Idiot seeking help with scanner type

[Mike4Lin]

First time poster here. Let me begin by saying that I have no clue about any radio/scanner stuff. Things have come a long way since the 1970s. My daughter wanted a scanner for Christmas to listen to local Fire/EMS traffic. I do know that our county uses 800 MHz and police channels are encrypted. By using info on this site, what I do have is

System Type Project 25 Phase II
System Voice APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive
System ID Sysid: 261 WACN: 926A9

So, what kind of scanner does she need? Used is fine. I'm hoping that I'm not looking several hundred dollars. The Uniden DC3555N that I bought without researching doesn't work (unless I'm completely missing something).

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

 

[jtwalker]

You can’t get a new scanner capable of working on a P25 phase 2 system for less than $350, then you will also need some software for programming it.

For further help we need to know state, county and city this scanner is to be used in. Possibly specific area of city if it’s a large metro.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Welcome to the RR forums. I'm quite familiar with Atlantic County's trunked radio system and monitor it whenever I'm in the area during the summer. Lucky for you/your daughter, Margate is well within the coverage area of the Atlantic City site so you need not worry about simulcast distortion. Any P25 Phase-II/TDMA scanner on this list should suffice. I've had good results with my Uniden 436HP (handheld) and 536HP (base) on your county system. Though if you or your daughter plan on using it in Cape May County or elsewhere in the state I'd recommend a Uniden SDS100 since many systems in the state have simulcast towers and the Uniden SDSes are the only scanners designed to mitigate simulcast distortion. Best wishes!

So, what kind of scanner does she need? Used is fine. I'm hoping that I'm not looking several hundred dollars.

Expect to spend about $350 or more for a P25 Phase-II capable scanner, even on the used market. Although software defined radios can be acquired for much cheaper. Only drawback is you need a computer and software to control them. These are fine for stationary applications, whereas the portability of a handheld scanner is preferred for travel

 

[sallen07]

So, what kind of scanner does she need? Used is fine. I'm hoping that I'm not looking several hundred dollars. The Uniden DC3555N that I bought without researching doesn't work (unless I'm completely missing something).

You might want to ask the moderators to move your post to the New Jersey forum. I (and many others) can look at what's in the database and speculate but if you ask in the state-specific forum there may be someone who lives near you (and her) that can tell you what works for them. You can do that by clicking on the "report" button on your post and asking to have the post moved. Please do not create a new post since multiple posts with the same question are not allowed on RR.

Unfortunately any P25 Phase II scanner is going to cost several hundreds of dollars, even used. I looked at that system and it appears that the Atlantic City site is *not* simulcast so you may be able to use a Uniden BCD325P2 or BCD996P2. If simulcast is an issue then those aren't going to work. But again, you might want to ask folks in New Jersey.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Here is the DB page for Atlantic County, NJ. Looks like Police are encrypted and a little EMS is encrypted. Should be plenty of Fire and EMS traffic to monitor. There is nothing that we as hobbyist can do about encryption. No work around exist.

Atlantic County Trunking System, Atlantic County, New Jersey

Atlantic County Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

 

[sallen07]

Welcome to the RR forums. I'm quite familiar with Atlantic County's trunked radio system and monitor it whenever I'm in the area during the summer.

And you are in luck, @Mike4Lin ... someone with first-hand knowledge chimed in!!

 

[kny2xb]

Idiot seeking help with scanner type​

First time poster here. Let me begin by saying that I have no clue about any radio/scanner stuff. Things have come a long way since the 1970's. My daughter wanted a scanner for Christmas to listen to local Fire/EMS traffic. I do know that our county uses 800 MHz and police channels are encrypted. By using info on this site, what I do have is

System Type Project 25 Phase II
System Voice APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive
System ID Sysid: 261 WACN: 926A9

So, what kind of scanner does she need? Used is fine. I'm hoping that I'm not looking several hundred dollars. The Uniden DC3555N that I bought without researching doesn't work (unless I'm completely missing something).

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

You're not an idiot, you're a newcomer or a beginner

Welcome to the hobby, when you & her get set up & situated, enjoy!

Check your local pawn shops, I've bought 3 of my scanners at pawn shops, 2 analog, 1 digital

 

[bearcatrp]

To keep costs down, get a used 325P2 or 996P2 to try. Let her use it for awhile to see how it goes.

 

[BinaryMode]

Or monitor Broadcastify. Broadcastify - Live Police, Fire, EMS, Aircraft, and Rail Audio Feeds

Scanners have come a very long way since then and everything is more technical and digital.

 

[wtp]

like hit factor mentioned,
all law is encrypted, you will not hear anything that is encrypted.
on the RR page under mode the TE means fulltime encryption

Loading…

www.radioreference.com

and if you check the broadcastify site, there is no police listed on there due to encryption.

 

[Mike4Lin]

like hit factor mentioned,
all law is encrypted, you will not hear anything that is encrypted.
on the RR page under mode the TE means fulltime encryption

Loading…

www.radioreference.com

and if you check the broadcastify site, there is no police listed on there due to encryption.

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't realize that there was a NJ specific forum. I'll take a look at the models mentioned. I believe she has listened to Broadcastify and said that there is a fee after a certain amount of time? Maybe this is just passing interest. Assuming I buy the appropriate scanner, how difficult is it to set it up - the programing, etc?

 

[wtp]

i have not ever seen, or hear of a fee for brodcastify.

 

[bearcatrp]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't realize that there was a NJ specific forum. I'll take a look at the models mentioned. I believe she has listened to Broadcastify and said that there is a fee after a certain amount of time? Maybe this is just passing interest. Assuming I buy the appropriate scanner, how difficult is it to set it up - the programing, etc?

Not hard to setup once you decide on the scanner. Come back here for any questions once your setup.

 

[BinaryMode]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't realize that there was a NJ specific forum. I'll take a look at the models mentioned. I believe she has listened to Broadcastify and said that there is a fee after a certain amount of time? Maybe this is just passing interest. Assuming I buy the appropriate scanner, how difficult is it to set it up - the programing, etc?

You can program the scanner by hand (I can) but it will be a very tedious process. You will then want software and I chose to use Proscan. Others may use Freescan. It is an involved process if you don't understand how a P25 trunked system works. Once you learn how it works then you have a better time programming the scanner. You could check YouTube on instructional videos.

Heck, when I got my first digital scanner back in 2005 (a Uniden BC296D) I threw the manual aside and programed it by hand. I'm very technically inclined so it's not an issue for me. For those that aren't it may be.

If you get Proscan me or someone else here can create a database file for you with Proscan and give you that. Then you just load it into your Proscan and write to the scanner. The scanners now-a-days plug into a computer via USB. If you decide on Frescan someone else will have to help you as I don't use Freescan. Especially since if I'm not mistaken Freescan can't program DMR or NXDN. But I could be wrong.

ProScan

Computer Aided Scanning Software for the Uniden BC125AT BC250D BC296D BC346XT BC346XTC BC780XLT BC785D BC796D BCD160DN BCD260DN BCD325P2 BCD396T BCD396XT BCD436HP BCD536HP BCD996P2 BCD996T BCD996XT BCT15 BCT15X BR330T SDS100 SDS100E SDS200 SDS200E UBC125XLT UBC126AT UBCD3600XLT UBCD436PT...

www.proscan.org

GitHub - mfcallahan/FreeSCAN: FreeSCAN is free and open source software for programming Uniden DMA scanners. (Go to the right under "release" and download the Zip. Not the source code).

FreeScan User Guide - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[tvengr]

My daughter wanted a scanner for Christmas to listen to local Fire/EMS traffic.

To keep costs down, get a used 325P2 or 996P2 to try. Let her use it for awhile to see how it goes.

I use Butel ARC XT Basic software to program my BCD325P2 and BCD996P2. ARC XT and ProScan both have a free trial period to determine which one you like better. You can also use FreeSCAN which is free. The BCD325P2 and BCD996P2 will receive the Atlantic County P25 Phase 2 system out of the box without any upgrades. FreeSCAN does not support DMR or NXDN which are paid upgrades for both scanners. I will be happy to help with the programming. I have all 3 software apps.

 

[Mike4Lin]

I use Butel ARC XT Basic software to program my BCD325P2 and BCD996P2. ARC XT and ProScan both have a free trial period to determine which one you like better. You can also use FreeSCAN which is free. The BCD325P2 and BCD996P2 will receive the Atlantic County P25 Phase 2 system out of the box without any upgrades. FreeSCAN does not support DMR or NXDN which are paid upgrades for both scanners. I will be happy to help with the programming. I have all 3 software apps.

Many thanks. The next step is to buy a scanner. Once i have it, I'll come back.