Using one channel on a scanner for feeds?

[dclaar]

At least in my area, the scanner feeds are all just one channel. For example, SJPD has a dozen or so channels, but nobody covers more than one.

My area of town isn't covered by any of the broadcasts, so I thought maybe I would look into providing it. But it seems like a waste of a scanner to have it only monitor one channel! So I guess my question is: Is there something inexpensive out there that would just monitor one channel? Or would I need to look for an inexpensive scanner and "sacrifice" it to do this?

Thanks for taking time to look at this newbie question.

 

[OsloViking1975]

At least in my area, the scanner feeds are all just one channel. For example, SJPD has a dozen or so channels, but nobody covers more than one.

My area of town isn't covered by any of the broadcasts, so I thought maybe I would look into providing it. But it seems like a waste of a scanner to have it only monitor one channel! So I guess my question is: Is there something inexpensive out there that would just monitor one channel? Or would I need to look for an inexpensive scanner and "sacrifice" it to do this?

Thanks for taking time to look at this newbie question.

I'm taking a wild guess here SJPD (San Hose Police Department). Any scanner can monitor one channel. I see what what your saying. You want an inexpensive scanner to monitor one channel.
I do not think there is one channel scanner if that is what your looking for.

 

[krokus]

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

It would be cheaper to buy a used low-end scanner, than to get some single-channel commercial gear.

 

[Rt169Radio]

A couple of low priced scanners would be the Uniden Bearcat BC340CRS and the Uniden Bearcat BC355C.The BC340CRS can pick up 25-54, 108-174, 406-512 MHz and the BC355C can pick up 25-54,108-174,406-512,806-956 MHz.

You could probably get them even cheaper if you get a used one.

 

[KJ6HCB]

You could get a Motorola Minitor 2 (Crystal) or 3/4/5 (computer controlled) fire pager and set it to monitor, those are available in 1-4 channels. But usually they run at least $40 or so.... I find $5 and $10 scanners at the swap meet all the time.

 

[nanZor]

If you dedicated an externally powered handheld scanner for this duty, and only have it sitting on one channel in manual mode, you may want to make sure that any "battery saver" option is turned off just so you don't miss the very first part of a transmission.

If the battery saver is a permanent deal which can't be turned off, or the scanner won't scan with only one channel programmed, you can program the identical frequency into at least two memories, and scan those two identical memories to defeat the battery saver.

 

[dclaar]

Wow, thanks for all the leads! Sorry it took a while to get back, had a bit of computer issues that took me away. I'll nose around the used market and see what I can come up with.