Analog or Digital

[tracebell2000]

Hey Everyone! I'm sure it's a very silly question, but I can't figure out if I need an digital scanner or not. Here is the page for the are I live in Craig County, Virginia (VA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
I am looking at the Law Dispatch and wasn't sure since it was DPL.
Thanks!

 

[N8IAA]

No. Any conventional scanner that does CTCSS/DCS-same as DPL. Will work for your county. Example: BC125AT.
Larry

 

[tracebell2000]

Fantastic! Thank you

 

[poltergeisty]

DPL is just a sub carrier on the frequency. Any analog scanner can pick up the frequencies. If you program the DPL tone in the scanner then you won't get interference.

Businesses might use the business band and will use CTCSS or DPL because there could be someone using the same frequency. This prevents others from transmitting on their radios without the correct tone; the aforementioned CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) or DPL (Digital Private Line) Sometimes called DCS (Digital Coded Squelch).

You could get away with the old Pro-26, 25-1300 MHz scanner to listen to your town. Wish my town was still analog. Alas they are digital and next year the police are going encrypted.

For more information on tones see here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Private_Line#DCS

In a digital system they don't use tones they use what is called NAC codes.