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- Thread starter Alfred56
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Hi,welcome to Radio Reference.
In order to listen to those counties you would need a digital trunktracker scanner,but the law talk groups for Bergen County are Encrypted so you will not be able to listen to them even with a digital scanner.
Here are the latest digital scanners on the market:
https://www.scannermaster.com/Digital_Scanners_s/269.htm
In order to listen to those counties you would need a digital trunktracker scanner,but the law talk groups for Bergen County are Encrypted so you will not be able to listen to them even with a digital scanner.
Here are the latest digital scanners on the market:
https://www.scannermaster.com/Digital_Scanners_s/269.htm
Am not sure because I don't own a GRE or RadioShack scanner,maybe someone who does can chime in here and give some info?
russellmaher
KC1ANC
Hello Alfred56 and welcome aboard! This is the place to be for tons of useful information about radios and related items, and though I can't help with all of them, I can offer my two cents worth.
Buying a scanner that is capable of receiving digital and analog is the way to go since a lot of systems (in your state and all the others) use one or the other. So if you buy a scanner that only receives analog...then you'll be missing out on a lot. Simply put, an analog scanner won't receive digital, but a digital will receive both.
My scanner is a Uniden BCD396T that I've had since 2005 that does both analog and digital. It's a handheld type scanner, so it's compact and easily moves from house to vehicle with a minimum of work. I love it! Now, you have to choose between Uniden and Radio Shack or GRE since they are the major players in the scanner biz, and since I don't own a Radio Shack digital (my PRO-2052 is analog only) you'll have to ask someone on here that has one about how good they are.
But ask away and you'll get some opinions about those other brands, I'm sure.
Again, welcome!
Russell
Thanks I mean I got a few old scanner but I mean really old cant pick up anything. I was also wondering what kind of antenna to get I want to receive cd and my local pd and Dow fire you know the works lol thanks again one of the best forums around for this hobby
What freqs are they are on?
russellmaher
KC1ANC
You'll need a better scanner!
Well, you're going to need to move up to a scanner (which brand is up to you) that's able to hear digital and analog (you've heard that already) because those systems you're looking to monitor are using P-25 Phase 1. So with that new scanner you should hear the FD, EMS, DPW, etc., but Police will be a no, no....they are using encryption and therefor are not able to be heard.
Wayne township is the same (P-25) but you should be able to hear PD, FD, EMS, DPW,and the rest. Not encrypted so you should hear them in the clear.
Now, you've got to decide which scanner suits you and your budget. Good luck...
Russell
Well, you're going to need to move up to a scanner (which brand is up to you) that's able to hear digital and analog (you've heard that already) because those systems you're looking to monitor are using P-25 Phase 1. So with that new scanner you should hear the FD, EMS, DPW, etc., but Police will be a no, no....they are using encryption and therefor are not able to be heard.
Wayne township is the same (P-25) but you should be able to hear PD, FD, EMS, DPW,and the rest. Not encrypted so you should hear them in the clear.
Now, you've got to decide which scanner suits you and your budget. Good luck...
Russell
russellmaher
KC1ANC
Antennas
Don't know anything about dome antennas.
My personal favorite is the Austin "Spectra" which is on the trunk of my car alongside a Larson antenna tuned to 460 mHz. I also have a couple of Radio Shack antennas for my vehicles at work.
So, you have to make another decision in that regard, but I'm sure you'll get some other opinions on here.
Russell
Don't know anything about dome antennas.
My personal favorite is the Austin "Spectra" which is on the trunk of my car alongside a Larson antenna tuned to 460 mHz. I also have a couple of Radio Shack antennas for my vehicles at work.
So, you have to make another decision in that regard, but I'm sure you'll get some other opinions on here.
Russell
NYRHKY94
Member
Alfred:
Just an FYI for you in your search for a new scanner. The Pro-106 digital handheld sold at Radio Shack is an excellent scanner with very good P25 digital audio. I have used this model in Bergen County for years and have been very pleased. It's selling right now for the standard $399 price, however RS puts that model on sale quite often for $299 - $349. A quick search shows that it is being sold at Scanner Master right now for $349. The GRE version (PSR-500) is essentially the same scanner with slight cosmetic differences. Same manufacturer, so same excellent P25 digital audio. That model is also being sold at Scanner Master for $349, however it comes with both the USB programming cable and AC Adapter, so that is the much better package for the same price.
In terms of an antenna, I'm assuming your asking about a mobile one for the car. My experience with the Larsen Tri-Band has been excellent and it comes highly recommended by many here. There are several other good antenna options as well. My Larsen is trunk-lip mounted and paired with a GRE PSR-500 scanner.
Good luck and happy scanning in Wayne & Bergen!
P.S. As the other guys have posted, forget about Bergen County Sheriffs as all of their stuff unfortunately went encrypted (don't get me started). All of the other departments contunue to be in the clear down there I believe.
Mike
Just an FYI for you in your search for a new scanner. The Pro-106 digital handheld sold at Radio Shack is an excellent scanner with very good P25 digital audio. I have used this model in Bergen County for years and have been very pleased. It's selling right now for the standard $399 price, however RS puts that model on sale quite often for $299 - $349. A quick search shows that it is being sold at Scanner Master right now for $349. The GRE version (PSR-500) is essentially the same scanner with slight cosmetic differences. Same manufacturer, so same excellent P25 digital audio. That model is also being sold at Scanner Master for $349, however it comes with both the USB programming cable and AC Adapter, so that is the much better package for the same price.
In terms of an antenna, I'm assuming your asking about a mobile one for the car. My experience with the Larsen Tri-Band has been excellent and it comes highly recommended by many here. There are several other good antenna options as well. My Larsen is trunk-lip mounted and paired with a GRE PSR-500 scanner.
Good luck and happy scanning in Wayne & Bergen!
P.S. As the other guys have posted, forget about Bergen County Sheriffs as all of their stuff unfortunately went encrypted (don't get me started). All of the other departments contunue to be in the clear down there I believe.
Mike
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pjtnascar
Member
Welcome to the hobby! For base operations, the Radio Shack discone is pretty good as far as antennas go. If you're looking for a place to pick up scanners, you can visit Advanced Specialties in Lodi. They have a pretty good selection of equipment, and John the owner will help you out and possibly show some of the units in action.
My additional $0.05:
If you DO decide to go GRE/RS (PSR500/PRO106) --- as indicated above these two are too close to identical to tell, really, and both are made by GRE --- I recommend going the GRE route.
Their customer service is over the top. RS is sketchy on the support end--- highly dependent on the individual store. It can be excellent to 'I have no clue what we sell, but I will sell it to you anyway and pleeeeeeze don't ask me anyhting about it because I am clueless"... signs of the times i guess.
In case you're wondering, I have a PSR500... LOL
Unidens are good too, but I love my PSR500 and it receives digital extremely well.
As far as an antenna for the portable, I recommend the RS rubber duck 800MHz .. it works great for me and is an improvement over the stock one ($19, if I recall)
If you DO decide to go GRE/RS (PSR500/PRO106) --- as indicated above these two are too close to identical to tell, really, and both are made by GRE --- I recommend going the GRE route.
Their customer service is over the top. RS is sketchy on the support end--- highly dependent on the individual store. It can be excellent to 'I have no clue what we sell, but I will sell it to you anyway and pleeeeeeze don't ask me anyhting about it because I am clueless"... signs of the times i guess.
In case you're wondering, I have a PSR500... LOL
Unidens are good too, but I love my PSR500 and it receives digital extremely well.
As far as an antenna for the portable, I recommend the RS rubber duck 800MHz .. it works great for me and is an improvement over the stock one ($19, if I recall)
Thank you I was just there the other day he has one nmo mount that is from 25-1300 MHz think I will get that so think it is the same as said above Sounds good to me and I don't know I am a cb guy that's why I was going for Uniden just me sorry but I will look into those other two. Thanks for all the help again
I have a PSR-500 (GRE) and a Pro-197 (RS) and like them both. I have always liked Uniden, but the reason I purchased the 500 (1st digital scanner I owned) was simply because they had come out with a firmware update that let the scanner track Virginia's statewide radio system pretty well. Uniden's current scanner reportedly did not track as well at the time.
The reason I went with the 197 was simple too... it was on sale for $300. I really like both scanners, but do not have any experience with the Uniden digitals. GRE has excellent customer support. One thing I like about the Uniden's is their display. I like it better than GRE/ RS's.
I also have the Austin Spectra antenna on one of my vehicles. I don't listen to CB, but it does awesome on VHF-lo, which is just above the CB band. I don't see any real performance difference vs. other antennas on the other bands, but like I said it does real well on low band.
My recommendation would be to leave RS out of the equation and decide between GRE and Uniden... unless you can catch a good sale at RS and get the scanner for a good price. If not- and you decide GRE- you may as well go with basically the same model from GRE and leave RS on the shelf for around the same price.
The reason I went with the 197 was simple too... it was on sale for $300. I really like both scanners, but do not have any experience with the Uniden digitals. GRE has excellent customer support. One thing I like about the Uniden's is their display. I like it better than GRE/ RS's.
I also have the Austin Spectra antenna on one of my vehicles. I don't listen to CB, but it does awesome on VHF-lo, which is just above the CB band. I don't see any real performance difference vs. other antennas on the other bands, but like I said it does real well on low band.
My recommendation would be to leave RS out of the equation and decide between GRE and Uniden... unless you can catch a good sale at RS and get the scanner for a good price. If not- and you decide GRE- you may as well go with basically the same model from GRE and leave RS on the shelf for around the same price.
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pjtnascar
Member
I prefer Uniden as well, but I also have a couple of Radio Shack scanners and they work fine. If you are going for something non-Radio Shack, I'd suggest you purchase from the guy in Lodi, at least he'll be able to help you get going. Sounds like you got a good idea on a mobile antenna already. Have fun.
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