What are you Custom Search Ranges?

[Caesar]

I am setting up the custom search ranges in my scanners and was wondering what many of you have/use.

The radio can hold 10, but the radio already has 12 service searches, so i am at a loss for what to add.

(just fyi this is for my BCD396T/BR330T/BCT-15)

 

[Grog]

It depends, I change my custom range on my pro97 on the fly. Juts the other day I wanted to check out some RR activity, and forgot what RR goes by my house (used to live next to a CSX, now next to a NS line, always got them confused ) so I hand programmed the range as 160-162 and got what I needed.

I have also had a 866-869.9875 when searching for new NC VIPER CCs.

 

[LEH]

My custom search will vary. If I'm traveling and sitting in the airport, I'll enter 460 range to see which airlines are still using the older UHF systems for ramp and gate comms. When in the hotel, I'll enter the basic range for hotel ops (see who didn't get clean towels) or search news dispatch channels for news or traffic reports.

That's the nice thing on the custom capability, you can change it to meet the current need.

 

[cubn]

BC246T
(used mostly for searching for public safety and business pl tones)
453-454
460-460.7
460.7-470
151-160
451-453
451-460

BCD396T
(used mostly to search for TRS system id's and site numbers)
774-776--step size 6.25khz
850-869
935-941
If I traveled to an area with a military base, I'd put in the federal trunked ranges

 

[bassmkenk2508]

I use the following for all around interests.

138-144
148-174 (with WX muted )
225-400
406-420
450-470
162.56-174 (quick VHF fed searches)

I may have a couple of others, forgot.

Yes, kind of general ranges, but can be useful at times on a 396

 

[mciupa]

The "unspoken" ranges are cordless phones obviously.
No one will admit to it publicly though.:roll:

 

[n2ops]

My Search Ranges

Public Safety:
Low Band: (alse great for catching sporodic e)
33.02-33.98 @.020
37.02-37.42 @.020
39.02-39.98 @.020
42.02-42.94 @.020 Many state police here
44.62-46.58 @.020
47.02-47.66 @.020
High Band:
153.740-154.445 @.015
154.650-156.240 @.015
156.250-157.425 @.025 Marine
158.730-159.465 @.015
UHF:
453.0125-453.9875 @.0125
460.0125-460.6750 @.0125

These ranges will not catch the newer refarmed frequencies, but will work for most.

 

[AZScanner]

46MHz to 50Mhz (cordless) 928-932 (pagers) and 869 to 896 (cell band). Come and get me Barney Fife!

Seriously, I have 851-869 set up to snag any new PS trunking CC's and 162-174 for fed VHF, 408 to 416for fed UHF.

-AZ

 

[bassmkenk2508]

The "unspoken" ranges are cordless phones obviously.
No one will admit to it publicly though.:roll:

well, yea, 902 to 9-something. heh. not hard to determine what they are, especially with Close Call and similar functions. i may have it programmed, cant remember since i kind of been in the trough of custom searching as of late.

 

[radiopro52]

I simply search:

100.000-199.000 Mhz
400.000-499.000 Mhz
800.000-899.000 Mhz
900.000-956.000 Mhz

 

[reconrider8]

ok i have a bct15 and when it does the custom searches it might stop on 1 that has just static what do you do to make it only stop on channels that are active

 

[jon_k]

ok i have a bct15 and when it does the custom searches it might stop on 1 that has just static what do you do to make it only stop on channels that are active

Squelch?

And you mean frequencies right?

 

[reconrider8]

yea channels but what would you set the sqelch at like if its to high it will just run over the channel wouldnt it?

 

[Caesar]

yea channels but what would you set the sqelch at like if its to high it will just run over the channel wouldnt it?

on the bct-15 when searching i would have the notch pointing straight up (12 o'clock position) ... when scanning program frequencies i keep it at about the 9 o'clock position.

 

[Caesar]

I simply search:

100.000-199.000 Mhz
400.000-499.000 Mhz
800.000-899.000 Mhz
900.000-956.000 Mhz

you must live in the sticks or have the ATT on with squelch way up. it would take all day long to make it through all those frequencies where i live! lol

 

[reconrider8]

but if you have it at 9oclock i pick up so much static like that like every other channel it hits it stops with just static

 

[radiopro52]

you must live in the sticks or have the ATT on with squelch way up. it would take all day long to make it through all those frequencies where i live! lol

I live somewhat in the sticks. There are some towns closeby. But when I search, the things I pick up most is static and other tones. Not much in the way radio talk.

 

[bassmkenk2508]

Yea, my ranges I have set (previous post, up the page) are general in all regards. TV bands are not inlcluded in mine.

Others reading can pitch in opinions. Mine would cover the good stuff: business, public safety (outside of 700/800 bands), and mil/fed, but yet eliminate some TV/cable "noise" that you may encounter while scanning your ranges. I use a bcd396t, so 800 public safety is pre-programmed.

Each to his/her own in ranges, but some chunks of your bands may cover portions of the spectrum which most wouldn't find interesting nor contain voice transmissions.