RS Pro-95 Scanner in Oakland, What's Left?

[Jimru]

Hi all,

My brother has a Radio Shack Pro-95 that was fine for monitoring Oakland FD and PD until (as you well know) last year.

He is unable to afford a new scanner, so I am wondering what your suggestions might be for what is left. His main area of concern are fire departments in the area (Alameda primarily, but also state FD channels if any). I believe, from what I can see in the RR db, that CHP is still conventional analog.

I will be traveling to Oakland from the East Coast at the end of the month, so I will be available to help him program the unit, as I did when he first got it nearly 10 years ago.

Hopefully one day he will be able to get one of the new Uniden or GRE units, but as I said, he just can't afford it at this time, so we have to make do.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Regards,
Jim

 

[kma371]

When you say "what's left" are you saying whats left to monitor?

If he's interested in public safety, he's definately going to need a new scanner for that area.

The only things still conventional are emeryville, Albany, CHP and Hayward in alameda county. But it won't be long before that changes.

 

[Jimru]

Hi kma,

Yep, that's what I meant, indeed. I should have been clearer.

I was pretty sure that the answer to the question would be that my bro' is screwed and would either have to either purchase a new scanner or monitor the local ARES frequencies during a citywide emergency (monitoring ARES and RACES is not a bad idea, actually!).

It's just the way things are these days. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Regards,
Jim

 

[SCPD]

A temporary solution for now may be to listen to a Live Feed
Alameda County, California (CA) Live Police, Fire, and EMS Scanners on RadioReference.com

 

[Jimru]

A temporary solution for now may be to listen to a Live Feed
Alameda County, California (CA) Live Police, Fire, and EMS Scanners on RadioReference.com

Sfdf,

I have suggested that, and he has a couple of feeds available via his iPhone, but I'm concerned (as he is) that , that if there is a conflagration in his area, the feeds will be useless, between cell phone towers being damaged and a huge increase in usage rendering the feeds unavailable when they are most needed.

Thanks!

Jim

 

[SCPD]

Sfdf,

I have suggested that, and he has a couple of feeds available via his iPhone, but I'm concerned (as he is) that , that if there is a conflagration in his area, the feeds will be useless, between cell phone towers being damaged and a huge increase in usage rendering the feeds unavailable when they are most needed.

Thanks!

Jim

I guess between you and him there is a Garage sale in the works to either get the Money to buy a new Scanner and or upgrade to a Internet connection and hope everybody has an backup Power source in place.
And then when the "BIG one hits" even the Pros may be out of the loop.

 

[Jimru]

I guess between you and him there is a Garage sale in the works to either get the Money to buy a new Scanner and or upgrade to a Internet connection and hope everybody has an backup Power source in place.
And then when the "BIG one hits" even the Pros may be out of the loop.

I reckon you're right. On both counts!

For him and his wife, it's not a hobby; they lost their first house in the Oakland fire in '91.

I may even throw in some money to the cause.

Jim