Scanning at work?

[ObiHann]

I don't work in an office environment, but if it was me, I'd be more concerned about my scanner growing legs and walking away never to be seen again. If you're not sure, just don't bring it. Never know who's eyeballing your cool and expensive radio ! The 500 is a pricey radio and even if you choose to buy two units for home use, that's ok as many of us have multiple radios. But, if someone swipes your radio and ya gotta buy a replacement, that's a real piss off. If you do bring it in, make sure it is surgically attached to you.

Thankfully I work in a small enough office, and everybody knows everyone that theft doesn't happen. In the 3 years I've work there the only item stolen (as far as we know) was taken by a contractor on a weekend when we were renovating. Honestly though they would take my laptop or something first, and enough people are near my desk somebody would see them.

I guess it won't be a problem, I can even sat it behind one of my monitors or something so it is not super obvious. My only real question now is how to actually listen. Everyone here either plays it out loud, or uses speakers, however my current setup is that I listen to music + scanner feed on my computer. I don't want to listen to only the scanner, I like the mix of scanner and music.... I could run it through the line-in, but is there any software that lets me control the scanner over USB and listen to it?

 

[KE4ZNR]

I work in I.T. for a school photography company and always bring at least one radio to work with me and most days two.
I have been able to have some good conversations with folks I work with about Ham Radio, Scanning, and radio in general.
Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR

Pic of my Uniden HomePatrol-1 and Uniden BCD396XT on my desk at work:

 

[kdkoch]

I work at a RadioShack so my display 106 and 197 are going all day. The employees enjoy it as well.

 

[ObiHann]

The homepatrol looks great! I gotta ask if you like it more than say a standard mobile scanner? Are you able to program in your own frequencies assuming it can't find them?

 

[94caprice9c1]

I work in an office. I had a BC 780xlt in the office. The local public safety departments have rebanded, so I swapped over to a BC 246T, which is actually better. I can keep the volume down pretty low, still hear it, but it can't be heard outside. The reception is great!

 

[LANEWZ]

My work scanner is rather large and sits behind my desk; I have included a picture for your review. http://twitpic.com/30aq6h

 

[Tommahawk]

I listen up to the County I work in all the time, Encrypted/Decrypted it really doesn't matter. I listen up to other Counties as well, and even the State of Pennsylvania Open Sky System....... Even listen up to Ham radio/Marine band radio, as well as military all the time........

Oh yeah... One more thing.... I work for a county 911 center.........

 

[sfd119]

I don't work in an office environment, but if it was me, I'd be more concerned about my scanner growing legs and walking away never to be seen again. If you're not sure, just don't bring it. Never know who's eyeballing your cool and expensive radio ! The 500 is a pricey radio and even if you choose to buy two units for home use, that's ok as many of us have multiple radios. But, if someone swipes your radio and ya gotta buy a replacement, that's a real piss off. If you do bring it in, make sure it is surgically attached to you.

I work in IT. Our office is keyed differently so that only the four of us can get in. I'll know who took it real quick if it ever came down to that (we have cameras).

 

[mshook2]

Use at work

I work in a warehouse and also do deliveries for the company I work for. I bring my Pro 164 to work every day. I have it on as well as music on my iPod. When I go on delivery, I put it on the seat and hook it up thru the radio aux. I use it when driving to let me know what roads may be a problem driving on. Works great.

 

[spdfile1]

We have internet access were I work so I listen to live streams of whatever I can find on the RadioReference Live Stream page. Also railroadradio.net!!!!!!!!!

 

[K2KOH]

Can't scan at my regular job...and when I'm at the "B" job, I can listen to anything in Putnam County, since I dispatch there! :lol:

 

[chaplainandrews]

I work in a government build--which is never built for radio traffic--or cell phones for that matter. But, I think it is similar to listening to the radio. It is amazing that people are forced to tolerate some types of modern music--but won't allow scanning during work.

 

[dracer777]

I work graveyards by myself as a guard at a construction site in Denver, district 3, I have the 996xt and 396xt on the job at all times.

 

[madhatter66]

I am a dispatcher... I am required to scan at work

 

[n5usr]

I'm not in my office much, but I do sometimes take the handheld with me. Usually just stream off RR, though.

More of my time is in the company truck, I have a PRO-197 and ham rig installed in it with mobile antennas mounted. Definitely useful at times to avoid nasty traffic snarls, otherwise just a great way to pass the time.

Most people at my office enjoy hearing what is going on too. Haven't had anyone complain. Generally just left alone to get on with things anyway!

 

[tommccabe]

My desk at work has my BC250d connected to the line-in on my computer. I use a utility to keep the line-in audio open at all times, so I listen to the scanner audio on top of whatever music I am listening to. Typically keep the scanner on the local FD and can use the keyboard shortcut to pause iTunes when they get toned out.

My co-workers don't seem to find it too odd and now ask me what's going on when the FD races by our office every day.

 

[desert-cheetah]

Question for you guys, how many of you have a desk job and scan while at the office? I've been thinking about it since I am hoping to get a PSR500 next month, and have been trying to think of how I can. I've thought that I can either a) leave the scanner at home and stream it and connect the same way I do now to a stream, or turn it on, toss it in a drawer or something and plug it in via USB and listen over the computer.

The reason I'm not thinking of sitting it on my desk and plugging headphones right into it is that a) right now I listen to a stream, and music on my computer at the same time, I don't want to go to only the scanner and loose the music, and b) I don't want a scanner sitting on my desk with the antenna and a cable, etc...

So do any of you scan at work, and if so how?

I work as a claims processor for an insurance company (no customer contact) and have a Pro-106. I can't stream through my computer so I have to use a physical scanner. I have two monitors on risers on my desk and my Pro-106 sits in between them so I can see the screen. The DC plug snakes behind the monitors and is plugged in underneath the desk. Since I work in 'cubicle land', headphones are a must. I don't 'get' to listen to as much music anymore because the scanner is almost always on, but that's okay.

 

[desert-cheetah]

I use to have a cube by the window and there was a squirrel and they were married...

I just fell out of my chair laughing so hard! Thank you for that. It totally made my morning!

 

[abqscan]

While I don't have a desk job, I do scan all day while @ work. I guess it helps when their already sitting on the shelf... ;-)