Ocala, Marion County freqs ?

[73cuda]

I plan to move to Ocala soon and want to go ahead and have all the correct freqs and T/G's ready to D/L into my Pro97 and 92 once we get there.

My question is, are the freqs and T/G's in the RR database up to date and are there some I shouldn't bother programming ?

Thanks for any advice on this,

73

 

[Bolt21]

The db is pretty much up to date thanks to Kevin and some other folks. However, you'll only be able to hear Ocala public safety operations with your current analog-only capable scanners. You'll need a digital scanner for Marion County's public safety ops.

 

[73cuda]

Okay thanks, what would be a decent and inexpensive digital scanner for the Marion county system ?

I've not been keeping up to date on newer scanners as all the areas (2) I've lived have been analog.

 

[Bolt21]

Unfortunately, digital scanners don't fit most people's definition of "inexpensive." Most new models are almost $500, with used ones going for cheaper on eBay. Radio Shack used to discount their older models down to around $400, but I'm not sure if they still do it or not.

Any of the current selection of digital models is "decent." Radio Shack/GRE and Uniden models both do a good job. You'll hear people offer pros and cons for both, but either one would do just fine. Kinda like the endless Ford vs. Chevy debate....

 

[73cuda]

Thanks for your advice and help, I'll start checking around on ebay.

Merry Christmas !

73

 

[Bolt21]

Since the newest Uniden model came out, folks have been letting go of the previous model, the BCD396T, to get the new one. This is a sophisticated, very capable radio. I own one myself and listen to Marion County with no problems when I pass through on I-75.

Merry Christmas to you!

 

[khoelldobler]

monitoring in Marion County

Yes, as Bolt stated in an earlier post, the RR database for Marion / Ocala is very much up to date. I strongly suggest that you search out the best deal that you can find for a digital scanner in order to receive the Marion County portion of the database frequencies listed, as the MC trunk system is digital.

While the Ocala system is currently analog, they have reportedly been given a green light to go digital. Just about a year ago, the Ocala Star Banner news paper reported that the Ocala radio system (City of Ocala including police and fire radio operations) was to be going digital... 12 months later it has not come to life, but I do expect the change over to be forthcoming.

I have been a scanner enthusiast for about 30 years now... I've seen scanners come and go. I have been monitoring the Ocala and Marion County system for the past ten years that I have lived in Ocala. There is much to listen to here, as the radio is busy 24/7 and the EMS transmissions that were once on UHF are now on the MC trunk system. Also note that south of us is Lake County which sports a new 700/800 digital system, and to the north of us lies Gainesville/Alachua County with their 800 mhz trunked system, and their system is also digital... there is no longer a need for an analog scanner in this neck of the woods in my opinion, but you may find some interesting comms on an analog scanner if you try hard enough.

There are pros and cons as mentioned,as you will soon learn while searching out that perfect scanner, but since today's scanner technology has gotten so sophisticated, most newer models on the market will do just fine. I myself scan with a RadioShack Pro-106 and I am happily monitoring both systems... crystal clear, no problems to report since its purchase a year ago.

Enjoy the move to Ocala, Marion County and Happy Holidays.

Kevin