totally new to scanning need help picking out a scanner??

[massive890]

hi
i just got a realistic pro 2028 its alright but only goes to 512mhz and dosent pick up alot,but im in a town of 80,000 so maybe that it.
anwyas i dont know anything about scanners i thought this one was broke because i would push scan and it wouldnt do anything then i found out i had to put numbers in.

anways i want to get a new one im in Alaska if that matters.im not sure if we have trunking here or what that is.Also is there scanners that will automatically pick up signals or do you have to enter them in maually on all of them?i dont know if i need digital or what i dont have a clue on any of this.

so if you could tell me to make sure to get one with this or that or just say hey these are good ones and will do what you want(i just want to pick up the local police and fire etc) .
that would be great i was plannign on spending 100.00 but that can vary

thanks

 

[fireant]

I took a quick look at the database for Alaska looks like their is some APCO-25 up there you would have to get a pro-96, pro-2096 or any scanner able to pick up digital unless the stuff you want to listen to is not digital the digital scanners run $499 which is a little expensive but if you don't need the digital for the area you are in you can spend less in the 100-200 dollar range. Hope this helps you out a little.

fireant

 

[massive890]

hi thanks for replying

im in town called wasilla,how do i found out if i need digital?
thanks

 

[fireant]

go to the RRdatabase you will see it at the top of the page it will pull up a map of the united states click on alaska anything that says apco-25 is digital.

fireant

 

[massive890]

hi
i looked, im in the matanuska sustina area ,all the modes said FM and i didnt see apco 25 anywhere so looks like im good on the digital part

thanks

 

[Voyager]

hi
i looked, im in the matanuska sustina area ,all the modes said FM and i didnt see apco 25 anywhere so looks like im good on the digital part

thanks

You might have better luck asking in the Alaska forum. Also look for a post from Kikito, as he is up there too.

There may not be much reason to upgrade from the 2028 if you can't go for something digital - such as the PRO-2096.

Joe M.

 

[eyes00only]

If you don't need digital, and want a great hand held scanner, Radio Shack has the Pro95 on sale for $129. It's a little hard to learn how to program, but well worth it.

Jerry

 

[Voyager]

If you don't need digital, and want a great hand held scanner, Radio Shack has the Pro95 on sale for $129. It's a little hard to learn how to program, but well worth it.

Jerry

The Alaska State system is P25 and can't be decoded on a PRO-95.

Joe M.

 

[eyes00only]

hi
i looked, im in the matanuska sustina area ,all the modes said FM and i didnt see apco 25 anywhere so looks like im good on the digital part

thanks

Voyager / This is what I was going by. I stand corrected.

Jerry

 

[massive890]

i dont know what system we are on i just looked up the section that im in and didnt see anything that said apco 25.
so its digital up here???
im getting confused

 

[eyes00only]

I'm sure that Voyager knows what he's talking about. My GUESS is that your local system may be non-digital, but the state system is digital. It really depends on what you want to hear. I did notice that the Alaska forum is not too active.

Jerry

 

[Voyager]

i dont know what system we are on i just looked up the section that im in and didnt see anything that said apco 25.
so its digital up here???
im getting confused

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=2447

Note the type:
System Type: Project 25 Standard
System Voice: APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive

Note that every TG is digital.

Joe M.

 

[n4yek]

My opinion is unless you want to listen to the military bases
(they are all on the ALMR system) I wouldn't spend $500 getting
a digital scanner. The ONLY thing I saw that would be useful
is that the state Road Crew is on that system also. But you need
to ask yourself if spending $500 dollars to get a digital scanner
would be worth the Road crew communications too you.
The State Highway Patrol for your area is on 155.415 mhz and are
using FM.
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&aid=1001

While I'm sure that the military bases would be interesting to
monitor, according to the ALMR when an emergency happens that
ALL communications are encouraged to be scrambled. Then you
wouldn't be able to monitor them anyway.
http://www.apco911.org/frequency/siec/documents/documents/alaska_000.pdf

The scanner you just got would do just fine in monitoring you local
area and also the Highway patrol. Unless you want to buy another
scanner, save your money and enjoy what you have.

If you want another scanner and NOT spend the money for a digital one,
then you can find them from $130 and up (Radio Shack has the Pro-95
on clearance for $129.95)
If you want to monitor digital then get the Pro-96 from Radio Shack,
it can monitor the ALMR system. (It is priced around $499.95)
The Pro-96 is a handheld scanner, the base model is Pro-2096.
All three models will follow a trunk system.
You can enter a text tag to each frequency and talkgroup, which I think
is extremely usefull, so you can see a name along with a frequency.
(much easier than remembering who is on what freq)

Another thing to concider, Do you want to monitor Anchorage?
Most police, fire and EMS are on a NON-digital trunk system.
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=545
There are some communications in the VHF and UHF area of the
frequency spectrum, but I would say they mostly use the trunk.
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=70

So you need to decide what you want to listen too and if the cost
is in your budget to do so.

I hope I helped you out a little as well as the others that have replied.
Take care,
Danny
N4YEK

 

[kikito]

My opinion is unless you want to listen to the military bases
(they are all on the ALMR system) I wouldn't spend $500 getting
a digital scanner. The ONLY thing I saw that would be useful
is that the state Road Crew is on that system also. But you need
to ask yourself if spending $500 dollars to get a digital scanner
would be worth the Road crew communications too you.
N4YEK

Right now the system is in it's "infancy". Yes, mostly the Military is on it. Later this year, State and Local agencies will start switching to the ALMR system. The Fairbanks borough alone has spent close to $2 million on P25 gear. The plan is to start later this year (2005) switching over local first responders and by 2007-2008 have many or most in the system. It is a statewide system for a reason, interoperability being the first one and not just for the Military.

My opinion for 'massive890' about what scanner to get is: If you can't afford a digital scanner right now, start saving money and eventually get it. Stick with what you got now and learn about scanning and by the time you really need a digital scanner (in a year or two), you'll be able to make a better decision of what you want or need. Especially with the Uniden BCD396T coming out later this summer.

 

[kikito]

While I'm sure that the military bases would be interesting to
monitor, according to the ALMR when an emergency happens that
ALL communications are encouraged to be scrambled. Then you
wouldn't be able to monitor them anyway.
N4YEK

From what I understand, and not just from the document link you posted, during big emergencies, especially terrorism, they will go to some specific encrypted tactical talkgroups for interagency communications (the main reason for the system).

However, I seriously doubt that EVERYTHING will be encrypted and I'm sure you'll be able to hear pertinent info on other talkgroups that are not encrypted as to what is going on.

 

[n4yek]

Kikito is from the area up there, ask him the questions you need
answered. I can only go on what info I find here and on the internet..
He seems well informed from your area and is probably the one
you need to talk to.
Danny
N4YEK

 

[massive890]

All i can say is wow!!

thank you all for taking the time to anser my post,and in such great detail i know it must get frustrating with new people coming on and asking all kinds of obvious questions,but i did search through the post tryiing to find some ansers for myself before i posted.

once again thank you all very very much for taking the time to anser my questions.

im still going to get another scanner,just cus i want a portable one and one that goes up to the 900 mghz and wait a little while before i get the digital.the only question that i have is if the pro 95 that was suggested bye a couple of you,can be turned on and it will scan the airwaves for channels or do you half to punch in the channels?if not do they make a scanner that does that or is that a dumb question.

thanks again

 

[Voyager]

All i can say is wow!!

thank you all for taking the time to anser my post,and in such great detail i know it must get frustrating with new people coming on and asking all kinds of obvious questions,but i did search through the post tryiing to find some ansers for myself before i posted.

once again thank you all very very much for taking the time to anser my questions.

im still going to get another scanner,just cus i want a portable one and one that goes up to the 900 mghz and wait a little while before i get the digital.the only question that i have is if the pro 95 that was suggested bye a couple of you,can be turned on and it will scan the airwaves for channels or do you half to punch in the channels?if not do they make a scanner that does that or is that a dumb question.

thanks again

Well, there is the BC246T that has the Close Call function that will receive anything close without having to program anything, but it doesn't have the range of programming the frequency in the scanner. The BC246T also has CTCSS/CDCSS and trunking (analog only).

Even with the PRO-95, though, you should be able to find a file for your area and Win95 is free - you would just need to buy a cable for your scanner.

Joe M.

 

[massive890]

hi just one more question

what books would you guys suggest to buy to get to know more???

thanks

 

[eyes00only]

National Communications / Monitoring Times / Police Call (Radio Shack)

Jerry