Scanner broadcast alert record

[fireguy810]

Hello,

I have a live scanner broadcast feed set up so I can listen to my Fire dept while I am away at school. I was wondering if anyone knows a way that I can set up my computer to start recording when it receives my FD's alert tones. This way in case I'm not in my room I can still listen to the call. The whole county gets dispatched on the same freq so it'd be nice to have it start recording when it hears my FD's tones. I'm using a BC780XLT to broadcast.

Thank You

Bob

 

[NeFire242]

Xcorder
Xcorder is a free voice activated (VOX) recorder designed to work with communication receivers or 'scanners'. It works by listening to the audio output of your radio and records to file when modulation is detected in the signal, this can save a lot of hard disk space as well as time. The program works best when recording VHF / UHF FM radio transmissions as this mode has very good squelch characteristics which enables easier record triggering.

There is some software called Xcorder. Check it out.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B2GGGL_enUS177&q=xcorder

 

[fireguy810]

Yeah, thank you. But I'm looking for something that will start recording when it recognizes the tones. A lot of depts get dispatched on the same frequency so I need something that only records my dept.

 

[Dubbin]

Yeah, thank you. But I'm looking for something that will start recording when it recognizes the tones. A lot of depts get dispatched on the same frequency so I need something that only records my dept.

I don't think you are going to find anything like that.

 

[NeFire242]

Unless each dept uses it's own PL or something there'd be no way to seperate them, other than instead of using a scanner you used a fire pager or plectron with the correct tones for only that one department.

 

[rdale]

You'd have to write some sort of software, for example in Visual Basic, which accesses the soundcard and listens for that tone. VB is free, not too hard to learn, but I'm not sure how easy that would be. I have no doubt it can be done however...

 

[squirrel]

Someone on this board actually did come up with a program that you could put your tones in and when it detected them it would do a alert and also allow you to record....

It's been months and I deleted it off my system. I will see if I can find it again.

 

[UPMan]

Well, you could get one of the newer Unidens that have the tone-out feature...then the scanner would remain silent until matching tone(s) are received and you could use a simple VOX.

 

[hobbyhoser175]

How long does the frequency stay open after an alert? Can you set it up so that the frequency stays open for 5 minutes or something so that if a call went out in the morning, you wouldn't be recording all day?

 

[UPMan]

It has a squelch drop delay that you can set to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds or infinite. When the squelch drop delay expires, it goes back to standby.