New Scanner

[rjm022222]

Im in the market for a new scanner. Im looking for a recommendation of the best one. I live in NE Philadelphia. Looking to listen to Philly PD n Fire, Bucks n Montgomery County, PA Turnpike and PSP when they switch to P25. Easily programmable from my PC. I have a Radio Shack Scanner now looking for a major upgrade. Money is no object. I want the best of the best and I look forward to your recommendations. Thanks

 

[krutzy]

Probably the Uniden SDS100 (handheld) or SDS200 (base) are probably the best right now.

None will work with Encryption that I know.

I don't live there but that was my early years stomping grounds.

 

[chrishoerner]

I think your best bet up there would be an sds100 from uniden since you’re trying to listen to p25 systems. PSP is encrypted statewide so you’re not going to be able to listen to them.
Another option would be a unication g4, the g4 will only listen to one system at a time and is not a scanner in the traditional sense but it will do a very good job at it. There are other scanner brands on the market someone else might have some input on.

 

[doctordialtone]

I want the best of the best and I look forward to your recommendations.

@trentbob is relatively local to you.

He can offer advice.

I agree that the SDS100 or SDS200 will work well. They are hard to find right now.

No scanner can monitor encrypted traffic.

 

[trentbob]

Thanks Doc, you're right.

So poster, if you live in Northeast Philadelphia your looking at the 7th and 8th District on the far Northeast band and the Northeast 2nd and 15th District on the northeast band. When we say band we are referring to how it used to be in the 60s 70s 80s 90s xcetera. It's really not a band but a talk group, J Band it's another talk group that covers Citywide serious calls. It's not a band it's a talk group. Top administrative officers and specialized units listen to J band. When the sht hits the fan that's the band that comes alive.

It is a phase one simulcast system with several simulcast sites and towers everywhere and is very susceptible to simulcast distortion. Not to say that a 536 or 436 can't work but it's best that you have your tinfoil hat on LOL. It is about location location location.

Montgomery County and Burlington County just went full-time encryption oh, it was planned for a long time. I live in Bucks County and as a newspaperman in the last 35 years, they had no problem with serious hobbyist, First Responders and media types buying sophisticated expensive equipment and programming it to listen to them with good intentions but when it became available to anybody they encrypted the police full time. You cannot hear them no matter what radio you have.

It's a tough call as you may very well have issues with a bcd436 or a 536. Do not get a Whistler radio for this system as it will not work a lick... If you're serious about listening to Philadelphia the sds100 and 200 will work very well and I recommend that you contact me when you program it as given the different sites that are associated with police and fire, there are ways you can program your radio so it will work much more efficiently and quickly depending on what your focus is. For example if you are in Center City in all of the subway and Regional Rail tunnels you will need to add more sites.

Unfortunately in 2020 the scanning picture of our region has changed drastically and we have lost everything and it was for one specific reason that we don't talk about here.

 

[trentbob]

Just wanted to add because I noticed you wanted to listen to PSP on the new Statewide system. State Police will be strapped 100% on the new system, even Park Rangers will be. Unless you'd like to listen to Department of Transportation there's really no point.

If it means anything you can still listen to the turnpike. They're are on the Open Sky system which is not receivable but they rebroadcast on their old VHF repeater system that goes from New Jersey to Highspire. They plan to waste money on a new p25 system but it won't be in effect for years. Lol

 

[trap5858]

My experience with the 436/536 for the Philly system has been good. As others have said you can't go wrong with an SDS100. As Trentbob said Bucks and Montgomery county police have gone to encryption. In the city there is a lot to listen to.

 

[jtwalker]

They plan to waste money on a new p25 system but it won't be in effect for years. Lol

Got to justify those toll increases somehow, especially since PATPC cut payroll by eliminating toll collectors.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Montgomery County and Burlington County just went full-time encryption oh, it was planned for a long time.

Not fully full-time encryption (like Schuylkill), LE-only encryption. Fire & EMS are still in the clear. Various LE agencies in Montco still use their analog car-to-car frequencies but that might change, not much interesting traffic to hear on them anyhow

 

[trentbob]

Yeah I meant to say police only but I guess I didn't. I'm personally still very disgusted losing Bucks County after listening for so long. Bristol Borough still uses their car to car UHF repeater Channel and all it does is torture me as they're talking about calls they're on. I heard a lot of sirens the other day and on the Boro radio one guy said to the other are you going so I knew it was an officer needs assist.

Unfortunately I'm not a big fan of false alarms, culinary mishaps, waterflow alarms or even fires, you've seen one you've seen them all. Also not interested in emergency transports, syncopal episodes or 10-0s, nothing we can do about it

 

[radio3353]

Unfortunately I'm not a big fan of false alarms, culinary mishaps, waterflow alarms or even fires, you've seen one you've seen them all.

Obviously you were never a firefighter
I only listen to fire band. I couldn't care less about barking dogs calls, lock outs and car stops.

 

[trentbob]

Obviously you were never a firefighter
I only listen to fire band. I couldn't care less about barking dogs calls, lock outs and car stops.

Nope, never a firefighter, I'm a 45 year Plus news paper photographer, reporter and then editor. I've covered a thousand fires. My biggest concern was the wind so I didn't get caught on an August day all sweaty in the thick of the smoke from 100 year old row homes in Trenton New Jersey LOL. They wouldn't let me back in The Newsroom.

Where I live the police put Barking Dog calls on hold for the next shift and then it gets transferred to the Animal control officer and maybe somebody contacts them within a week. Our cops won't do lockouts, you have to get a locksmith, every car stop that's made in my area results in active warrants and a felony arrest. Nothing but drive by shootings, gang Bangerz and Pursuits. I really miss it.

 

[TailGator911]

I sure hope we don't ever go encrypted here. Might be a little suburb, but there is usually a lot of big city stuff going on especially on the weekend nights. Makes for interesting monitoring, to say the least. We have a little neat and manicured community park here with skate ramps for the kids just blocks from our house and I am sometimes stunned to hear what is going on there that I would never know about without scanners - drug deals, gangs and fights, perverts, thefts and just all kinds of nefarious stuff. Used to be a good neighborhood, but like everywhere else it's just getting worse and worse. You never truly know your neighborhood until you listen in on a scanner.

 

[trentbob]

Yep JD, as I've said, Trenton New Jersey, Lower Bucks County on the border of Philadelphia never had a problem with serious hobbyist, ham operators, First Responders and news media types programming sophisticated expensive radio receivers with good intentions. They kind of welcomed it. Bucks County had encrypted Ops channels for each Zone. They had individual encryption for any officer at will and still objected to dispatch being available to anybody for free.

It's just an adjustment after being able to listen for so long, I started early, I came from a family of ham operators, father, uncle and brother so I was good to go around 11 years old with CB, swl and police monitoring. It's just so strange at age 67 I can't hear the cops anymore. Kept me company a lot and now there's nothing.

 

[radio3353]

...
Where I live the police put Barking Dog calls on hold for the next shift and then it gets transferred to the Animal control officer and maybe somebody contacts them within a week. Our cops won't do lockouts, you have to get a locksmith, every car stop that's made in my area results in active warrants and a felony arrest. Nothing but drive by shootings, gang Bangerz and Pursuits. I really miss it.

Understood. I am thankful I live where I live. No drama. Best wishes.

 

[trentbob]

You know most of the county is quiet, if you go to Newtown, Middletown and Points North it can get pretty mundane. I'm in Bristol Township, Bristol borough, Falls, Bensalem area on the Philly and Trenton border and it's always hopping. It made for the best scanning. Thanks!

 

[trap5858]

In this day of anti-police rants you would think the police would be appreciative of those who support them and are an extra set of eyes out there. I am sure it cuts both ways with those out to hang police by only videotaping the officer's response but not what precipitated the need for a response.

Back the blue!

 

[joeyperillo]

Got to justify those toll increases somehow, especially since PATPC cut payroll by eliminating toll collectors.

Gotta continue to "maintain" the worst maintained and most expensive toll road in the nation - and the fat jobs for failed politicians and their families......

 

[Septa3371CSX1]

I use a Unication G5 and a Motorola APX6000BN for monitoring 7/800 MHz trunk systems and they both work good. They do require more advanced knowledge in programming (especially the APX) so it is not recommended for novices.

In terms of encryption, my opinion is that the biggest reason for it is to control the narrative. If that wasn't the case there wouldn't be so much of it. When those in charge can control who can get immediate access to things like police dispatch communications they can control what gets out on the various social media and other Internet sources and what has the potential to be streamed around the world and thus helps cover their rear ends.

 

[joeyperillo]

I use a Unication G5 and a Motorola APX6000BN for monitoring 7/800 MHz trunk systems and they both work good. They do require more advanced knowledge in programming (especially the APX) so it is not recommended for novices.

In terms of encryption, my opinion is that the biggest reason for it is to control the narrative. If that wasn't the case there wouldn't be so much of it. When those in charge can control who can get immediate access to things like police dispatch communications they can control what gets out on the various social media and other Internet sources and what has the potential to be streamed around the world and thus helps cover their rear ends.

re controlling the narrative - 100% agree - the unwashed citizens will know only what the Authorities will allow and only as much as they want you to know it and with only their well-honed interpretation thereof...... yet there has never been a time in our history that transparency has been more necessary - for both LE and the citizenry.....be sure to have Your Papers on you at all times.....