Muscatine Police Dept.

[vdsteelman]

Do any of you know what type of system Muscatine PD is using currently? I've heard it's Motorola Astro but am unsure. Also, what kind of scanner do I need to monitor Astro if it indeed what they use?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[bs123]

Do any of you know what type of system Muscatine PD is using currently? I've heard it's Motorola Astro but am unsure. Also, what kind of scanner do I need to monitor Astro if it indeed what they use?

Thanks,

Joe

I'm not sure about the Muscatine PD details, but you may want to check out http://www.iascanner.com/ for more info.

If they do use Motorola Astro, that is a digital format so you will need a scanner that can do digital trunking like Radio Shack's Pro 96 or Uniden's BC296D or other brands.

 

[owenmcc1]

I Have a frequency list with the frequencies. I printed it for free at:

www.cityfreq.com/ia

Go to that site, it will give you a list of cities, scroll down to Muscatine, click on it and It will give you the Police Department and Sheriff's Department frequencies. It has a long list. It was going to print 21 pages but I stopped it because we ran out of ink.

 

[owenmcc1]

You need a regular scanner, like the ones you can find at RadioShack. I have a Pro-99 Series 500-Channel, which is handheld. I recommend the 1000-Channel Triple Trunking Scanner at RadioShack. It is currently on sale for $149.99. If you don't pick it up, you would need the digital one. I'm out in the country and haven't picked up anything from the frequencies.

 

[owenmcc1]

They are using a digital system. The digital scanner at Radioshack is $499.99 though. Both the police & fire departments use digital systems.

 

[mws72]

Do any of you know what type of system Muscatine PD is using currently? I've heard it's Motorola Astro but am unsure. Also, what kind of scanner do I need to monitor Astro if it indeed what they use?

Thanks,

Joe

It is APCO25 so Bearcat BC250D/BC785 with card or BC796/BC296/BC396 or the Realistic PR-96 can listen to it. I know of rumor that anyone's that buys a digital capable scanner in Muscatine gets their name turned over to the Police Chief. Like I said it's a rumor.

BTW I have heard them with a BC250D and a BC796 so I know they are not running encrytion like another rumor says they will if people buy digital capable scanners they will switch to running scrambled.

Interesting I found out this summer MUSCOM sends out fire calls out on 154.250 the old city fire channel. You just hear the pageout no replies.

 

[Declared_Hostile]

BTW I have heard them with a BC250D and a BC796 so I know they are not running encrytion like another rumor says they will if people buy digital capable scanners they will switch to running scrambled.

That wouldn't surprise me. Going back into my hazy memory I seem to remember them not being a very scanner friendly and a little adversarial when it came to things there. I do remember reading where one of the big selling points with the Muscatine PD with their new radio system was at the time it was unmonitorable. I appears they really don't appreciate the taxpayers keeping tabs on them. I'm as law abiding as they come but I was always a little intimidated and uneasy when dealing with LE up there in the mid 90s even though I was the good guy and not in trouble or anything. Just got a bad vibe.

 

[owenmcc1]

154.250 I thought was the Pager Frequency, 855.4875 & 857.4875 are the new Digital Frequencies. There's two great places to buy scanners in the area:

RadioShack:
Muscatine (Next to Quizno's & AutoZone)
Iowa City (Sycamore Mall)

and...

Walcott CB Sales & Service.
Walcott, IA, I-80 Exit 284 / County Rd Y40. It is south of the Interstate.