Device Compatibility Back Into Scanning After a Long Absence

[Servergod]

I decided randomly to try and find a solution for my local area, to listen to fire/rescue and LEO after years in Vol Rescue/Fire and having LEO pro friends locally.
TO this day, I have several handheld scanners we used to use for races to listen in-car, couple of Uniden mobile scanners, I ever have a bonerfake ham in the box till I get unlazy and take my tech lic and an old 2-way for ATC / air traffic, NONE of which, will help me at all. As I was leaving the VFD, years ago we were upgrading locally to (Io THINK this is correct) a 900 MHZ trunking system. Specifically thr zp is 28401 28403 and 28405.. That area.. Technically its Wilm NC but often I see it spelled out as the country or the local river (New Hanover or Cape Fear), My Guess is because the county gov and city are two separate munis. The country takes care of wireless comms/radios.

The issue having been wrapped up so long in other things, even as an IT Pro, is well.. (sigh..) I no longer, know what I am talking about... I* do not.... know... the liogo.. The lingohhnoo... "What IS this lingo.oooo.. Of which you speak.. ?" LoL - Ive heard (besides trunk/trunking and a long time ago, seeing the notices sent to our VFD for the or about the new 900 mhz then the newer trunking system for country, and the brief rundown as to how it worked as far as freq hoping) And that's where I left off...

I have heard trunk + viper twenty something at some point and something like DSLs or something other..

IN SHORT...; I do not know what I need to listen to FD/LEO locally, I do not know if anything on market weill work. As far as I know their is no hashing. no encrypt currently (Granted I know that myh area was the first a few years back to drop off the scanner apps lists..

What is the.. What would be the 1) Minimum/Cheapest device, 2) Most recommended medium/median device and 3) The best maxed out overkill device, for my location
(In other words the top 3 devices for my situation+local 28401 (28403/28405/28409/28412/28401 all same city and county, two munis. One service for incorporated city linmit areas and one for uninc areas)
1) Cheapest that works,
2)Most recommended/ Best for area
3) Similar to #2 but #2 maxed out w/ all the bells and ewhistles (The Dude.. Thatt'l work but it'SO s overkill model)

Outside of that... I SINCERELY, appreciate your time in advance for helping me out (and your understanding) and I'll do my part, dig in and educate myself on this lingo of which you professionals and experts speak...

Should I broadcast? I am just wondering in the event I can afford a scanner now, as to, wel;l the ethics.. Obviouis locally LEPO diodnt want it out... Theyd caught thieves or dealers using it, I dont know how good listenting actually does for thieves or drug dealers,. bnut thats what I was told... SO I am ethically wondering and struggl;ing with the thouth of broadcasting, so .. Well. whats a.... . Resources for helping one to decide if its ethical for an area? That make sense? ...

Oh.... Any are these worth holding onto, these old handhelds (post crystal. RadioShack and Uniden.. Programmable, (digital) various models we used to listen to local muni and over our lifetime, the total of two... both the two... two.. nascar races we went too ... Any value for trade sale or trash em? That's even if )I hope) I took the battery packs out before the got stored in the garage ..Maybe 12 maybe 15 ort so years ago...

-Wow.... I bought half a dozen scanners to listen to drivers in cars to races I never went to... geeee Im a genius sometimes. Yeah, Didnt get the RV, didnt do all that traveling as had planned, but do have 7 or 8 programmable handheld scanners from the ordeal)

Thanks All...
Servergod (aka Brian)

 

[BigLebowski]

LE in Wilmington (on the New Hanover County system) is encrypted so you won't be able to listen to that. SHP, WRC, and MRC are all in the clear on Viper (State Radio system). The surrounding counties are for the most part in the clear on Viper if any of their units roam onto the New Hanover Viper sites.

I highly recommend a Unication G4 or G5 (VHF+7/800) unless you are wanting to listen to both Viper and the New Hanover System at the same time, in that case an SDS100 or SDS200 is the top tier followed by the BCD436HP/BCD536HP.

 

[jaspence]

Most law/fire/action on 700 or 800 MHz P25 now, and there is a growing trend for systems to be encrypted, which cannot be heard on any radio legal to own as an ordinary citizen. Some areas using DMR and NXDN, but P25 has the biggest share by far. Check the database for your area to see what you can or cannot hear.

 

[RobKB1FJR]

LE in Wilmington (on the New Hanover County system) is encrypted so you won't be able to listen to that. SHP, WRC, and MRC are all in the clear on Viper (State Radio system). The surrounding counties are for the most part in the clear on Viper if any of their units roam onto the New Hanover Viper sites.

I highly recommend a Unication G4 or G5 (VHF+7/800) unless you are wanting to listen to both Viper and the New Hanover System at the same time, in that case an SDS100 or SDS200 is the top tier followed by the BCD436HP/BCD536HP.

Also from my Experience State Highway Patrol on viper has "the encryption code" for the local ENC Main Dispatch channels so they can monitor these agencies. If a large emergency event is happening its not uncommon for Highway Patrol to mention it on the air or respond directly too. it
Fire and EMS also or just monitoring fire (since Fire responds to most emergency EMS calls) would work. Who knows if State Highway Patrol dispatch will go ENC when Phase II comes out on Viper. State Highway Patrol dispatched quickly and with 10 codes, but chatter increases to plain language when an incident is going on.