Arookstook(Caribou area) - Radio Recommendation

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mcouture87

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I want to get my father-in-law a scanner. It's been years since he's had one.

He's near Caribou/Washburn area.

He'd be interested in the local Fire and Police, and state police, and game wardens and MDOT for plow trucks in winter...etc

What scanner would you recommend? Nothing fancy but can get the job done?
 
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ecps92

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Only being a regular tourist to 207, you need one that does P25 as many agencies have moved to P25 both Conventional and Trunked.
With that said a P25 Scanner can/will do Analog as well

I will let the locals chime in with their recomendations, but understand you are looking at $400+ depending on shopping around
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I want to get my father-in-law a scanner. It's been years since he's had one.

He's near Caribou/Washburn area.

He'd be interested in the local Fire and Police, and state police, and game wardens and MDOT for plow trucks in winter...etc

What scanner would you recommend? Nothing fancy but can get the job done?
 

ecps92

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Jul 8, 2002
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Taxachusetts
You might [wait till spring] find something used at an Amateur Radio Flea Market
Depends on how far you want to travel there is
or visit HRO in Salem NH to see what they have on the shelves and experience them first, before buying

Keep in mind, many of them do require software/computer cables to keep them updated with changes and
some use the RRDB, so it takes time for local users to find/report/share NEW frequency changes

Well I was hoping for the $200 range but if that what it takes I guess....
 

zerg901

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Maine - MSCommNet - Maine State Communications Network Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference - Mt Eaton - 152.1425 - possibly that analog channel will allow reception of the state police with a used $15 or $50 analog scanner - [ all other agencies in the area are listed as analog - per Aroostook County, Maine (ME) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference ]

Bottom line - a cheap analog scanner might allow reception of all agencies except State Forestry, State Game Wardens, and Border Patrol.
 

mcouture87

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Nov 25, 2005
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Thanks all -

I'm starting to look for a BCD996P2 for myself to learn on, then I'll get one for the in-laws.

Are there any upgrades needed for this scanner for Maine? Like DMR/NXDN/ProVoice
 

kd1sq

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Jul 23, 2005
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Caswell, Maine
You'll be able to listen to the MSCOMMNET digital traffic if you listen on the local analog frequency (that's for interoperability stuff for non digital agencies - maybe 154.3250 or 153.9425 in the Caribou area?)

Local fire, Sheriff and police are analog on their own frequencies, anything state related (Forest Wardens, DIFW, State Police) is on the digital network.

You might invest in something like a BC125AT for him if he'd be happy with listening to the interop analog channel for the state stuff.
 
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