I live in a remote rural two county where the scanner is almost the only source of information about wildland fires, road conditions, pursuits downed power lines, power outages, 911 service interruptions and the like. We don't have 24 hour TV news, in fact we don't have TV news at all (except a local cable news that is taped hours prior to broadcast). We have a few radio stations (5 for all of a large two county area). Those radio stations don't do real well broadcasting weather/road conditions/disaster info. Those radio stations are not provided on our cable service, so many areas of those counties don't receive any local radio at all. One of those 5 is a low power AM station that only serves one town and very little of its surrounding area. Those who own scanners and sit by them for hours at a time are often known by friends for doing so and begin to call us. They then call their friends, who call more friends etc. I often monitor local 2m ham repeaters and disseminate information, mainly to hams on the roads. I've worked both sides of most types of emergency ops and know how to stick to what I've heard and not what should be assumed by what is heard. This, in the same way I used to while enroute to an emergency, realizing that radio traffic is only one portion of the communications at/around incidents.
Given the above I would say that scanner information is essential in rural counties, especially those with very little media coverage. I would guess that per capita scanner ownership is many times higher in rural areas than in urban areas. That is because of a lack of on scene/helicopter reporting on a 16 hour per day (or more) basis.
Just a bit of advice for both of you, stick to the issues in a discussion. There is no need to attack people on a personal basis, no need to insults and name calling.
Last edited:
