South Carolina Scanner Help ASAP (please)

[Admckayjr]

I am confused as to what type of scanner that I need for use in SC. I am particularly concerned with Kershaw and Richland Counties, but would also like to listen to the Highway Patrol on my trips from Columbia to Florence. Any help on what type of scanner is needed/will work and where to purchase is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Please feel free to e-mail as well... cooner1@hotmail.com

 

[Highpockets]

I am confused as to what type of scanner that I need for use in SC. I am particularly concerned with Kershaw and Richland Counties, but would also like to listen to the Highway Patrol on my trips from Columbia to Florence. Any help on what type of scanner is needed/will work and where to purchase is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Please feel free to e-mail as well... cooner1@hotmail.com

First thing you should do before you buy a scanner is look in the South Carolina Database and check your county and town to see what frequencies or systems you will want to monitor. Take notice in the MODE column and see what kind of modulation that frequency or talk group (if a Trunked system) uses. A few modes are listed below:

A = Analog
D = Digital
E = Encrypted

Sometimes even though a frequency or talk group is marked D in the mode column, look in the comments column it may tell you that they use encryption full or part time.
No scanner on the market today will decode encrypted signals, and most likely never will.
In EDACS systems take notice if ProVoice is used, that cannot be monitored with today’s scanners.
In LTR systems Passport cannot be tracked only monitored in conventional mode.

Check out the database:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?stid=45

Time to check out the scanner’s offered by the three top companies. You see analog and digital scanners in either the base model or hand held versions in the following links, there are pros and cons with all the scanners (the Coke verses Pepsi) so read carefully what each offers to see which one meets your needs.

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/GRE_Radios
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Uniden_Scanners
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Radio_Shack_Scanners

Most of the scanners listed in the above links can be programmed using software; you’ll also need a programming cable. The cable comes with some of the models, other’s you’ll have to purchase it separately. Programming software can be found at the following links:

http://www.starrsoft.com/
http://scannow.org/
http://www.butelsoftware.com/
http://www.psredit.com/
http://www.proscan.org/index.htm

By no means have I covered all that you should know about buying a scanner, but, I hope you’ll find something here that will make the process a little easier and open your mind for other questions that will you have, we’re here to help!

 

[Admckayjr]

The mode is FM... Can you tell me what that means in terms of scanners?

 

[Highpockets]

The mode is FM... Can you tell me what that means in terms of scanners?

It will explain here what FM, NFM mean:

Modulation Methods - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[Caesar]

Welcome to SCanning in SC. you will need a trunk tracker for sure if you want to hear richland county. You will be best to get a digital scanner though as City of Columbia Police is digital and some more people are also switching over to digital in the area very quickly. visit the SC forum and we'll help you out more...