Okaloosa County New Member

[Holydoc]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone, ask a question or two, and hopefully give some useful frequencies.

I have an old BEARCAT scanner and was hoping to upgrade to something that will help me keep better track of the news that is happening here. Could someone that is familar with this area give me some advice on which scanner I should purchase? What features are necessary and which can be avoided to save cost?

For the Crestview, Niceville, Fort Walton Area here are some frequencies that I know off hand. Please post more if you have them.

460.325 Niceville PD
460.475 Okaloosa Sheriff (South)
460.525 Okaloosa Sheriff (Tac 2)
153.83 East Niceville FD
460.075 FWB PD
462.950 EMS (North)
463.025 EMS (South)
453.250 Niceville PD (Tac 2)
460.300 Okaloosa Sheriff (North)
154.725 Crestview FD Dispatch
461.000 Valp PD
155.49 FL Highway PD
155.760 Niceville FD
460.375 Crestview PD
154.355 East Niceville FD
154.37 City of Niceville
162.400 Weather
453.875 FWB PD (Ch 2)
460.205 FWB PD


Holydoc ~~ The new guy in the crowd

 

[Holydoc]

Just wondering if anyone had any answers to my questions.

I have an old BEARCAT scanner and was hoping to upgrade to something that will help me keep better track of the news that is happening here. Could someone that is familar with this area give me some advice on which scanner I should purchase? What features are necessary and which can be avoided to save cost?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Altpensacola]

Welcome Holydoc Okaloosa

I just purchased a Radio Shack Pro2052
Trunk tracker. It does trunk track and scan conventional at the same time, despite what outdated reviews say.
I live in Pensacola and am picking up Okaloosa as if they were down the street and I use an old ( I mean old!) discone at half mast.
Right now the 2052 is $199. If you have to, go to more than one Radio Shack and tell them you wont buy it unless they help you program it, you may need a hand!

http://www.radioshack.com/category....category_name=CTLG_008_009_010_003&Page=1
http://www.pro2052.com/

 

[Holydoc]

I notice that you recommended a radio with Trunking. What agencies are using trunking in our area? Is this just for the highway patrol? Should digital be a consideration?

Also you said that I would need help programming this system. This portion also worries me since I know the locals in our Radio Shack know little about these items.

 

[Altpensacola]

Scanner suggestion

These are very good questions.
I don't know about trunking in your county, but the thing is more than likely you are going to need it someday if you don't already.

Plus if you don't need it now, or can't pick up Pensacola from there, Its still a 1000 channel scanner that only cost a little more than a non trunk tracker.
When you do start listening to trunked frequencies you will want
the ID channels or you are going to hear people that will annoy you, such as trying to listen Police & fire and hear comes the garbage truck,,,yada yada yada! My goodness do those utility people like to talk!
With trunk tracking they are gone.
As far as programming, it is a bear, but not impossible, don't let that detour you, remember the first stages of using computers? You got over it!

And yes, tracking will do you no good with digital FHP.

P.S. The manager of the 8th & Cervanters St. Radio Shack in Pensacola knew his stuff.

 

[CORN]

Welcome aboard. I don't live in Okaloosa County but I visit there every chance I get. At least the Destin area. I always carry my scanner as well. And thank you for the frequencies as well. As for a scanner I wouldn't forsee that area going trunked anytime soon, I could be wrong but I don't forsee it. However, if you travel a lot (or little) and take your radio with you a good (digital) trunk tracker would serve you well. I put digital in parenthesis because that is the way most large areas are going. Also, in the good scanner department, if you don't already, you might enjoy one with milair on it. To catch all the fast movers out of nearby Eglin AFB. Pretty much all comms are in the clear. Very busy during weekdays. I hope this helped some.

PS: How did the Ft. Walton, Destin area fare during the hurricane binge?

 

[Altpensacola]

Okaloosa Scanner

If you don't need trunking or even 800 Mhz channels then you can spend as little as $80.00 for a Radio Shack Hand held or base unit 200 channel.
Also check pawn shops, people get rid of older scanners that don't have 800. But watch their prices, some aren't much less then new.

 

[scooby750]

welcome aboard HolyDoc I am new here also. I do live in okaloosa co. and no ..there are no trunk units yet but EDAC is pretty busy. I am going to recommend the RadioShack pro-94 or pro-96 portable scanner or radio shack 2026 as these are great units that are easy to use and are inexpensive. I am setting money aside for the digital model soon too be released and will be eventualy useful price now is $500. The freqs you have currently are more than good enough.

scoob

 

[jharr465]

Okaloosa County and Trunking

I have lived in Okaloosa County for almost 20 years. I am an avid scanner and monitor the Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field freqs. They use a Motorola Type II trunk with several sites. The freqs are in the 406 - 420 mhz UHF range (military land-mobile). They just recently activated a 380 - 400 mhz APCO 25 Digital system which I am still figuring out. I had to buy new digital scanners to hear the transmissions. Some are engrypted, but most are in the clear. If you are not interested in the bases, you don't need a trunking scanner, especially not a digital one. I have a web page with an extensive list of frequencies at:

http://www.harrenterprises.freeservers.com/

If you have any questions email me at scannerdude465@cox.net

 

[kingpin]

Glad to see your post jharr465! I;ve been moving my sites westward for monitoring. I've already conquored the east! LOL. I'm interested in the systems for Eglin and such. Do you by chance have any info on Pensacola NAS's systems? I pick up to motorola sounding control channels her ein Foley (AL) on 149.350 & 149.450. I assume they are NAS's.