scanner I can use in office building for aero and fire/police

[modrachlan]

I am relatively new to scanning- I have been experimenting with SDR and am really starting to enjoy it. I'd like a standalone radio to use in my office- office policy is we can't plug things into the PCs for security reasons. My office is located near an airport, so I thought it would be fun to be able to listen to aero traffic while at work. But I would like to get the local fire and police as well, which to my knowledge is not trunked (Jefferson City, Missouri, 65109, USA) and hear the storm spotters too.

The scanner would need to be sensitive, I am guessing, since there is no way to an antenna outside, but I am open to the idea of a discreet external antenna at the top of my cube if that would help. We are on the 3rd floor, and the airport is low relative to us, so I am guessing antenna height is not the main limiting issue anyway.

Currently I'm considering a Radio Shack Pro-84 because of recommendations I've seen elsewhere here. It seems to have the bands I need. But will it be sensitive enough for aero about two miles from the airport inside a concrete-rebar building?

Can someone give me a shove in the right direction? I would appreciate it.

 

[QDP2012]

As far as the radio-signal blocking properties of your building is concerned, to get a general-idea you could get a basic AM/FM radio and put it in the place where you want the scanner to sit, and find out if you can receive your local FM radio station's signals. If the signals are strong, you're likely to hear other transmitters in the area, too. If the signals are scratchy, then you might want to find a friend who has a scanner you can borrow to bring in for a day or even on a lunch-break, just to test specifically the agencies you wish to monitor.

Hope this helps,

 

[modrachlan]

great idea about the fm radio, thank you.

 

[DickH]

If you are near a window or if there are lots of windows it should work much fairly well.

 

[modrachlan]

I guess I should have described the setting at my desk, which is why I'm concerned. I'm on a balcony in a large, open building interior. the nearest windows are about 30 feet above me and only serve to bring some natural light in, not to look through. i'm surrounded by blank walls. the building is concrete and rebar construction. I don't think I'm anywhere near an outside wall.

I'll bring in an FM radio and see what I can pick up.

 

[QDP2012]

From your description, it sounds like you probably are not in a good-reception spot. But, unexpected things happen. So, maybe you will find a place on/near your desk where reception is good.

I hope it works out well.

Edit: Regarding office policy, you might want to keep a copy of the owner's manual for your scanner either at your desk or with the scanner, so your supervisors and their boss(es) can be comforted knowing that you are not operating a portable transmitter, something that many businesses would frown on, depending on what type of business and security requirements they have.

 

[troymail]

Best I can see from the RR listings, the activity you want to listen to is on VHF (119-155 Mhz) and UHF (450ish Mhz) -- with the possible exception of the Cole County Sheriff which may be on the State trunk system...

If you want to listen to the Sheriff on the trunked system, you'll need a more "substantial" (expensive) scanner/radio that can do P25 trunking.... and you'll probably have problems receiving that - at least from your office -- but that's not certain.

As far as the air, city (and maybe even County) fire and police -- I suspect you could use nearly any scanner and have reception -- unless your building is shielded in some way. If the FM radio works, a scanner should work for most of what you want to hear.

 

[modrachlan]

thanks for the detailed information, troymail. I was looking into trunked systems to decide if I want to take that plunge, but it doesn't look like there's much to listen to in this area, yet.

I brought in my Sony 2010 over the lunch break and FM reception is not terrible, but not awesome. I was also able to get the KJEF weatherbot at 133.625, so this may merit further investigation!

 

[troymail]

You scanner need (for now) is on the low end cost wise. Any reason why you only seem to want to listen at work? Even if it doesn't work there (I'm thinking it will be fine), you could use it outside the office (car, home, etc.)....

 

[modrachlan]

QDP2012, that is an excellent point about the manual. I will keep that in mind.

I'm thinking about an Icom IC-R2, and I could see someone mistaking that for a transceiver.

 

[modrachlan]

troymail, it's not that I only want to listen at work. It's just that I would like to try it since I'm so close to the airport. I have an older base scanner at home to catch local fire and police, I really didn't want to bring it to work as well.

 

[troymail]

troymail, it's not that I only want to listen at work. It's just that I would like to try it since I'm so close to the airport. I have an older base scanner at home to catch local fire and police, I really didn't want to bring it to work as well.

O! Take that to work and just try it one day! (unless the "can't plug in" thing is you need about power and can't use office power)

 

[modrachlan]

Well, I guess I could do that, eh? It looks like a refugee from an old Star Trek set, but I don't see why I couldn't bring it in just for the morning or something.

 

[QDP2012]

QDP2012, that is an excellent point about the manual. I will keep that in mind.

I'm thinking about an Icom IC-R2, and I could see someone mistaking that for a transceiver.

If you haven't yet clarified it in your own mind, be sure to do a little extra searching/reading here on RR about the difference between a Scanner and a Receiver. The IC-R2 is a receiver, if I'm not mistaken. Scanners do not do all that receivers will do, and receivers do not usually make good scanners. So, be sure which one you really want before putting money on the countertop.

Hope this helps,

 

[KD2DLL]

If you do not get good reception for the freqs you wish to monitor from your work, maybe consider setting it up at home and then doing a live feed on here. Set it up with what you want and just listen through the computer (if your allowed) or on phone or tablet or such device.

 

[modrachlan]

I didn't even know that was possible! That sounds pretty cool. Thanks for the idea!

 

[KD2DLL]

I didn't even know that was possible! That sounds pretty cool. Thanks for the idea!

You can always check to see of someone has a feed for the things you want to listen to I'm your area already.