I have several scanners, and I have HF/UHF/VHF radios (I'm a ham), but when I hear a stream of ambulance, police, and firetrucks go by, my app for my local EMS county scanner is silent. I hear nothing. Sometimes you hear a blip every now and again, but I cannot believe three services are silent. Do I need a special scanner that can listen to multiple frequencies or what? I am in Medina County Tx.
What scanner do I need to listen to my local EMS/Police?
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Have no idea what exactly you're wanting to listen to, but here's the list for Medina County. Looks like some part time encryption (e) there on P-25 and I have no idea if they're still broadcasting on the analog side of things not being from there. it's always better to have a scanner that can monitor more than one thing via scanning or using more than one radio.
Medina County, Texas (TX) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Medina County, Texas (TX)
www.radioreference.com
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Medina County is analog and P25 digital. They are not trunked however they are conventional simulcast. Sheriffs office and Fire/EMS are mostly digital and every now and then analog. Tones for Fire/EMS are in analog. I live in boerne but frequent that county every few weeks. Always lots of traffic. Id recommend and SDS to deal with the distortion that simulcast causes. The sheriffs office does use a little big of encryption but mostly open.
So, can you explain to me like a doofus what equipment I would need to listen to dispatch? I ask because I like to know what's going on. We own a ranch and out here, things happen at neighboring properties that I might not be aware of, so I just like to keep in the know when there is a wreck on adjoining roads, intersections, or fires as these all impact our fence lines. Mostly, I just want to be in the know.
Based on what is in the database, you should be able to suffice with any P25 digital scanner, Phase 1 type. In my 23 years of experience with P25 scanners, I would suggest a Radio Shack/GRE/Whistler type of scanner for scanning the Conventional P25 digital type that you'll need in the VHF-Hi band for monitoring. Some of the older, but still functional and more affordable type of handheld models to look into include the Radio Shack Pro-96, Pro-106, Pro-651, GRE PSR 500, PSR 800, WS1040. If you decide to go with Uniden model types, you can look into the BC250D, BC296D, (both the 250 and 296 types WILL need a separate BCi25 or BCi96 P25 digital card to be included), BCD396T, and Home Patrol 1 as affordable ones to go with. These are older types of P25 Phase 1 scanners, but they still do the job of decoding any P25 Phase 1 digital conventional type that you are looking to monitor. Research each type and see which ones will fit your budget. These can be programmed by hand or with software. I have no experience with programming the Home Patrol 1, so that one might need software to program.
As said above, if digital simulcast is used and depending on your location of where you are at, it might be better to spend the extra money to purchase an SDS100 scanner to overcome the digital simulcast LSM distortion (explained often on this website). The SDS series of scanners will run you in the $500-$650 range for purchase.
As said above, if digital simulcast is used and depending on your location of where you are at, it might be better to spend the extra money to purchase an SDS100 scanner to overcome the digital simulcast LSM distortion (explained often on this website). The SDS series of scanners will run you in the $500-$650 range for purchase.
Find a Uniden BCD996P2 and you should be good for awhile...yes it can be programmed manually but software is the way to go. The HH version is the 325P2 if you wanna go that way. Whlle there is discussion ad nauseum of what will and won't work with simulcaast the 996 has been a winner for me..
You can program it with free software from Uniden but I do recommend PROSCAN for its ease and flexibility.
Once you find your scanner there is almost unlimited info here on RR or just ask a question.
You can program it with free software from Uniden but I do recommend PROSCAN for its ease and flexibility.
Once you find your scanner there is almost unlimited info here on RR or just ask a question.
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Uniden does not offer any Programming Software for the BCD325P2 Handheld or the BCD996P2 Base/Mobile scanners.
As stated Freescan will work but is no longer supported, Proscan is heavily supported here in the forums $50 1-time fee or ARCxt which is supported here in the forums for a $40 fee Basic or $70 fee Pro.
As stated Freescan will work but is no longer supported, Proscan is heavily supported here in the forums $50 1-time fee or ARCxt which is supported here in the forums for a $40 fee Basic or $70 fee Pro.
The Home Patrol 1, (and, for that matter, it's successor the Home Patrol 2), need to be programmed using their specified version of Uniden's Sentinel software. While, on the surface, it's similar to the Sentinel version used for the x36HP & SDS series scanners, it is a different version. It's a free download from Uniden.
As already noted above, you'd need a scanner capable of receiving digital (P25) transmissions in order to monitor public safety communications in your county. The Sheriff's department dispatch is tagged as part time encrypted (flagged as 25e). No scanner is capable of monitoring encrypted transmissions. The only outlier is if you wanted to monitor Medina Valley ISD. Their bus dispatch shows to be using DMR, which would require a more capable, and expensive, scanner.
Dang…I knew that it doesn’t offer programming but you still gotta have it for updates! MY BAD…
Chris0516
Active Member
To add to, what @buddrousa said regarding Proscan. There is a 30-day free trial version. $50 may seem steep, for the registered version. The software developer @ProScan, has a forum on RR. You get a lifetime of updates.
While it is no longer supported, nor has it been updated in quite some time, it will work for programming the 325P2 & 996P2, However, it cannot correctly import and program DMR, and has absolutely zero support for NXDN.
ARCXT Basic, which does support the 325P2 is around $40. That gives you programming ability, including from the RadioReference database if you become a Premium Subscriber, but not virtual control and other advanced features. For those, you'd need to upgrade to ARCXT Pro, which is about $70. The ARCXT versions support the 325P2, 996P2, 396XT, 996XT, and the BCT15X. If you have another Uniden scanner other than these, then you'd need to buy the specific program for that model.
On the other hand, ProScan, @ it's one time $50, handles programming, including database imports (for premium subscribers), as well as logging and virtual control. ProScan also supports a large number of other Uniden scanners. In addition to the models that ARCXT supports, ProScan supports earlier models including the BC780XLT, BC250D, and the BCD296D/BC796D. It also covers the database Home Patrol models BCDx36HP & the SDS series scanners. You an also use the programming file for one of the supported scanners, and convert that to be used on a newer scanner that you might acquire.
wtp
Member
ProScan
Computer Aided Scanning Software for the Uniden BC125AT BC250D BC296D BC346XT BC346XTC BC780XLT BC785D BC796D BCD160DN BCD260DN BCD325P2 BCD396T BCD396XT BCD436HP BCD536HP BCD996P2 BCD996T BCD996XT BCT15 BCT15X BR330T SDS100 SDS100E SDS150 SDS200 SDS200E UBC125XLT UBC126AT UBCD160DN UBCD260DN...
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