N00B Q's

[n00b]

NOTE: I posted this in the General forum, and they suggested I come here to the Indiana forum for more help. So here's a repost:

---------------------------------------------------
Hey there, folks. I am interested in getting started in listening to scanners, and thought this would be a good place to get some recommendations on scanners. I'm certainly not looking for anything fancy, just police/fire and weather, if possible. I do live close to a military base, so if would be possible to pick up anything from there, that would be awesome, but that seems like it may be more fancy than I'm willing to pay for. Speaking of which, I'd like to spend about 50, if that's possible, but certainly no more than 100.

I don't know if it matters, but I live in Johnson County (New Whiteland).

Also, I live in the shadow of a cell phone tower. Will that hurt my reception?

Like the name says, I'm a total n00b when it comes to this. My dad had a scanner when I was a kid, and I loved listening to it. With the tornadoes recently and the flooding today, it's got me thinking of picking up a scanner of my own.

I just found your forum, so I apologize if these are stupid questions.

Thanks a lot.
---------------------------------------------------

Seems the biggest concern the general folks had was the possible need for a digital scanner vs. an analog scanner.

Again, treat me as if I was stupid/ignorant, because (at least on this), I am!

 

[KLH]

New Whiteland Police and Fire, and alot of other agencies in Johnson County use a digital frequency. So in order to listen to them talk, you would need a digital scanner.

And unfortunately, you won't be able to find one under $400 very easily (even used sometimes).


Edit:
This is the type of scanner you would need, and probably one of the cheapest if you can get it when it is on sale.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...r=1&origkw=pro-96&kw=pro-96&parentPage=search

 

[n00b]

Really? Ugh...!

 

[N9WP]

KLH is right, you will need a newer apco 25 capable scanner to receive basically anything in Johnson county including camp atterbury. The going rate for those is 500 bucks. For under 100 bucks, you'd be stuck listening to maybe airplanes, trains, maybe some small companies and just maybe a couple fire dispatches but not your police and fire and the fire ops channels.

I use Uniden products. You can hear my Uniden BCD996t on the internet, the link is in my signature. Tonight I'm pulling in agencies from a good distance to where I am but on normal days, you mainly here the digital SAFE-T system for Boone and Hendricks counties. Johnson county and all of the towns in your county use the SAFE-T system too. The SAFE-T system is mainly apco-25. Here's the link to Indiana's SAFE-T system: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=933

 

[W9NES]

Welcome to the fourm,I will have to back up N9WP'S statement.You wil need a Digital scanner for APCO 25.I own (6) Uniden Bc 996t's and (1) Uniden bc 396T.I would recomend the Uniden BC 996T or the Uniden bc 396T handheld.If you need any further info please feelfree to pm me anytime.'My doors are always open" Best Requards Tim DeLong W9NES Indianapolis

 

[n00b]

KLH is right, you will need a newer apco 25 capable scanner to receive basically anything in Johnson county including camp atterbury. The going rate for those is 500 bucks. For under 100 bucks, you'd be stuck listening to maybe airplanes, trains, maybe some small companies and just maybe a couple fire dispatches but not your police and fire and the fire ops channels.

I use Uniden products. You can hear my Uniden BCD996t on the internet, the link is in my signature. Tonight I'm pulling in agencies from a good distance to where I am but on normal days, you mainly here the digital SAFE-T system for Boone and Hendricks counties. Johnson county and all of the towns in your county use the SAFE-T system too. The SAFE-T system is mainly apco-25. Here's the link to Indiana's SAFE-T system: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=933

Hey there. I tried going to your site to listen to your scanner, but got this message:

---
Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server. The server name might not be correct, the server might not be available, or your proxy settings might not be correct.
---

Any ideas on what I need to do to fix this?

Thanks.

 

[delallen]

Hello fellow Johnson Countian (lol)

As stated b4 you'll need a digital scanner here and yes they are expensive. (they ain't your daddy's scanner)

Having said that it's still one of the cheapest hobbies a person can have.

Most if not all PD's and FD's in Johnson Co. are on the statewide system called Safe-T.

We were one of the first to go on this system.

This site is the most informative about this subject that you'll find.

Yesterday (sat) was one of the busiest days I have ever listened to on a scanner. Those of us who monitor these radios knew more about the flooding than the media did.

Anyway, jump on into it. You'll get plenty of help here. Most of us were new to this at one time. Then like any board you'll find some that were born into it and believe they know everything.

Take the good and leave the bad!!!

If you do buy one let me know and I'll send you a list to get you started here in Johnson County. NascarGrant knows alot about our area also.

From Greenwood, IN

 

[n00b]

Hey, Del. Thanks for the info! What would be the least expensive model that I would be able to get that would work?

 

[Srobo]

Welcome from a fellow New Whiteland resident. I am using a Grecom PSR-500 and love it. Before that I had a Pro-96 and it worked great also. Like everyone stated above. Digital is the only way to go but it will cost you $500. I have no idea about used. Good luck!

Scott

 

[AK9R]

Hey, Del. Thanks for the info! What would be the least expensive model that I would be able to get that would work?

Watch for deals on the Radio Shack Pro-96. It will do the job and I've heard of people being able to take advantage of sales, specials, and coupons.

The currently-available digital scanners are:

GRE PSR-500, PSR-600
Radio Shack Pro-96, Pro-2096
Uniden BCD396T, BCD996T

 

[W9NES]

I also know about the Safe-t system as well and do monitor Johnson County Sheriff, fire, etc from the Northwest Side of Indianapolis.Again my "Doors are always open" and please feel free to pm me with your questions and I will answer them.You have a lot of people who are on this fourm that can help you.If you need a in expensive digital scanner you can look at Radio Shack but I prefer to use the Uniden Bc 996't as I own (6) or them and use them everyday for my listening needs.I live in Marion County but I also monitor all the counties around the Metro Indianapolis area that I can hear.Best Reguards,Tim DeLong Ham Radio Operator and scanner user.

 

[KC9NEG]

Keeping it simple at this point for nOOb... The Pro 96 is cheapest but may not be "future proof" due to lack of ongoing development (software updates for the radio). You'll find advocates of both the Uniden and GRE digital radios here and they are equally passionate. I have both side-by-side here, and I prefer the GRE's. GRE is currently in a flurry of new product development and this includes frequent software updates to improve the performance of their digital scanners in certain situations, particularly reception of P25 digital systems.

Todd/Indy
KC9NEG

 

[ten78]

The BCD996T is an awesome radio. My Radio Shack trunker sounded crappy all the time on MECA. I got this 996t and it is crystal clear 99% of the time. I'll never have anything other than Uniden again.

 

[KC9NEG]

If you're talking about the old MECA system, nothing's gonna make it sound "crystal clear" And neither my Unidens nor GRE's make the new one sound "crystal clear"--I'd love to know what the secret is.

Todd/Indy
KC9NEG

 

[N9WP]

Hey there. I tried going to your site to listen to your scanner, but got this message:

---
Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server. The server name might not be correct, the server might not be available, or your proxy settings might not be correct.
---

Any ideas on what I need to do to fix this?

Thanks.

Sorry, haven't been to the forum for a few days, one of my laptops that provide the feed locked up and you may have tried to connect to the feed while it was down. Sorry about that. They are running now. If I don't re-boot the laptops every couple days, they sometimes lock up. I also go through an outside service for my video feed and they may have been down too. 90 percent of the time, the feed is up and running.

 

[n00b]

No prob! I'll give it ago again.

Thanks for the info, folks. Much Appreciated!

I have a friend in the Avon FD, so he's got a scanner on all the time. Is there any similarities between the AFD/PD and what Johnson uses? Maybe he has an extra laying around.

 

[N9WP]

Yep, Avon FD and Hendricks Co uses the SAFE-T system and so does Johnson Co.

 

[sporkme]

Not everything is digital...

I do not own a digital scanner. When severe weather rolls in, I switch on my old Radio Shack PRO94 and tune to the local SkyWarn frequencies:

http://www.greencastle.com/pcarc/skymap.gif

Those are the frequencies that are used by the amateur weather spotter network. Volunteers report real time observations to each other and the National Weather Service to assist in specific warnings.

You can also tune in other interesting operational frequencies, detailed on this site, or eavesdrop on regular station to station traffic.

For government services, you have to go digital, though.

I would steer you away from the Radio Shack PRO96. I worked there when they came out. The volume of dead on arrival units was inexcusable, as was the volume of in-warranty repairs. I returned mine right away, but haven't purchased another since.

I expect the price of digital equipment to begin to drop as the system architecture becomes more widespread and as more models come to market. For now, I recommend the purchase of a non-digital scanner that features dual-trunking mode and can interface with a PC, something from the PRO95 generation. Happy scanning!