Scanning:Day or Night

[DrDiablo]

Which time of the day is the best time to use your scanner,day or night?Or does it matter.

 

[ka3jjz]

Boy this is a broad question...this really depends on your area. City areas tend to be active all the time - just how active is another question. Rural areas might only be active during the day, particularly if they roll up the sidewalks after sundown (chuckle).

Really the only way to find out is to listen...Mike

 

[Bubba1661]

24 - 7 - 365

 

[GrayJeep]

There's little "skip" coming in day or night.
So... the best time to scan is when something is happening.

For me, right now, there is a huge forest fire burning. I'm listening to the tankers and helos dropping retardant and water on the fire and coordinating their drops.

I presume that after midnight on a Saturday night would be pretty busy for police channels.
My morning commute at 0530 scanning is quiet.
On a Thursday afternoon the radio is really busy as people crash a lot on the way home.
Holiday weekends have lots of road action too.

Lots of stuff to listen to out there.

 

[al95]

24 - 7 - 365

I must agree with Bubba 24-7-365

 

[markbart]

All the time.

Mark

 

[gewecke]

With all the "actors" around here playing with guns and the intox women walking out into traffic, it's gotta be on 24-7 ! :wink:

73,
n9zas

 

[michaelmikesj]

The sidewalks get rolled up at night in the small town I live in. I like to listen all the time because of the neighboring cities and towns, but in the morning I find it interesting because the nursing homes are all calling in the dead bodies they find in the mornings. It's a little morbid, but I'm sure with all the calls I here on this subject they are probably doing that 7 am wake up bed check to see who made it through the night.

 

[RadioDaze]

There is a very specific time each day when I don't hear anything...




When I'm asleep.

 

[kf5qgf]

I keep mine on almost 24/7. Now what I'm listening to depends on the time. I listen to the airport when fedex is doing their push, which is about 2 a.m. and 4 p.m. I listen to the railroad around 9-10 a.m. which is pretty busy. If they're boring I listen to public safety, but that can get boring because it's 90% traffic stops. I listen to the ham repeaters during the 'drive times', that is if i'm not on them.

Craig
KF5QGF

 

[gmclam]

Day or night

That depends on whether you are asking a technical question, or one regarding content. I'll answer with regard to content and assume your focus is police & fire calls.

The most exciting time is probably from local sunset until shortly after the bars close (2am). Signal quality is better, but the calls are generally more exciting as well. Business type radio traffic is long gone for the day.

It is during the wee hours you'll hear action as well, but you have to monitor many many "dead hours" to catch the excitement (car chase, house fire, crimes in progress).

 

[gewecke]

Here's an ex; of what the public safety flavor is like here. At 5;40
I woke up early this am getting ready for work, only to hear pd dispatch over to xxxx avenue to check on a white male beating his head on a stop sign by k's merchandise.
So I'm guessing with the heat and humidity, tonight should be fun.

73,
n9zas

 

[W6KRU]

Yeah, there has been an increase in the nighttime activities around here withe the warmer temperatures and summer vacation from school. The gangs are out causing trouble on a more frequent basis. Three gang members were shot by two other gang members as I was going to bed last night.

 

[stlouisx50]

Want the best of action?

Listen when there is severe weather in the area or when there is a special event in the area.

Also listen when there is a full moon. Speed traps tend to be around and on days that there is a full moon for some odd reason.

 

[KB1UAM]

in my city action never stops, it is 24/7 however on holidays it seems to calm down just a little, my city has a population of 100,000 so i guess it would vary depending where you are, my city also has a county jail in it, if it is quiet in city i would listen to the correctional officers, break up fights every 10 minutes or so

 

[stlouisx50]

in my city action never stops, it is 24/7 however on holidays it seems to calm down just a little, my city has a population of 100,000 so i guess it would vary depending where you are, my city also has a county jail in it, if it is quiet in city i would listen to the correctional officers, break up fights every 10 minutes or so

Your right about holidays. it happens here in Missouri too. They say they will be out, and some departments will be, however the radio is dead throughout the holiday. True observation!

 

[satosi]

There is action 24/7 here but during the day it is mostly traffic stops, shoplifting, injuries from fall and elderly people having difficulty breathing or other problems. In the evening the police action picks up and I start to hear the suspicious person/vehicles, domestic disputes, OVIs, robberies, shots fired, and once in a while a sex crime or murder. Some holidays tend to be calmer, while others see an increase in activity. On Memorial day weekend this year I think there were 3 murders and multiple shootings and stabbings.

 

[W9NES]

I run 2 scanners at night for the Nightside of Metro Indianapolis/Marion County and Central Indiana. I have a Bearcat 300 set up to monitor County Fire Dispatch for counties outside the Metro Indianapolis/Marion County area. My Uniden 796D Covers MECA(Now Indianapolis Department of Public Safety) for Metro Police, Fire, EMS. My wife says that the scanners put her to sleep.I turn the scanners down to a low audio level and when the tones go off that is what wakes me up.My prime time for the *Nightside* is from 10PM-7AM.This is when I hear most of the shootings, fires, major accidents.etc.

 

[mule1075]

I try to listen as much as humanly possible.