I'm a beginner looking to get in on this

[fallennomad]

Hi, I'm brand new to these forums. I thought it would be appropriate to post here, but please move me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to enthusiastically participating in the world of radio scanning, but I can't seem to find a good scanner to purchase.

I live in New York City and was wondering if anyone has a good recommendation if I want to scan as much as possible. I'd like to listen in on the ESU trucks, NYPD patrol cars, police officers, news copters, basically everything under the sun.

Now, to my knowledge, NY mostly uses trunking, which means that I would need a trunked scanner, right?

Also, are there any advantages to a base scanner as opposed to a handheld one? Obviously aside from mobility :lol:

Thanks for your time guys, I look forward to this!

 

[pa_vmedic]

First off, congrats on getting into this hobby. You get alot out of it. Since you are going to be listening to mostly trunked radio, you should get whats called a "trunktracker" scanner. If you want an analog radio, I recommend a Radio Shack Pro 95 handheld. However, if you want a digital scanner, I recommend a digital Uniden Bearcat, such as the BC296D handheld. Personally, I dont see a real advantage to a base scanner rather than a handheld. I prefer the handhelds because they can do the same thing as a base, but are much more portable. It all depends on where you want to listen to your scanner. If its out and about, then a handhelds your best bet. If its in a sertain area of your house or in your car, then a base is your best bet.

 

[crashcrew]

Welcome aboard.........but NYC does NOT use trunking primarily. Day to day police fire and ems are on conventional frequencies. Use the link below, it's more than enough to start off:


http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1855

 

[KC2LVC]

another good resource for NYC info... http://www.n2nov.net/

 

[fallennomad]

Thanks a lot for the timely and welcome replies!

I think I will be getting a handheld radio scanner. I intend to use it almost exclusively inside my house, but its takes up less space anyway.

Since I'm a beginner, I think I will definitely want to start out with a cheaper set (unless you guys think otherwise?). Especially since NY isn't primarily a trunking system, I don't think I should spend extra on that. With that in mind, what do you guys suggest? Also, what is the difference between analog radio and digital? To my knowledge, analog audio sounds better than digital audio, but I don't know if that is what is meant by digital/analog scanners.

Wow, that radio reference page is excellent, you're definitely right that its more than enough to get me started. It looks like I won't be buying that Radio Shack publication, I forget what its called. Which reminds me, with even just these two resources available online that you guys gave me, will I even need that book by Radio Shack?

Thanks a lot guys, I am getting pretty excited about this.

 

[crashcrew]

If you don't want to spend a ton of money, perhaps you might look into getting a BC246 (see link below) Not too expensive and does trunking too. Not digital capable, meaning it can't receive digital radio transmissions (which do sound worse than analog) but that's not a big deal since what you want to listen to is all conventional radio. And I'm biased but I highly recommend RadioReference.com as your first choice for scanner stuff. Happy monitoring. Oh BTW when you program up your scanner, you mentioned wanting to listen to NYPD ESU....they are on the NYPD SOD channel.

http://www.usascan.com/files/bc246T.cfm

 

[fallennomad]

That bc246T that you showed me is selling for $215, which is a bit more than I expected. Is there a cheaper one that would cover all of my basic needs?

I see that there are $100 ones at Radio Shack, but I'm wondering if those are really up to par. What do you suppose?

 

[crashcrew]

They would work fine for what you want to listen to. They don't do trunking, but since what you want to monitor is conventional, check them out.

 

[SCANdal]

You get what you pay for. / '246 is a nice radio

nomad,

Save your money with the goal of getting yourself a bit of a higher end scanner. Granted, a conventional-only scanner will work for monitoring most of what there is to listen to in New York City, but we are talking about New York City here afterall...an RF-rich environment. I find in certain spots in northeast Manhattan that even with PL/DPL protection, intermod and other noise breaks through the squelch on my mobile scanner. At the very least you'll want to make scanning comfortable by having whatever scanner you're looking into be able to decode PLs and DPLs.

Also, don't be so quick to dismiss trunktracking capability in a scanner. For one thing, NYCOEM and a handful of other potentially interesting agencies have talkgroups on the DoITT system. Don't forget the PANYNJ and Metro21 systems. If you travel west of the Hudson at all, it would be nice to be able to listen to SPNJ when going up or down the Turnpike or the GSP.

I guess what I'm saying is don't cheap out. I'm not saying go nuts with a $500.00 P25 Digital-capable portable right away (not enough use of P25 to justify it yet in NYC, IMHO), but all I could see happening is you spend a 100 bucks today and one of two things happen...a) you are dissatisfied with the experience and fade away from the hobby, or ii) are dissatisfied with the experience and end up spending $220 bucks a couple of months or so from now anyway to upgrade to a better scanner (not that that would be a bad thing...spare scanners are always helpful to have around).

Good luck and best wishes in whatever decision you make,

SCANdal

PS,
You ask about reference books above...Radio Shack's Police Call is alright, but I'd go with Radio Reporter's book or Scanner Master's Metro NY / Northern NJ Communications Guide first. I have all three in my library (among others) and hardly refer to Police Call (either the book or the CD it comes with).

 

[billyranger]

Welcome

I have had a RadioShack (Duel Trunking)PRO - 95 for over a year now and it has been great. I would say it is the easiest scanner to figure out and use. Try this site it might make things easier

http://marksscanners.home.comcast.net/index.html

 

[Al42]

Re: Welcome

I have had a RadioShack (Duel Trunking)PRO - 95 for over a year now and it has been great. I would say it is the easiest scanner to figure out and use. Try this site it might make things easier

http://marksscanners.home.comcast.net/index.html

For a current purchase the Pro-97 is well worth the difference in price. If I were buying an analog trunker today, that's probably the one I'd get. Not that I have a problem with my Pro-95, but PL, signal stalker and skywarn are worth a few dollars more to me.