chicago fireground

[mpdan21]

hey i have the radio shack pro97 i cant seem to get the fire ground frequancy i dont know if its because they are changing to digital or what? any help would be appreciated thanks dan

 

[werinshades]

It's a low power frequency and have to be close to hear it...154.295 is Fireground. Fire won't be digital for a little while yet...EMS soon.

 

[mpdan21]

alright thanks is there anything i can do to boost it? there was a fire 8 blocks away and i wasnt getting it. thanks

 

[mpdan21]

ok sorry just remembered to ask when they do switch will my scanner work or do i have to get a new one? thanks again

 

[N9JIG]

You can use a better antenna, or get closer to the transmitter. Being mostly portable radios only on Fireground it just doesn't carry that far.

When they do switch to digital then you will need to get a digital scanner to hear it. The Pro97 will not allow you to monitor digital.

 

[mpdan21]

ok thanks what would be a good scanner o buy when they do switch over something i can pick up everything with?

 

[N9JIG]

There are 2 manufacturers of consumer scanners that pick up digital communications, GRE and Uniden. Radio Shack sells rebranded versions of GRE scanners.

Both make handheld and desktop/mobile versions and they each have a wide variety of feature sets.

Check the RR Wiki and GRE/Radio Shack and Uniden forums for pluses and minus for each and then decide on a radio. There are way too many variables to consider to be addressed here.

Be advised that digital scanners run from $450 to $550 new so save your pennies (and nickels...)