Can anyone help a rookie out please

[Whiskey256]

Hey guys, I know this is going to sound really stupid to all you pros out there, but I just purchased my first scanner off the shelf at walmart. Uniden BC92XLT portable scanner, nothing fancy. I've just about figured out how to enter a frequency on it and make it scann . I've found several police and rescue frequencies at home, but I work in Chattanooga and can't for the life of me find Chattanooga police, rescue, or state trooper frequencies. Can any of you guys help a rookie out and tell me where to find these, or are they on some kinda frequency I can't get on my scanner? And do any of you know if a portable scanner in a car is illegal in the states of Tennessee and Alabama? Please keep it simple for me, I don't understand all the technical lingo. I still have no clue what the term "trunked" means, but I see it everywhere. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[n4yek]

Chatanooga area police, fire, ems, and most other communications of interest are digital and are also
trunked. It would require a Pro-96 from radio shack or some other digital scanner.
Sorry to be the one to tell you, but your scanner will not do to much down there as far as what you
are wanting to listen too.
Danny
N4YEK

 

[Whiskey256]

I kinda thought that might be the case. Obviously this is over my head, but thank you for your help.

 

[matthewtomek]

I kinda thought that might be the case. Obviously this is over my head, but thank you for your help.

Hang around hear for a while, you'll learn some stuff!

 

[n4yek]

Yea, don't be scared off just because they use a trunking system. In fact it is a
better system of communications than the old single frequency systems. Once you
get the hang of programming trunk systems, it will be so much easier. Because then
all you have to do is listen just like you used to do.
Read up on how trunking systems work and learn why trunking systems are used.
Danny
N4YEK

 

[jimg]

I need help with my PRO-2096. I finally got into the "V" (Virtual) Scanner menu, but now I can't get out of the V-Scanner, and get back into what I programmed into the scanner. I've looked in the manual, but I must be missing something. Can anyone help me get out of the "V" Scanner mode?

 

[n4voxgill]

Do you know if you saved the file that you created. There are a total of 11 (I will call them banks) in the scanner. They are numbered 0 to 9 and then the 11th one is the period.

You can check each bank by enter PGM, Func, Prog and then hit 2 and then a bank number and follow the instructions. Check each "bank" to see if you saved your file.

I suggest that you get the software from www.starrsoft.com called WIN96 as it makes it so easy to build files and transfer them to and from the scanner. You get a 30 day free trial of the software and then you must pay for it. Before you order it get the correct cable either the 20-289 from radio shack or order it from www.gre.com.

One way to tell if you saved the file is if after you entered your information and turned it off and the next time you turned it on was your information there or one of the preloaded files. If it was a preloaded vfile, then you did not save your file. to save you have to do the same PGM, FUNC, PRG but then you hit 1 and then enter the "bank" you want to save it in.

I wouldn't even think of trying to use this scanner without the software. Makes life so easy.

Gill

 

[jimg]

Thanks for the reply. I think I went directly to Step 2 and did not save what was already programmed in. So, does this mean that I will have to reprogram everything that was in the, what I will call, regular banks?

 

[ki4cgs]

Chatanooga area police, fire, ems, and most other communications of interest are digital and are also
trunked.

Since when? I'm getting them fine in non-digital right now.

 

[click23]

Hey Whiskey check out the Hamilton County database, ScanChattanooga, and the ChattRadio yahoo group.
The Hamilton County TRS has not went digital YET. To monitor Hamilton County/Chattanooga simply enter all of the trunked frequencies into your scanner with the delay turned off. Since you are new I will go into this a little. In the Hamilton county system there is a control channel and several voice channels. When the push to talk button is pressed on a radio its sends a signal to the control system and then on the control channel a signal is sent to the radio telling it which frequency to use, it also tells all other radios in that group to monitor the duplex frequency of the first. With a trunking scanner you can follow this. Without one you can only monitor the frequencies, but you will not be able to know who is using it, and you will not be able to hold onto on a conversation because when the PTT button is released someone else could be assigned that frequency and the first user issued a new one.

If I were you I would take advantage of Wally Worlds liberal return policy("It's just not what I thought it was going to be" might just be enough). At radio shack you can get a Pro97 on sale now for $180 or your local shack might have an older Pro-95. Last time I saw these they were at $150. Once they go digital you will have to fork over $400+.

If you need anything else send me a PM.

Robert