Getting started in Saskatchewan

[saskton]

Hi there! I'm new to the world of radios and scanners. I recently moved to a rural part of Saskatchewan and I'm looking to learn more about using a radio/scanner for entertainment/information purposes.

I don't plan on talking, just listening a lot. What would be a decent and affordable start up device? What kind of things should I expect to hear? Would I be able to hear emergency services?

As I mentioned, I'm very much a newb to this whole world. I appreciate any and all advice that comes my way.

- saskton

 

[BC_Scan]

Today, it's as easy as a dongle with software on a laptop and you have a complete station, this is called Software Defined Radio (SDR).
The traditional approach is a scanner. Uniden or Whistler is served by a trunked radio system. You many want to consider a BCD436HP handheld or 536 base unit with an external antenna (discone) mounted up as high as possible.Most modern systems are digital, meaning a digital scanner.


If you are in Saskatoon, the city uses a 800 MHz trunked digital system with certain things you could hear in the clear.
Saskatoon Trunking System, Saskatoon , Saskatchewan - Scanner Frequencies

The wide area radio network setup by Hydro has many users all digital

Provincial Public Safety Telecommunications Network Trunking System, Provincewide, Saskatchewan

Provincial Public Safety Telecommunications Network Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

So depending on what you wish to spend or have is up to you. Many have a traditional setup scanner, cable to antenna on roof outside... etc
Some use a laptop with dongle (depends on you knowledge of computers etc)
Figure to spend anywhere up to $1000 for very good setup.

You have a lot of reading to do. Start here with wiki than go from there.

 

[mmisk]

And don't forget Unitrunker for P-25 comms in the clear.

 

[JamesWest]

Whatever radio you get, don't be afraid to just start searching and see what you can hear.

After you get that discone up, try searching all day. Then use a small indoor antenna plugged into the back of the scanner and do the same search. This will give you a idea of signals that are very near you.

Older systems on VHF can still have a lot of interesting transmissions.

A computer, a free copy of SDR# and a cheap SDR dongle are so powerful you may soon be running both a conventional scanner and SDR# around the clock to do a survey of the entire RF spectrum.

Check out both Airspy and SDRPlay.

Don't forget 2 meters and 440 bands, NOAA WX Sat's around 137.00. There is so much.