Game Warden

[johnanderson22]

I am a Game Warden who would like to be able to patrol and scan channels hunters use. I have a Whistler WS1040. This may not be the best model to utilize. I have the following questions:

What is the best model of handheld scanner to utilize to accomplish this objective?
Is there a downloadable database to my scanner of common frequencies/channels that hunters/outdoor recreators use?
Am I completely off base on my questions? haha

Any help in this regard would be appreciated.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I am a Game Warden who would like to be able to patrol and scan channels hunters use. I have a Whistler WS1040. This may not be the best model to utilize. I have the following questions:

What is the best model of handheld scanner to utilize to accomplish this objective?
Is there a downloadable database to my scanner of common frequencies/channels that hunters/outdoor recreators use?
Am I completely off base on my questions? haha

Any help in this regard would be appreciated.

Stop taking short cuts to catch the hunters/fishermen just trying to feed their families

Seriously though, you'd have a difficult time, they could use FRS, GMRS, MURS, HAM, or illegally operate on unlicensed business bands, it would be very hard to actually identify which of these might be in use, and it could change daily. If you want to try I'd recommend starting with the FRS/GMRS frequencies in the RR database.

 

[jtwalker]

And it will likely be very low power, so you’ll probably see their orange by the time you can hear them.

 

[sonm10]

Also, been known to use marine radios

 

[bearcatrp]

Sounds like ease dropping to me. Is that even legal? You should check with your boss to insure it will stand up in court. Would suck to make a major bust to get thrown out on a technicality. Would suggest a 325P2 with DMR. Set it to close call. But as posted above, they could be on something totally different.

 

[WX9RLT]

Sounds like ease dropping to me. Is that even legal?

Isn't that what a police scanner does?
I do not think it is illegal, for a warden to use a scanner.

GMRS, MURS, FRS are the most I hear while deep in the woods.
"family radios"

Bearcatrp, makes a good point. Turn on the close call.

johnanderson22, Keep up the good work!

 

[IC-R20]

It's actually very easy to do and I have done it with that exact model the WS1040, it has a really sensitive receiver so it's perfect for catching HT use in the area and if you search threads on here plenty of Game Rangers have scanned hunters to catch them acting up.

I would put an external magmount antenna on your roof, you need something with a BNC connector or an adapter. This one works perfectly and don't worry about the slightly lower ham tuning since you're not transmitting through it anyways and has a BNC already can connect straight to the scanner: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DY8FNAG/

Next you want to program the MURS, GMRS/FRS, and Marine Radio Channels since contrary to the poachers in here intentionally giving you bad advice that's what 90% of them will be using if they have radios. The WS1040 already has a preprogrammed service search for MURS/GMRS/FRS and Marine Radio both of which you can just add to a scanlist. I used to do this every time during deer season and would hear tons of people out. It'll be a great tool to extending your "sight" in patrol areas to help observe those just out of visible range out to a 2 mile or so circle, more if you're on an overlook.

For ease of use here's a video I made for you showing how to do exactly that so you can just mirror my button presses (note my scanner is crowded though so you don't have to set it to Scanlist 14 and can use any lower one you have available or want):

Happy Hunter Hunting, maybe you'll catch one of the guys on here that were trying to throw you off 😜

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Bearcatrp, makes a good point. Turn on the close call.

You'd have to be practically breathing down their necks for this to effectively work with simplex ops. Yards out at best

 

[WX9RLT]

You'd have to be practically breathing down their necks for this to effectively work with simplex ops. Yards out at best

The woods we have here. You can be 10 feet in front of me, and you wouldn't see me.
So, close call would still be effective...

 

[rk911]

Also, been known to use marine radios

My old boss did that.

 

[johnanderson22]

It's actually very easy to do and I have done it with that exact model the WS1040, it has a really sensitive receiver so it's perfect for catching HT use in the area and if you search threads on here plenty of Game Rangers have scanned hunters to catch them acting up.

I would put an external magmount antenna on your roof, you need something with a BNC connector or an adapter. This one works perfectly and don't worry about the slightly lower ham tuning since you're not transmitting through it anyways and has a BNC already can connect straight to the scanner: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DY8FNAG/

Next you want to program the MURS, GMRS/FRS, and Marine Radio Channels since contrary to the poachers in here intentionally giving you bad advice that's what 90% of them will be using if they have radios. The WS1040 already has a preprogrammed service search for MURS/GMRS/FRS and Marine Radio both of which you can just add to a scanlist. I used to do this every time during deer season and would hear tons of people out. It'll be a great tool to extending your "sight" in patrol areas to help observe those just out of visible range out to a 2 mile or so circle, more if you're on an overlook.

For ease of use here's a video I made for you showing how to do exactly that so you can just mirror my button presses (note my scanner is crowded though so you don't have to set it to Scanlist 14 and can use any lower one you have available or want):

Happy Hunter Hunting, maybe you'll catch one of the guys on here that were trying to throw you off 😜

Thank you for you help.

 

[vagrant]

1. I would use the service search method IC-R20 noted in the video and I would include CB as well Marine, MURS and the GMRS/FRS freqs. I would not use the "Close Call" feature. Anyways, monitoring all of that will keep you entertained and pass the time until you hear what you're looking for.

2. I would use an NMO magnet mount along with a Comet CA-2x4SRNMO antenna. This particular antenna will improve your reception significantly over the handheld antenna and most other mobile antennas. While it is not the best for the lower CB frequencies, it will work. You can switch to the rubber duck supplied with the scanner once you get close.

* Here's the thing, just because you can hear them, doesn't mean you know where they are. You need to develop that skill. See #3

3. I would use a wide band directional antenna once you hear the signal you want to locate. You could either use multiple antennas tuned for each band, or just use something like an Elk Log Periodic antenna and keep it vertical. Connect it to your scanner with a short piece of coax and once you've locked the scanner on the specific the transmission/frequency, rotate in a full circle while holding it in your hand, while away from your vehicle to avoid reflection/interference. Watching the signal meter will help identify the direction. ( If you have an amateur radio club nearby, you may want to join in on their "fox hunt / T-hunt". You will gain hands on experience about direction finding. )

4. You need to protect your scanner when you use your work radio and transmit. I recommend an HP limiter. You will need to use some adapters inline to connect that limiter with the mobile antenna which I presume will be close to your service antenna.

5. Finally, when the signal is always strong/nearby, turn on the ATT (Attenuator). This will apply 20 dB of attenuation which is significant and allow you to resume direction finding (#3).

You don't have to do #3, but you'll be chasing ghosts with a lot of driving accomplishing zilch.

 

[WX9RLT]

1. I would not use the "Close Call" feature. .

You have some excellent advice.
But why would you not use the close call feature?

Put it in DND mode and you won't even know it's on, until it gets a hit.

If the whole purpose to listen in the woods.
Close Call would be a great feature to use.

I think it is just logical thinking. For the purpose he wants to use it for.

That would be an extra tool to use,
That does not affect the scanner monitoring at all and actually helps.

I guess to each is his own...
I have explained my thinking.
Kind of would like to hear why you feel differently.

I have had great success using the close call feature overall and in the wilderness.
MANY times.
Especially using it out in the wilderness.

 

[vagrant]

How many frequencies is one scanning/monitoring with Close Call? How many false positives would one get while doing that on frequencies one does not want to monitor?

I have only used Close Call accidentally. I typically program what I want to monitor, or use Service Search. Can Close Call be limited to only CB, GMRS, MURS and Marine frequencies?

 

[WX9RLT]

How many frequencies is one scanning/monitoring with Close Call?
How many false positives would one get while doing that on frequencies one does not want to monitor?

In the wilderness, only 1 false positive the whole time I used close call.
That is because you are far away from the normal stuff that causes false positives.
That 1 time, was because of an electronic device my buddy had on him.

It works extremely well in the wild.
I agree, but if you do not know what they are using for their radio.
And especially their frequency.

If the people, the warden would be looking for were smart.
They would TX out of bands that the warden is searching.
Your normal stuff, that you mentioned.

Hence why the close call feature to be turned on.
Regardless of what band, if it hears it, it will show you.

And if the people the warden were looking for were dumb.

They would be using the normal stuff that you mentioned.
And we would be watching them on the worlds stupidest criminals....

 

[IC-R20]

Thank you for you help.

Most welcome. Stay safe out there.

 

[GlobalNorth]

The public has no reasonable expectation of privacy on certain bands and modes. Even if you have a APX8000 with in-use AES-256 encryption, the Federal government can easily decrypt and listen to your radio traffic.

 

[ladn]

Even if you have a APX8000 with in-use AES-256 encryption, the Federal government can easily decrypt and listen to your radio traffic.

I'm not aware of a back door on AES-256. The number of possible keys is number of grains of sand on the beach large and while the folks at Fort Meade probably have the computing horsepower to accomplish this, it wouldn't be in real time and more likely to take months or years to using brute force. Might take less time if the key was poorly derived or if there was intel.

 

[piercescan]

I am a Game Warden who would like to be able to patrol and scan channels hunters use. I have a Whistler WS1040. This may not be the best model to utilize. I have the following questions:

What is the best model of handheld scanner to utilize to accomplish this objective?
Is there a downloadable database to my scanner of common frequencies/channels that hunters/outdoor recreators use?
Am I completely off base on my questions? haha

Any help in this regard would be appreciated.

wow

 

[Ravenfalls]

Maybe a combination of close call and scanning. Maybe 1 unit do close call and the other scanning? Citizens have such a variety of radios to buy, its difficult to nail anything down.

Baofeng is 1 reason people can program anywhere on VHF OR UHF. Some radios use 900MHZ with encryption or frequency hopping. DMR digital is somewhat common.

BUSINESS ITINERANT
FRS
GMRS
HAM RADIO
MURS
RUGGED RADIO OFFROAD CHANNELS