Las Vegas Newbie, looking for scanner help

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Hi all,

Newbie here, scanning southwest Las Vegas with an old Bearcat Sportcat SC150Y for police and emergency calls. Main reason for scanning is the increase of crime in our neighborhood and would like to keep informed when I hear the helicopter circling overhead.

I have found a few frequencies - 857.7375, 854.3125, 851.2500 - which seem to be busy and have a variety of chatter including police, bus transit, ambulance/rescue along with other non-emergencies. I admit, I don't understand how they end up on the same frequencies, but I believe it has something to do with the trunking radio system.

After only a few days of listening, I have heard some pretty goofy stuff, like the other night - a couple was spotted pushing a vehicle on an off-ramp of the 95. Dispatch describes the pair as "male wearing a white tee shirt only, female nude." I shake my head, laughing. This is Vegas, right? Then there's the opposite side of what I have heard, sadly. Dispatch; "Mother found her son hung himself upon returning home.” My heart drops, and that feeling of sorrow flows over me. I can only imagine what this mother is going through at this moment.

Most of the police chatter seems to be in North Las Vegas and some in the downtown area. Since I live in the southwest, that’s actually the area I would like to be receiving broadcasts from. As I said, I'm new to the scanning of these types of broadcasts and am hoping that someone can clue me in on what frequencies I might receive the southwest, mostly emergency calls and police dispatch. Is it impossible due to my equipment and trunking system? Any help or advice is much appreciated.
 

737mech

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Hello and welcome to Radioreference. I understand it is a very interesting hobby. I think knowing what's going on around you is very important in this day and age. When your friends learn you have a scanner they always call you when they see smoke or hear sirens. Unfortunately we have many shootings in Las Vegas and a high crime rate. There are many departments to monitor in Clark County. The big county trunked system is called the SNACC. It is located in the database above. Here's a quick link to it.Clark County - Southern Nevada Area Communications Council (SNACC) Trunking System, Clark County, Nevada - Scanner Frequencies Also there is a new system for Metro Police. The highway patrol is on the NV Statewide shared system. With all this out there you have one big problem, your scanner is very limited and won't trunk track any of these systems. Your scanner might get random stuff on the 800 mhz freqs but the trunking and switching won't happen for your scanner. I would suggest you find a scanner that trunk tracks Motorola rebanded systems (SNACC) and EDACS (NV SHARED) at a minimum. The Metro system is top of the line digital and the scanners that track it are expensive $500-$600. A good scanner would be a Uniden BCT15-X or for a little more BCD-996XT. You could probably find one around $200-$350. Take a visit over to AES on Polaris just north of Tropicana. Talk to those guys about scanners, they can show you the differences as they stock many models. Then you can look Ebay or online for the scanner you want. Don't worry too much about programming we can help you out with that. I hope this info helps and doesn't discourage you from staying in the hobby. A scanner is a very valuable thing to have especially when stuff is going on. Think of a power outage during a flash flood in your area. How will you stay informed?
 
Joined
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Southwest Las Vegas
Thanks so much for your input 737mech. I pretty much thought my scanner was out dated and the problem. I'll be paying AES a visit soon as I'm still very much interested with keeping in touch with what is going on around the area.

I have been reading some of the other post here and see metro is on another system, plus the fact you have confirmed it also. It's a great forum for information and help. I will enjoy following the post for our area. Thanks again for your help.
 

SCPD

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There are some private ambulance frequencies that you can listen to, and the Clark County rural fire vhf frequencies are somewhat active if your are interested in listening to those.
 
Joined
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Location
Southwest Las Vegas
Unfortunately, the visit to AES was disappointing. The two guys at the counter (neither do police monitoring via scanner) informed me there are only two models currently capable of monitoring metro police transmissions - the Uniden BCD436HP and BCD536HP. Apparently its all about the APCO Project 25 phase 1 and phase 2 technolgy which they both have.

The disappointing part: Neither one of the scanners were on display in a working fashion and neither one of the salesmen had enough product knowledge to explain how they would work. I realize I’m very new to this hobby, but I was hoping to get a little more information from my visit.

Hoping to be ready to purchase in a week or two, but for now, I will continue to read current posts within the forum and of course, any suggestions or advice is much appreciated.
 

737mech

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AES

That is a disappointment and unexpected? Was the conversation all about Metro? I thought you were looking for a general scanner for LV? SNACC etc? Yes metro would be the expensive way to go as I said. You indicated you had interest with the SNACC as well? Perhaps they misunderstood your interests?
 

737mech

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Incorrect, the GRE PSR-800 is Phase 2 as well. Whistler will probably bring it back to market soon. Ebay has them from time to time. Some people thought it was the only scanner Phase 2 for a long time until Uniden launched the new line 436/536. I think whistler will bring the 800 back maybe a new number like they did with the new radio shack scanners? So options are growing for phase 2 scanners. I'm still questioning the customer service at AES? That is not like them?
 
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I don't want to discredit the knowledge of the sales people at AES, I'm sure they know plenty about the ham radio equipment they sell and I found them to be very friendly. I was only describing my experience as a layman to my visit. In the past when searching for electronic equipment the stores I have gone to have working display models to view and play with. We did discuss other things and not just all on scanners and it was a nice friendly chat. But, my first question to them was, I live in the southwest and I’m looking to listen in on broadcasts of police, fire and EMS in my area, what do you recommend? He went to the shelf and brought back two scanners and said, here’s your choice. They didn’t offer any other scanner that might do a general scanning, I guess because metro is only on the P25 system? They did mention the owner could do programing for me, so maybe he was the one I should have been talking with, but they didn't go get him and maybe he wasn't even there.

I could go on, but there is no point. It doesn't help them, and it doesn't help me. It was, what it was, disappointing, to me.

Anyway, after a little more research, I have found I'm located in the Enterprise, Command Area, of the LVMPD. This is my main area of interest for police, fire and EMS scanning, although, I may from time to time scan other areas of the valley. I hope this better clarifies what I’m hoping to scan.

After that being said, I guess my question is, do the newer phase 1 and 2 scanners receive broadcasts from SNACC and EDACS, too?
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Southwest Las Vegas
I have pretty much found the same 737mech, the GRE PSR-800, is one of only three scanners that have the phase 2 so far. I only wish it was for sale by Whistler. No telling when it may be available.
 

bvankl

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I just returned home from a week out there. I purchased a 436 with my vegas trips in mind. For very little time in setting up my favorite lists (these essentially replaced the banks of your current scanner), this was the best scanning trip I ever had.

If that price is not a huge factor in your decision, one of those two scanners would be a GREAT pick. My daytime was entertained with the strip and my nigh time was entertained with the scanner.

Just my thoughts from someone who does not live there, so take that for what its worth.

Bob
 
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Thanks for the input Bob, and you too, 737mech. Looks like I'm leaning towards the 436. Just hope its as easy to operate as they make it out to be. After I play around with it for a bit I'll give my feedback on the unit.
 
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