferson, Bullitt and Oldham counties of Kentucky), we retained our VHF tone and voice paging when we migrated to 800 digital TRS for all other radio operations. Responders will carry, mostly, VHF pagers to be alerted to incidents. The VHF frequency is hard patched to an 800 talkgroup.
So you might ask the department where you are an explorer to see if this is the case for them.
So you might ask the department where you are an explorer to see if this is the case for them.
A scanner cannot be scanning and decode the tones of the paging at the same time. Some models of Uniden scanners do offer a mode called Fire Tone Out, or FTO. At that point, you are carrying a much larger pager, that is not as durable as a pager, and not utilizing 99% of the scanner's capabilities. If you are ok with that, it is your radio to use it how you want.
A used pager, or lesser known brand, could be less money than the scanner. They do require programming, or reeds on the even older pagers.
A used pager, or lesser known brand, could be less money than the scanner. They do require programming, or reeds on the even older pagers.
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