In some places, this might be good advice, but much of it doesn't fit available information for the OP's location.
Just to avoid confusion, remember that the bands listed above are for repeater OUTPUTS, and you'll find the inputs 5 MHz higher at 456-459 and 466-470. (actually, this business band starts at 460.65 if you're sufficiently distant from a major airport)
I would counsel the opposite. While I'm a big fan of using 'search' mode, it can be very cumbersome in a radio-crowded environment. And if your search steps are 12.5 kHz, you're looking at scanning 80 freqs per MHz. Wherever there is license data, you have a much smaller pool of frequencies that the user has expressed an intention to use. Best to start a process of elimination with them. If licensed frequencies bear nothing, then a search of freqs available in off-the-shelf radios (as well as test freqs in Chinese imports) also represents a small pool of things that can be checked and eliminated. Before settling into search mode, it's important to realize that there are a lot of potential search ranges if you can't confirm which band to prioritize, and that searching more than 2-3 MHz at a time may result in missed transmissions.
In many cases, this would be good advice, but the OP's locality has extensive, well-organized licensing, and each freq is used by multiple schools. At elementary level, it could be possible to hear multiple schools even from an upstairs room. This is the case in my locality. Best confirmation is likely going to be hearing a teacher or administrator addressed by name. Transmissions are heaviest at dismissal time, and the bus duty function often involves announcing the arrival of school buses by number, and/or private buses picking up kids for afterschool care or activities. Staff names and bus numbers can often be checked from school or district websites. (unless your school is self-conscious about using student and teacher names on the air--and I'm seeing a fair amount of this)
I agree. Always try straight FM first. Much DMR licensing is just to keep options open for the future, and in FM mode you'll be able to identify the sound of DMR repeaters and any NXDN. Again, be watchful for DMR simplex, which may come across as the scanner stopping in silence.
73/Allen (N4JRI)
Just to avoid confusion, remember that the bands listed above are for repeater OUTPUTS, and you'll find the inputs 5 MHz higher at 456-459 and 466-470. (actually, this business band starts at 460.65 if you're sufficiently distant from a major airport)
I would counsel the opposite. While I'm a big fan of using 'search' mode, it can be very cumbersome in a radio-crowded environment. And if your search steps are 12.5 kHz, you're looking at scanning 80 freqs per MHz. Wherever there is license data, you have a much smaller pool of frequencies that the user has expressed an intention to use. Best to start a process of elimination with them. If licensed frequencies bear nothing, then a search of freqs available in off-the-shelf radios (as well as test freqs in Chinese imports) also represents a small pool of things that can be checked and eliminated. Before settling into search mode, it's important to realize that there are a lot of potential search ranges if you can't confirm which band to prioritize, and that searching more than 2-3 MHz at a time may result in missed transmissions.
In many cases, this would be good advice, but the OP's locality has extensive, well-organized licensing, and each freq is used by multiple schools. At elementary level, it could be possible to hear multiple schools even from an upstairs room. This is the case in my locality. Best confirmation is likely going to be hearing a teacher or administrator addressed by name. Transmissions are heaviest at dismissal time, and the bus duty function often involves announcing the arrival of school buses by number, and/or private buses picking up kids for afterschool care or activities. Staff names and bus numbers can often be checked from school or district websites. (unless your school is self-conscious about using student and teacher names on the air--and I'm seeing a fair amount of this)
I agree. Always try straight FM first. Much DMR licensing is just to keep options open for the future, and in FM mode you'll be able to identify the sound of DMR repeaters and any NXDN. Again, be watchful for DMR simplex, which may come across as the scanner stopping in silence.
73/Allen (N4JRI)
