What has changed since you started in the hobby?

[trentbob]

Yep had all three. That Bearcat 100 was an odd bird, I know they had two versions of it and I had one of the very first ones out. Very low volume. It was the first direct entry keypad portable scanner that came out right before Electra's first BC210 which was the first direct keyboard entry programmable base mobile... That Bearcat 100 was built like a tank, all metal. The second series that came out had a different antenna size screw where you could buy interchangeable antennas. I still have that puppy somewhere in the graveyard

Mine was the gold vhf uhf version then the first Bearcat 100 then Regency HX1000

 

[buddrousa]

The 1st 100 was 16 channels and a removable antenna that nothing else fit.

 

[David628]

I started monitoring in the mid 1980's. The most notable changes for me are:
1) In the past almost all PD/FD were using VHF bands in analog. Now we're all mostly digital.
2) Crystal controlled scanners in the past could be had for $29.99. Now they're $600 plus dollars for a higher end one. My first 4 channel "crystal controlled" scanner was a Realistic Pro-21 that I paid for 25 dollars for new. 3868-radioshack-realistic-pro-21
3) Digging through the hundreds of loose "frequency crystals" laying in the bottom of a large bin that was behind the counter at Radio Shack. Just hoping to find "that" new frequency was in stock that I just discovered and wanted to monitor. Now You just upload large databases with little effort.

 

[robertmac]

ENCRYPTION!

 

[Xray]

Well my first scanner was a Pro 34, if you want to look up the specs on that, it would be easier to ask what hasn't changed.

 

[buddrousa]

ENCRYPTION was being used in the late 70's.

 

[ladn]

So much reminiscing!

My first "monitor" receiver was a tuneable Radio Shack high/low in the very early 70's, followed a year a two later by a xtal controlled 8-channel Regency TMR 8HL (which I still have). These were the good days. Everyone (SoCal) was on either Low or High VHF. Police Call and Pop Comm ruled. Departments "ran" suspects over voice channels. I also got a Regency 4-channel handheld specifically to monitor Santa Monica (CA) PD since they were one of the first agencies on UHF.

My first programmable scanner (c 1976) was the Bearcat BC 101. WOW! 16 channels AND the exotic UHF band. I could finally explore some of those "classified" UXX-labeled frequencies the Gene Hughes teased us with in Police Call. The BC-101 was, and still is one of my favorite scanners because you could easily flick channels on and off with a simple switch.

Next up a few years later was the BC-250. FIFTY, count 'em, 50 channels, plus air band (alas no milair), plus limit search. Monitoring was getting more complicated with agencies adding more channels. One thing I didn't like about the 250 was its propensity to blow programming with a minor voltage change in mobile use. Hand loading 50 channels got to be a chore!

LA City FD was in transition to 800 MHz, so it was time for another mobile scanner upgrade. I also got a PRO-34 handheld (which I still have).

My first "small form factor" mobile scanners were BC-760 XLTs. Still no alphanumeric display, or milair, but they were sure easy to mount in an era when vehicles had transmission humps and acres of space below the dashboard.

My first scanner capable of P25, trunking, computer programming and alphanumeric channel names, and FINALLY milair, was the BC-250D. I still have two, but they are slowly becoming deaf. It would be a real benefit if Uniden would release the service documentation.

My latest acquisition is a BC 325P2. I'd trade off a little large form factor for better build quality, and I wish it had a "real" off/on switch.

While I'm certainly not a Luddite, I miss those earlier days of simplicity. While I don't exactly miss Radio Shack, I do miss the lack of neighborhood electronic parts suppliers. I also bemoan modern vehicles for having cockpit designs the make auxiliary equipment installation an engineering and physical challenge and curse the hemorrhoids of equipment manufacturers (RIP Upman), for not designing radios (ie "split mount") that are easy to install in limited spaces.

 

[bob550]

In my opinion, the changes with the biggest impacts since I began this hobby have been:

• Ability to computer-program scanners;
• More built-in memory capacity than even the most fanatical hobbyist could ever use;
• Onboard memory cards with frequencies for the entire country, upgradable for free;
• Forums like this, accessible to all.

 

[ka2ing]

So much reminiscing!

My first "monitor" receiver was a tuneable Radio Shack high/low in the very early 70's, followed a year a two later by a xtal controlled 8-channel Regency TMR 8HL (which I still have). These were the good days. Everyone (SoCal) was on either Low or High VHF. Police Call and Pop Comm ruled. Departments "ran" suspects over voice channels. I also got a Regency 4-channel handheld specifically to monitor Santa Monica (CA) PD since they were one of the first agencies on UHF.

My first programmable scanner (c 1976) was the Bearcat BC 101. WOW! 16 channels AND the exotic UHF band. I could finally explore some of those "classified" UXX-labeled frequencies the Gene Hughes teased us with in Police Call. The BC-101 was, and still is one of my favorite scanners because you could easily flick channels on and off with a simple switch.

Next up a few years later was the BC-250. FIFTY, count 'em, 50 channels, plus air band (alas no milair), plus limit search. Monitoring was getting more complicated with agencies adding more channels. One thing I didn't like about the 250 was its propensity to blow programming with a minor voltage change in mobile use. Hand loading 50 channels got to be a chore!

LA City FD was in transition to 800 MHz, so it was time for another mobile scanner upgrade. I also got a PRO-34 handheld (which I still have).

My first "small form factor" mobile scanners were BC-760 XLTs. Still no alphanumeric display, or milair, but they were sure easy to mount in an era when vehicles had transmission humps and acres of space below the dashboard.

My first scanner capable of P25, trunking, computer programming and alphanumeric channel names, and FINALLY milair, was the BC-250D. I still have two, but they are slowly becoming deaf. It would be a real benefit if Uniden would release the service documentation.

My latest acquisition is a BC 325P2. I'd trade off a little large form factor for better build quality, and I wish it had a "real" off/on switch.

While I'm certainly not a Luddite, I miss those earlier days of simplicity. While I don't exactly miss Radio Shack, I do miss the lack of neighborhood electronic parts suppliers. I also bemoan modern vehicles for having cockpit designs the make auxiliary equipment installation an engineering and physical challenge and curse the hemorrhoids of equipment manufacturers (RIP Upman), for not designing radios (ie "split mount") that are easy to install in limited spaces.

i still have and use two bc-101's. I even listen to my wires-x hri-200/ft100dm in analogue mode. I do have some current digital do all radios as well.

 

[trentbob]

i still have and use two bc-101's. I even listen to my wires-x hri-200/ft100dm in analogue mode. I do have some current digital do all radios as well.

Love my Electra BC 101s, bought my first one at Lafayette Electronics for $399.99 late 1974. That would be over $900 in today's dollars and it was worth every penny!

One of the best first programmable scanners. I had a total of three of them. Even though it was a c only I actually had one in my car. Bought a converter at Rat Shack and mounted the converter on the backseat floor so I could reach around and toggle the on and off switch.

Those were the days!

 

[thevig]

Everybody has pretty much said what was on my mind regarding the hobby.

Back in the 90's I worked in a Moto centric shop. I got so used to sticker shock, that a lot of things concerning RF became not so shocking to me. The cost of the latest wiz bang scanners today don't phase me. With that said, depending on what you want to listen to, today's hobby isn't exactly friendly to the budget conscious or poverty stricken consumer.

On a side note. I kind a miss working in that Moto shop. I could buy all the Moto stuff I wanted at cost.

 

[trap5858]

What has changed- everything had changed. All of the words written before my post pretty much say it all. But is still a fantastic and fun hobby. Because of my interest in scanning or I guess first it was CB radio then monitoring the fire department in Philadelphia which led to monitoring the police department which led to a much more expensive addiction- scanners! The price went up, the capabilities improved and the level of difficultly in programming also increased to a certain extent. But then along came the internet and sites like this one with everyone else addicted to scanners- what a wonderful world we live in. Scan on!

 

[chief21]

My very first "scanner" was a used VHF-Hi Monitoradio, by Regency. It was the original, tube-based, tuneable model... one channel at a time and a very finicky tuning dial. I recall coveting the Aerotron crystal-controlled desktop receivers owned by several volunteer firefighters, but they were far out of my ability to purchase. I didn't get another VHF receiver until I purchased a Lafayette VHF-Hi compact, mobile-style receiver (tuneable, with 2? crystal positions) years later so that I could listen to my fellow military police grunts while I was in my personal vehicle. If I recall correctly, my first true scanning radio was one of the mobile-style VHF Regency rigs with the eight red lights that scanned right to left. WoW! It could scan eight channels! Back then, you could listen to almost anything if you had the right crystals.

 

[KMG54]

I have opened my 1088 3 times now and still can not find were to put the crystals I bought.

 

[W8RMH]

They had a sort of encryption in the 70s on low band, it was referred to as a scrambler that they could turn on and off. It didn't take long for someone to produce a descrambler you could connect to your scanner, but you had to turn it on and off as well.

Later after the switch to UHF the dispatcher could disable the repeater where you couldn't hear the mobile unit, unless you were nearby and monitoring the repeater input frequency, which was rare. This was used until around 2000 with the switch to digital and 800 MHz.

 

[VA3ADP]

They had a sort of encryption in the 70s on low band, it was referred to as a scrambler that they could turn on and off. It didn't take long for someone to produce a descrambler you could connect to your scanner, but you had to turn it on and off as well.

Later after the switch to UHF the dispatcher could disable the repeater where you couldn't hear the mobile unit, unless you were nearby and monitoring the repeater input frequency, which was rare. This was used until around 2000 with the switch to digital and 800 MHz.

Yep that was analog voice inversion. You could by a device that would "unscramble" the inversion for about $100. Mind you it is pretty rare to see systems today using that type of old technology. There is garbage disposal company in my area that is actually still utilizing it.

Motorola still ships there XPR's with the analog voice inversion option. It's available in 3.25 kHz and 3.30 kHz. Not sure about the APX's.

 

[danesgs]

I went into work back in the mid 1980's at Heathkit in Alexandria one morning and found two Fairfax county cops hanging out in our employee parking in the back of the building, When I talked to them they were all excited about their new MDT's and asked me my full name with a grin and typed it in and sure enough, where I lived, my age, my social and everything came back on the display, even with no criminal hits they had my personal info and were like kids with a new toy.

40 years later encryption comes around and the hot ticket for schools and businesses is DMR. radio networks have been trying to keep up ever since, Oh and all the feds for the most part are encrypted with a few US rangers in parks still analog. The only frequencies that have not really changed are AIR and MARINE channels Even Metro still has a few analog channels they use around here for buses that break down and the MPD use P25 and analog. P25 has pretty much become the "new" analog.

 

[VA3ADP]

P25 has pretty much become the "new" analog

That's a great way of putting it

 

[mark40]

the dispatcher could disable the repeater where you couldn't hear the mobile unit, unless you were nearby and monitoring the repeater input frequency, which was rare.

Haven't listened for many years, but FDNY when disabling the repeater as you describe would say "mixer off" or "mixer off message"

 

[N4DJC]

I was inactive for close to forty years and was shocked how much had changed since the mid 70's. Some for the good, some not.