BearTracker 885

[RadioJonD]

Are state police/trooper highway patrol agencies available in the DOT bank?

 

[tvengr]

Only items on DOT are talkgroups with service type public works.

 

[Mike445]

Are state police/trooper highway patrol agencies available in the DOT bank?

No state troopers are under the police band.

 

[RadioJonD]

Only items on DOT are talkgroups with service type public works.

No state troopers are under the police band.

Thank you. Over the years I have dialed back on travel monitoring. I primarily listen to one scanning bank consisting of state highway patrol, DOT maintenance, & emergency management agencies. The bank also includes CB-19 & select statewide/nationwide interoperations. No CB radio.

Since state LE agencies are in the police bank, I am made to think that one would spend too much time with eyes off the road punching the lockout button to whittle all that chatter down to something useful. The fire and medical banks are useful for more detailed monitoring if one is already stuck in traffic.

The BearTracker 885 is a good concept. However, in my opinion, a bank containing the above mentioned agencies could be added or perhaps combined with the DOT bank and renamed HWY (Highway). A bank consisting of just medical helicopters would be a traveler asset as well. The only other item that could be a focus is dedicated metro area traffic channels and talkgroups.

Monitoring as a hobby from home and monitoring for travel information require two distinct methods. Uniden has brought the latter into play with the 885 for traveling. The lack of full talkgroup display in transmissions is neither here nor there for focused listening. As long as the traveler understands locations and call types heard, that should be adequate. The more hands and eyes off the radio, the better.

Interesting concept that just needs a little tweaking. Like others have said, SSB would be nice too. For me, the lack of a dedicated highway patrol bank is the reason I probably won't purchase an 885 anytime soon. I will reconsider when the time comes for equipment replacement as needed.

For now, adding a CB radio to what I already have is far cheaper.

 

[Mike445]

Thank you. Over the years I have dialed back on travel monitoring. I primarily listen to one scanning bank consisting of state highway patrol, DOT maintenance, & emergency management agencies. The bank also includes CB-19 & select statewide/nationwide interoperations. No CB radio.

Since state LE agencies are in the police bank, I am made to think that one would spend too much time with eyes off the road punching the lockout button to whittle all that chatter down to something useful. The fire and medical banks are useful for more detailed monitoring if one is already stuck in traffic.

The BearTracker 885 is a good concept. However, in my opinion, a bank containing the above mentioned agencies could be added or perhaps combined with the DOT bank and renamed HWY (Highway). A bank consisting of just medical helicopters would be a traveler asset as well. The only other item that could be a focus is dedicated metro area traffic channels and talkgroups.

Monitoring as a hobby from home and monitoring for travel information require two distinct methods. Uniden has brought the latter into play with the 885 for traveling. The lack of full talkgroup display in transmissions is neither here nor there for focused listening. As long as the traveler understands locations and call types heard, that should be adequate. The more hands and eyes off the radio, the better.

Interesting concept that just needs a little tweaking. Like others have said, SSB would be nice too. For me, the lack of a dedicated highway patrol bank is the reason I probably won't purchase an 885 anytime soon. I will reconsider when the time comes for equipment replacement as needed.

For now, adding a CB radio to what I already have is far cheaper.

It might be worthy to note that only the dispatch channels for each law-enforcement agency including trunk systems is what the 885 receives. There is no tac channels. It cuts down on a lot of the chatter.

 

[RadioJonD]

It might be worthy to note that only the dispatch channels for each law-enforcement agency including trunk systems is what the 885 receives. There is no tac channels. It cuts down on a lot of the chatter.

Good info. Thanks!

 

[tvengr]

The only thing you will receive on Police is channels or talkgroups with service type Law Dispatch. Fire is Fire Dispatch only and Ambulance is EMS Dispatch only.