scanner purchase advice for a newbie

[elkman]

howdy, i am looking to purchase a scanner, but am quite new to the scanning world. athough i have "played" with them in the past, i have never had one in my possession to really get the most out of it. i live in oregon and would mostly like to monitor weather, USFS, EMS, search and rescue, and local metropolitan law enforcement. any advice on what would be a good starter (mobile) scanner for me? i am really in the dark when i try to balance cost against cost and features.

thanks much,

elkman

 

[KE5BCP]

Welcome to the board!

First off, you'll want to look in the "RR Database" which is a link at the top of the page. From there, you can determine what type the systems are in the area you live. If your area is digital, you'll need a scanner capable of decoding the digital signal, such as the Radio Shack Pro 96, or one of the great Uniden scanners out there. If your area is trunked but not digital, you can go for the Pro 95 or the Uniden BC246T (or others). If your area is still conventional, you would be able to get by on a much cheaper-priced unit that you could get at your local WalMart or Radio Shack.
In any event, reseach the database here BEFORE you spend your hard-earned cash... it will save you headaches in the long run!
Good luck!

 

[John_M]

Go to the RR database and look up the area in which you live.
Check to see if any of the agencies you want to monitor are Trunked.
Mot, Edacs, LTR. You may need a scanner capable of following these
trunked systems. Post what you find.

 

[elkman]

thanks for the info....

i looked a little bit prior to posting, but could not find the USFS systems. at any rate, I will look again and do some more research. clearly, there is not an easy answer to my query. that alone is important knowledge.

thanks again. :wink:

 

[elkman]

unknown standard?

if a group's type is labeled "unknown standard" are you SOL for understanding what system they use?

thanks

 

[oregontreehugger]

USFS is typically in the 160 - 170 MHz government range. Not sure where in the state you are. The Radio Reference database is pretty good, assuming local info has been submitted for your area.

One note of caution is that the USFS will be switching to digital mode in the not-too-distant future (along with other government agencies by mandate).

http://www.joescanner.com/

Also be sure to check out the links on that page -- some good info. And don't forget Google, either. :wink:

 

[elkman]

gracias...i am learnin' a little day by day :? ...btw...mt hood national forest is my stompin' grounds...