I’m new to the scanner scene and know very little, so I apologize in advance for what is going to seem like a stupid question. I’m so new I do not even have a scanner yet. I’ve done a little research on scanners and, right or wrong, I believe either the Whistler TRX-1 or the Uniden BCD436HP will be the one I buy...if I buy. My question is this…I can download a FREE scanner app on my smartphone (Scanner Radio), so I’m curious what shelling out $500 to $600 for a scanner buys me that this app doesn’t already provide? In language a newbie like me can understand, can anyone please explain to me what, if anything, one of these aforementioned scanners does that the free phone app won't do AND is it worth the money? If it matters, I live in the Portland, Oregon area and my main interest is to monitor the police channels to see what’s happening in my community. Thanks for the help!
Real Scanner vs Phone App Scanner
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jonwienke
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Control.
You get to pick what you want to listen to, rather than being stuck with listening to someone else's scanner. Which is all the app does.
Also, not every agency has a feed, so you may not be able use your app to hear everything you want to hear. There is a lot more stuff on the air than online.
Scanners also work in places and times where internet isn't available. Knowing what is going on in an emergency shouldn't depend on an internet connection.
You get to pick what you want to listen to, rather than being stuck with listening to someone else's scanner. Which is all the app does.
Also, not every agency has a feed, so you may not be able use your app to hear everything you want to hear. There is a lot more stuff on the air than online.
Scanners also work in places and times where internet isn't available. Knowing what is going on in an emergency shouldn't depend on an internet connection.
When listening to public safety radio transmissions (police/fire/EMS) via an app, whether it's Broadcastify, Scanner Radio, or any other similar program, you are limited in what you can hear.
You will only hear what the feed provider has loaded for the app, so it might not include everything you want. In some cases, you will not hear Tac channels, whether PD or Fire (fireground) either because the that service type is not permitted, or the feed provider has only loaded select dispatch frequencies. Also, if 'something is happening' that holds your attention, there is no way to pause the app and only listen to the incident in progress, whether that is say, a pursuit (chase of a vehicle or subject), a standoff, a major fire or other large operation. The feed provider might, or might not, pause his feed on the incident if he or she was at the scanner where it could be done. Otherwise, the feed will continue it rotation between the channels or talkgroups it's set for, and you'll only hear bits and pieces of an ongoing situation.
If you actually have a scanner, and are in range of the system where there is a large, focused, activity, you can pick and choose whether to hold on, or ignore, communications within, as well as in between, the agencies involved. You can also listen to any non-encrypted radio traffic that is within range of your location.
Feeds often are dedicated to dispatch channels of a limited number of frequencies (or talkgroups if a trunked system). Anything not set up for the feed cannot be heard on it. If you have your own scanner, you can pick exactly what does, or does not, interest you, without relying on someone else to make the same choices that you would.
While I, along with many other members here, have multiple scanners, I find feeds useful in monitoring something that is well out of range, whether that's response to and aircraft down, such as the 'Miracle on the Hudson', or the major forest fires in California, or disaster response for hurricanes or a tornado outbreak. But for my area, I can concentrate my listening, via one or more of my scanners, on what is of most interest to me as well as the safety of family and friends in the region.
JD21960
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WHAT others said. AND.. EXAMPLE. I had my Pro96 scanner at my niece's High School Graduation dinner several years back. Severe weather was scheduled NORTH of us but not expected where we were. I brought it anyway. As we walked out the door of the place at night to go home? we saw a wall of wind/rain/lightning coming. I ran and got my scanner out of the truck. The restaurant announced a TORNADO WARNING was put out and wanted us to hide in the kitchen with the staff. A group of us and strangers listened to my scanner, another guy had his phone APP going for the police/fire too. His APP went out as whoever was providing the internet feed? lost power. So we all listened to my scanner. I changed it to the local SKYWARN HAM reports. Loud and clear they announced NO TORNADO, false alarm, just scud clouds out west of town and someone panicked called the TV station directly to scream Tornado and they put the alarm out on AIR. There wasn't even an official NOAA announcement for it. Sirens were blaring but we knew it wasn't real. So we were all relieved and "Informed" over someone who would have only a phone app. We listened to the scanner SKYWARN reports on the way home too to make sure nothing was sneaking up on us. So it's the difference many times of knowing something important versus being ignorant of events. I'd opt for the scanner. A lot of times feeds are delayed on purpose too. It's a lot of money, but there are always deals out there.
I can relate to all the previous posters on here. There are Pro's and Con's to both methods, but I MUCH prefer listening with a REAL scanner than an online feed. In my spare time and on my way to/from work, I not only listen to local PD/FD, etc but also other agencies in the area since I have family, co-workers, and friends that don't live in the same city as me. I've alerted them to all sorts of incidents (since I'm not too far from Chicago, there's all sorts of crazy things) like robberies, shootings, fires, etc.
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