Hi! I am very new to this…I have been listening to dispatch calls online for years but I want to branch out and get a real scanner to listen to from home. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a scanner for a newbie like me who is just starting out? I don’t need anything real complicated and since I am new, I need you to tell me everything I will need to buy to make it work!! Any and all help is appreciated!!
Help! I’m really new to this
- Thread starter Asrich007
- Start date
Hi there. We are going to need to know who you want to monitor with a new scanner in order to determine which scanner(s) will be a candidate for you.
We need to know your location, state, county, city
What you want to listen to, Police, Fire, Ems, Air band, Trains, etc.
Before we can make a recommendation.
What you want to listen to, Police, Fire, Ems, Air band, Trains, etc.
Before we can make a recommendation.
jtwalker
Member
And ... in addition to above there is a pretty decent chance it will be complicated to program and require a Windows computer with scanner programming software. Most public safety now is on a digital trunked system (not everywhere), and it requires the scanner user to understand how a trunked system operates. Just warning you ahead of time.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1,751
- Reaction score
- 2,047
Great, valid, suggestions in posts #2-4.
I'll add my 2¢ by saying public safety monitoring has become contentious over the last few years because of the evolving technical complexity of systems (think simulcast trunking) and increased use of full-time encryption.
But there's more to monitor than (mostly law enforcement) public safety. Consider:
I'll add my 2¢ by saying public safety monitoring has become contentious over the last few years because of the evolving technical complexity of systems (think simulcast trunking) and increased use of full-time encryption.
But there's more to monitor than (mostly law enforcement) public safety. Consider:
- Aircraft (both civilian and military). So much the better if you live near an airport, but you can also monitor "in flight" communications. Aircraft comms are AM mode, and either VHF (civilian and military) or UHF (military).
- News Media. Many electronic media outlets , and a few newspapers, still use conventional 2-way radios to communicate with their crews and provide a broadcast audio feed (IFB) to on-scene reporters. In larger markets with stations equipped with aircraft, you can hear comms on aeronautical VHF frequencies as well as news media channels.
- Fire. While this is a part of public safety communications, fire service comms are different in that they are usually not encrypted and can operate over multiple jurisdictions and systems (called interoperability).
- Amateur ("ham") Radio. Not as active in many areas as it was once, ham radio can be fun to monitor. During major events or emergencies, ham radio volunteers provide communication support to municipal agencies and this can offer listeners a degree of situational awareness. From the sanist' perspective, most ham radio is on VHF or UHF, analog FM without encryption. There can be some digital activity as well, depending on area. Scanners can receive (sometimes as an extra cost option) P25 and DMR digital, but not D-Star of C4FM (but SDR, software defined radio, dongles can).
- Businesses. This is a diverse category and includes delivery companies, department and big box store associates mall security, fast food order kiosks, funeral processions, sporting/concert events and private security.
- Band Searching. Most scanners have the capability to search user defined frequency ranges, and some offer "service search" for frequencies used in specific services such as aircraft, fire, business,, etc. This can be a bit like Forest Gump's "box of chocolates" quote--you never know what you're going to get.
Per the OP's first post: Dothan and Houston County, AL
Definitely recommend a Uniden SDS series (100, 150 or 200) to overcome simulcast distortion you'll likely face if you're within range of two or more towers of the Dothan Simulcast
Dothan
| Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Project 25 Phase II | Used by Police, Fire, EMS and municipal services. Also used by Dothan Schools |
Definitely recommend a Uniden SDS series (100, 150 or 200) to overcome simulcast distortion you'll likely face if you're within range of two or more towers of the Dothan Simulcast
As already noted above, without knowing your location (city, or county, and state is sufficient), no one can give you much in the way of specific help on what you need to look for. Back in 2024, you asked, in a one-time post, for information on Houston County, Alabama, and Dothan (a city in that county). There have been no posts since then, under your username. Is that still your area of interest?
Per the database, your county (Houston) uses a NXDN system for the county S.O. and fire for smaller cities. The Sheriff's office is tagged as using part-time encryption, as indicated by the De in the mode column.
Dothan is listed as using the statewide system, AIRS. A number of Dothan Police talkgroups are flagged as using full-time encryption, indicated by the DE in the mode column. Some of the Fire talkgroups, as well as some for certain city departments, are also encrypted. No scanner can receive encrypted communications.
For the county NXDN system, you would need a NXDN capable scanner, That would be one of Whistler's TRX series (TRX-1 handheld. TRX-2 desktop mobile), or one of the Uniden scanners capable of getting the paid NXDN upgrade. Uniden scanners, with the upgrade, are capable of trunk-tracking a NXDN system (following a specific conversation). The Whistler scanners listed can receive NXDN transmissions, but do not track the conversations.
For Dothan, on AIRS, the site in your county is simulcast, Simulcast distortion can be a serious issue when trying to monitor a system. The only scanners fully capable of dealing with simulcast trunked system sites are Uniden's SDS series scanners (SDS100, SDS200,&the new SDS150). Simulcast problems can be extremely location specific. If you are very lucky, you might not have an issue with scanners other than the SDS series. Or, you might not be able to monitor anything other than garbled transmissions. There are a few suggested work-arounds on the Wiki page linked above, but no guarantee that they will work.
(Whiskey3 has also noted your earlier post.)
As jt has noted, your best bet for programming successfully would likely require using a PC & software.
Last edited:
First of all, I want to try to stay on topic, so If I fail to do so. Just tell me to shut up or whatever.
Listening to scanners or shortwave receivers is a wonderful hobby, especially when getting important information that you need to know, even before you click on the RBR or TV.
I'm sure that you've already done your homework and found out if there's any additional restrictions pertaining to your local municipality county or state when it comes to where you can or can't use your portable or mobile scanner.
When it comes to mobile scanners, some states have stricter rules against motorist form having mobile scanners in their vehicles. But, getting pulled over just because a LEO sees a scanner antenna will not likely to happen.
However, I'm sure it does happen, but the LEO can't legally force anyone to remove a scanner from a vehicle, they have the legal authority to request the motorist to lower or turn the radio off while you're explaining the purpose of the stop other than having a scanner.
