Union County NJ Digital or Analog?

[NJ2011]

Hello everyboy,

I have been away from scanning for nearly 20 years and have been doing some research to get back into the hobby. I am primarily interested in scanning police, ambulance, FD in the Western Union County area (Summit, Berkeley Heights, Westfield, Mountainside).

My understanding is that some municipalities are now digital or APCO-25 and require a digital scanner, while others require an analog scanner with trunking capabilities.

I am looking at the Radio Shack Pro-163 Triple Trunking Mobile / Base scanner as an entry level scanner to get started with. My concern is that the local municipalities will require a digital scanner like the PRO-197 which is a bit out of my price ranger for recreational scanning.

Is there any way to find out if scanning these municipalities requires a digital scanner or if an analog scanner is sufficient.

Thank you,

Rick

 

[de784]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.973 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Looking at the database Union county uses analog

 

[fmon]

Welcome to RR Rick.

According to data base your scanner choice should work.
These conventional freqs will work. Union County, New Jersey (NJ) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Other than Hazmat TG this Trunked system should work. Union County Trunking System, Union County, New Jersey - Scanner Frequencies
This NJSP Trunked system should also work. New Jersey State Police Trunking System, Statewide, New Jersey - Scanner Frequencies

 

[NJ2011]

Excellent. Thank you very much!

 

[NJEMT12982]

Union County

Hey Rick, I saw your post and figured I could give you some insight. If you go with the 163 scanner you will be able to monitor all of Union county with the exception of Cranford Police channels 1 and 2. They are the only ones in the county that use digital. Actually, the Elizabeth Police detectives have a channel that is encrypted which means we can't hear anything but they still use conventional for dispatch and channel 2. The county police uses a edacs trunked system which we can hear with the exception of the detective talk group and the prosecutor talkgroups. But again I'd say about 95% of Union county is monitorable. Aside from that the only ones who use digital is Edison PD which even with a digital scanner we can't monitor, Bayonne, and Jersey City which depending on where in Union county you are you can hear. Any further questions I'm here to help. Take care.

 

[Bronco90]

Rick,
I scan all towns in Union County, the only town that is Digital is Cranford and that is only their Police, Fire and EMS are analog. As for trunking only Union County and Union Township. But the Union County PD "Talk-Around" is analog (the freq that all towns put out bulletins. Also UC Fire Mutual Aid is Analog.

I'll post my "FreeScan" program here for you. It has all towns in the county and is broken up into "All Fire" "All Police" "All County" sections. If u don't use FreeScan I also have it in Excel.