What has changed since you started in the hobby?

[darkness975]

I can easier tell you what has not changed in my area for decades; pretty substantial agencies here are still operating on the exact same vhf/uhf frequencies that I used to listen to them on in the late 70s with my '76 Realistic Patrolman SW-60! South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, San Mateo, Daly City, Colma....pretty much all the peninsula cities. I think this is really something that each one even still has the same audible hum in the carriers they had in the 70s and that little "chirp" as they let off the key. This tells me they probably use the same well-maintained radio equipment they've always had.

There are agencies around me that also have this. Honestly I really like the Motorola chirp sound. Hard to explain, but I just do.

 

[ridgescan]

There are agencies around me that also have this. Honestly I really like the Motorola chirp sound. Hard to explain, but I just do.

Yeah I like it too. For me it's just because they sound just like they did when I was a kid. So much other stuff constantly changes so it's kind of nice to have that

 

[ridgescan]

Like many, I started off with a RS 4-ch crystal scanner. I remember going through the RS catalogs every year to see the latest and greatest.

One thing I noticed recently, is that I used to have all the "good" frequencies memorized (circa PRO-2006; still have them memorized, although they're no-longer in use). But now with alpha displays, all I see is "xxx FD Disp", and can no longer rattle off the frequency.

For me, the best changes have been computer-programming and alpha displays.

Thanks for the great thread!

For nostalgia

Radio Shack Catalog Archive (1939-2011)

An archive of 1939-2011 Radio Shack Catalogs of electronics, computers and technology. Flip-through every page of these Radio Shack catalogs that included stereos, speakers, CB radios, tube radios, computers, communication equipment, electronic test equipment, gadgets and DIY kits.

www.radioshackcatalogs.com

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

For one thing Radioreference didn't exist when I first caught the bug. I had pages and pages of frequencies printed out and kept in a binder in back of my car

 

[N4DJC]

I don't recall even knowing which frequencies were in my Electra Bearcat IV without opening it up. It was pretty easy being in a really small town to know which one was police, etc.

I did have all the codes close by until we memorized them (my wife and I listened most every night). When the Stocking Murders were going on in Columbus Ga I had a 210, really enjoyed that scanner.

 

[EMTBob]

My 1st Scanner in 1983 Was A 6ch Regency Handheld And I Could Listen To The Whole County Fire, Fire Ops, EMS & Police Life Was Great. Then The Programmable Scanners Came Out And Wow No More Going To Radshack Or The Local Two Way Shop To Get Crystals. I'm Not A Big Fan Of P25 But The SDS 100 And Unication G5 Kinda Are The Game Changers. I Still Have Just About All My Old Analog Scanners And They Still Work And Pick Up Some Fire And EMS Dispatch. But I Still Go To Flea Markets And Hamfests And Find Some of The Old Scanners I Always Wanted And I Buy Them And They Sit In My Collection. I Just Miss The Good Old 6Ch Handheld Was All I Needed.

 

[K9JLR]

In the early 90s you could still go to the radio shops and get crystals for your scanners. A few departments would scramble their communications, and I haven't heard that in years. VHF Lowband was still pretty active and there were no digital modes in use for any local public safety LMR. Most departments were still on VHF Lo-band or VHF Hi-band.

I can remember it being a pretty huge deal when the county sheriff got on a ClearTalk 800 MHz analog trunked system for part of their comms (late 90s). There weren't concerns about encryption in our area in those days, but in the 90s the noticeable lessening of some comms started with the inclusion of MDTs for some departments, and of course cell phones. I used to be able to listen to 49 MHz cordless phones and baby monitors from several blocks away with a good outdoor antenna.

Scanner technology has come a long way. A big leap was the first trunk tracking scanner, followed shortly thereafter by P25 capability and the expansion of other modes too. NOAA weather radio rapidly rolled out to a much wider coverage area about 20-22 years ago.

 

[Skypilot007]

Everything.