I think I bought the wrong (first) scanner

[RabbitEarsTX]

Hello!

I'll try to be thorough yet brief.

Wife and I are going to the beach again. There is a industrial port near this beach (Freeport Texas). I would like to listen to the large commercial ship radio traffic. Mainly so I can hear when they are about to enter the jetty so I can go watch up close. I know that in my HOME area, everything is digital and needs a high end scanner (Dallas Fort Worth Metro-mess) but internet research indicated that marine traffic still used / uses "regular" analog VHF systems. I bought a BC75XLT from Wal-Mart, knowing it is analog only thinking it would work. Today I found this information on the radio reference database that I do not know how to interpret, but makes me think I DO need a digital scanner after all: Port Freeport Trunking System, Freeport, Texas

The following are my assumptions now that I have seen this information: (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

-the radio signals are not only digital, they are likely DMR (which cost extra to unlock)
-it is a trunked system
-my BC75XLT has no hope of hearing anything from the ship traffic in the area

Questions:
Should I just take the scanner back and get my money back towards a better scanner? Am I going to hear anything at all with my 75XLT?
Are all Marine specific radios sold now digital? (which means my internet info was wrong)
If a ship has a "old" analog marine radio how do they "talk" to the digital DMR port system? (or do they)?

Literally just bought my first scanner a few hours ago, and before that read enough to know just enough to be stupid and waste money, so please feel free to talk down to me.

Thanks,
RabbitEars

 

[TJX400]

I am not at all familiar with the area you're referring to. However, it is highly unlikely all marine traffic incoming to the port are using DMR trunking-capable radios on this specific system. I would assume the DMR system that you've linked here is used by staff that work at the facility for coordination. It's reasonable to conclude incoming marine traffic still use analog radios to communicate with their destination. It would be a logistical nightmare to distribute, program, and train each incoming and outgoing vessel on how to use said DMR radio. I am not very well versed on how marine radio works or the rules around it, so I cannot provide any direction on that front - but I wanted to answer at least part of your question.

 

[popnokick]

Either program into memory of your BC75 each of the channels in the link below, or set up a Search range from 156.00 to 162.05 and start searching. You are apparently close enough near the beach / port that there should be PLENTY of activity. The VHF Marine channels (which you'll be searching) are still analog FM that your BC75 will handle just fine. Search and listen for a day or two before you decide you bought the wrong radio.
Marine VHF Channels - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[mmckenna]

I would like to listen to the large commercial ship radio traffic.

If all you want to listen to the shipping traffic, all you need is VHF analog. Your scanner is fine.
Program in the VHF marine frequencies:

Maritime (United States) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Maritime (United States)

www.radioreference.com

USCG Vessel Traffic Control in Houston/Galveston will announce the larger ships inbound and outbound. Vessel Traffic Services Radio Procedures | Navigation Center :

Houston3: "Houston Traffic" (The navigable waters north of 29 N., west of 94 20' W., south of 29 49' N., and east of 95 20' W.​

Channel Designation: Ch 11 (156.550 MHz)​

Monitoring Area: The navigable waters north of a line extending due west from the southern most end of Exxon Dock #1 (29 43.37' N., 95 01.27' W.).​

Channel Designation: Ch 12 (156.600 MHz)​

Monitoring Area: The navigable waters north of a line extending due west from the southern most end of Exxon Dock #1 (29 43.37' N., 95 01.27' W.)​

​

also, monitor Channels 9, 13 and 16.

The digital DMR system may be for port operations, but that's not what the large ships are going to talk on. VHF analog is the standard and all ships use that so they can all talk together.

 

[n0esc]

Several others took care of reassuring you the scanner should be just fine. Another good tool is to using VesselFinder or MarineTraffic. MarineTraffic also has a smartphone app, but VF gives you at least a rough estimate of inbound and outbound traffic schedule as well.

 

[wtp]

it's in there...
Service Search You can search for Weather, Police, Fire/Emergency, Marine, Racing, Civil Air, HAM Radio, Railroad, CB radio, and Other (Other = FRS/GMRS/MURS) transmissions without knowing the specific frequencies used in your area. The scanner is preprogrammed with all the frequencies allocated to these services. To use this feature, press Func + Svc. SRCH appears and the scanner starts searching from the weather service bands. To select a different service search, repeatedly press Svc as long as you are still in Function mode. If you are not in Function mode, press Func to return and then press Svc
and that is from

https://www.uniden.info/download/ompdf/BC75XLTom.pdf

in some areas, the radio traffic is slow.
i have driven by Tampa bay and not heard a thing.

 

[RabbitEarsTX]

Thank you all for the kind help. I will give this scanner a try. I found the "Svc" functions on the unit, very interesting and convenient, listening to so aviation broadcasts right now.

You all are great for helping me! Thanks

Rabbit Ears TX

 

[RabbitEarsTX]

Hey Folks,

Thanks again for the help! I heard all manner of traffic from my hotel balcony. Large ships waiting at anchorage for a harbor pilot, harbor pilots giving instruction, tugboats moving barges up and down the intracoastal waterway, Coast Guard 2x daily reports, coast guard boarding ships for safety inspection, and even a vessel in distress call and response.

I was surprised at how "informal" the conversation was, especially from the intracoastal waterway traffic, talking about their wives and which brand of insect repellent is best, with "salty" language to boot. I guess I thought it would be more formal type of communication.

At any rate the scanner worked great down there but does nothing where I live full time as EVERYTHING is digital up here, so I may upgrade to a SDS 100, if I can figure out how to work the thing lol.

 

[cfsimmont]

Hey Folks,

Thanks again for the help! I heard all manner of traffic from my hotel balcony. Large ships waiting at anchorage for a harbor pilot, harbor pilots giving instruction, tugboats moving barges up and down the intracoastal waterway, Coast Guard 2x daily reports, coast guard boarding ships for safety inspection, and even a vessel in distress call and response.

I was surprised at how "informal" the conversation was, especially from the intracoastal waterway traffic, talking about their wives and which brand of insect repellent is best, with "salty" language to boot. I guess I thought it would be more formal type of communication.

At any rate the scanner worked great down there but does nothing where I live full time as EVERYTHING is digital up here, so I may upgrade to a SDS 100, if I can figure out how to work the thing lol.

Glad you were able to monitor the ship traffic at the port, I have never done that I think it would be awesome to hear. I wouldn't be in a hurry to ditch your analog scanner thou, even thou most everything is digital where you live. For the price the 75xlt is a good cheap scanner, I have its big brother the 125AT and love it. Where I live 95% of public safety is digital and for that I love the SD100, but for the analog stuff that is still in use I use the 125AT. If you frequently go down to Houston, then you can use the 75xlt for listening to the port as well at home if you want to monitor aircraft, railroads, and other things that may still be on analog channels.

 

[RabbitEarsTX]

Glad you were able to monitor the ship traffic at the port, I have never done that I think it would be awesome to hear. I wouldn't be in a hurry to ditch your analog scanner thou, even thou most everything is digital where you live. For the price the 75xlt is a good cheap scanner, I have its big brother the 125AT and love it. Where I live 95% of public safety is digital and for that I love the SD100, but for the analog stuff that is still in use I use the 125AT. If you frequently go down to Houston, then you can use the 75xlt for listening to the port as well at home if you want to monitor aircraft, railroads, and other things that may still be on analog channels.

Interesting thought, having two radios with different abilities. At any rate I paid too much for my BC75XLT, I can buy it cheaper somewhere else anyway. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Trucker700]

If you live in the DFW area, there is a lot of AM airband traffic to listen to.
James

 

[Bhawk27]

Hey Folks,

Thanks again for the help! I heard all manner of traffic from my hotel balcony. Large ships waiting at anchorage for a harbor pilot, harbor pilots giving instruction, tugboats moving barges up and down the intracoastal waterway, Coast Guard 2x daily reports, coast guard boarding ships for safety inspection, and even a vessel in distress call and response.

I was surprised at how "informal" the conversation was, especially from the intracoastal waterway traffic, talking about their wives and which brand of insect repellent is best, with "salty" language to boot. I guess I thought it would be more formal type of communication.

At any rate the scanner worked great down there but does nothing where I live full time as EVERYTHING is digital up here, so I may upgrade to a SDS 100, if I can figure out how to work the thing lol.

I live about 2 miles from the Mississippi River in Illinois, and I do monitor the marine band. The vessels are obviously a lot different from what you‘re hearing, but I can verify the barge captains and pilots who work this waterway are quite “informal” as well.

 

[KMG54]

As a 100 ton licenced captain, I will say even the military still uses analog, nothing like them calling your vessel and identifying as US Warship xxx deviate 20 degrees east.

 

[Deeptow]

Hey Folks,

Thanks again for the help! I heard all manner of traffic from my hotel balcony. Large ships waiting at anchorage for a harbor pilot, harbor pilots giving instruction, tugboats moving barges up and down the intracoastal waterway, Coast Guard 2x daily reports, coast guard boarding ships for safety inspection, and even a vessel in distress call and response.

I was surprised at how "informal" the conversation was, especially from the intracoastal waterway traffic, talking about their wives and which brand of insect repellent is best, with "salty" language to boot. I guess I thought it would be more formal type of communication.

At any rate the scanner worked great down there but does nothing where I live full time as EVERYTHING is digital up here, so I may upgrade to a SDS 100, if I can figure out how to work the thing lol.

I live near the Cape Cod Canal where the Army Corps of Engineers uses Marine Analog Channel 13 as " Canal Control". It's very active, winter and summer. When you get back to your home territory, you should find some interesting comms on other analog channels, such as the railroad channels.

 

[G7RUX]

Hello!

I'll try to be thorough yet brief.

Wife and I are going to the beach again. There is a industrial port near this beach (Freeport Texas). I would like to listen to the large commercial ship radio traffic. Mainly so I can hear when they are about to enter the jetty so I can go watch up close. I know that in my HOME area, everything is digital and needs a high end scanner (Dallas Fort Worth Metro-mess) but internet research indicated that marine traffic still used / uses "regular" analog VHF systems. I bought a BC75XLT from Wal-Mart, knowing it is analog only thinking it would work. Today I found this information on the radio reference database that I do not know how to interpret, but makes me think I DO need a digital scanner after all: Port Freeport Trunking System, Freeport, Texas

The following are my assumptions now that I have seen this information: (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

-the radio signals are not only digital, they are likely DMR (which cost extra to unlock)
-it is a trunked system
-my BC75XLT has no hope of hearing anything from the ship traffic in the area

Questions:
Should I just take the scanner back and get my money back towards a better scanner? Am I going to hear anything at all with my 75XLT?
Are all Marine specific radios sold now digital? (which means my internet info was wrong)
If a ship has a "old" analog marine radio how do they "talk" to the digital DMR port system? (or do they)?

Literally just bought my first scanner a few hours ago, and before that read enough to know just enough to be stupid and waste money, so please feel free to talk down to me.

Thanks,
RabbitEars

Marine VHF SRC radio is analogue, narrow FM. There is a system called DSC (Digital Selective Calling) which lives within this but isn't necessary to be able to decode this for your proposed listening to vessels coming in and out of the port. There is also AIS (Automatic Identification System) which is useful but data from it can be accessed via marine traffic tracking apps in a pleasing map-based format.

In short, check the frequencies in use at the port you are interested and your analog(ue) scanner will be perfectly fine. You might want to tinker a bit with antennas, depending on where you plan to be using the receiver, but in general a decent whip will suffice.

The digital systems you are reading about will be the radios used by people in the port itself, not so much for the vessels.

 

[K5MPH]

I live here in Brownsville Tx,and only 25 min from South Padre Island and the marine channels I have in my radio are Cha-16 (156.800) cha-12 (156.600) cha-12 down here is for Port operations.And cha-9 (156.450) a lot of fishermen use this channel down here in the bay you may want to give these channels a try when in Freeport.........

 

[devicelab]

At any rate the scanner worked great down there but does nothing where I live full time as EVERYTHING is digital up here, so I may upgrade to a SDS 100, if I can figure out how to work the thing lol.

I'd suggest the Whistler TRX-1. It comes with all digital modes ready to go. The Uniden SDS series you'll have to invest an arm/leg to get DMR and NXDN as they are paid upgrades. Secondly, the SDS scanners are WAY different in terms of menu and programming. Search the forums and read about the steep learning curve. Admittedly, the TRX-1 takes some getting use to but it's more of a leave it and forget it kind of scanner. It has excellent recording functions. So you can have it scanning a wide range of frequencies and record all the action while you do other things. Review the recordings at your leisure.

P25 is the digital mode you want for marine traffic as you can then pick up USCG. They use digital 97% of the time -- only when not on Marine VHF. P25 is the gold standard for federal agencies as well.

Looking at the Dallas-area P25 trunk systems list, it sounds like you could have a lot to listen to depending on your interest level.

https://a.co/d/8beJJuq

 

[Ensnared]

I just returned from the area in question. Most of the the LE, F/EMS and such is on TxWarn. This is a rather small town. When I was programming this trip, I missed this new system.

Hell, I remember oil refineries being close to the gulf, but I did not know about this: Port Freeport | Ports in Texas

If you are interested in following DMR, there are only four radios that "track" talk groups. all Uniden: 436//536HP & SDS100/200. I am not sure about other Uniden radios. Whistler scanners do not "track" DMR talk groups.

I have two, 436HP and SDS 100.

If you want to monitor Brazoria County, you will need a Phase II radio.

I have programmed VHF marine band frequencies in the Gulf coast area from Houston to Corpus Christi and never heard one marine band radio transmission. But, this is not an area of interest for me. I have never heard Customs or the U.S. Coast Guard in the area, particularly Galveston. Before digital radios, I used to hear Customs on various frequencies in Houston.

I use my analog scanners for Skywarn & following hurricanes.

 

[hill]

Make that 6 Uniden scanners that can be upgraded for DMR along with NXDN and Provoice.

You left off the BC325P2 and BC996P2.

 

[devicelab]

Make that 6 Uniden scanners that can be upgraded for DMR along with NXDN and Provoice.

You left off the BC325P2 and BC996P2.

*can be upgraded for a $60 fee per mode... so that's $180 for those three modes (per) each scanner... what a racket.