What Frequencies Make for Good Listening?

[jkinzel]

Last week I purchased a BCD436HP and I found myself in a completely new world from my BC72xlt. After several attempts to program the scanner using the Sentinel software, I finally figured it out and plugged in the usual suspects, i.e. Fire, Police, Aviation and Railroads for my area. I added a Diamond RH77ca antenna and it is amazing what it can pick-up from Fox Island.

I realize this is a rather subjective question, but other than the above mentioned, what other frequencies make for interesting listening in the Puget Sound area?

Thank you

Regards,

 

[jkinzel]

I'm a bit confused, having looked in the Pierce County frequencies I don't see anything that shows what road crews communicate on. This week they are chip sealing the roads on Fox Island and thought I might listen in. All the trucks I have seen have been Pierce Co.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

 

[SCPD]

John you'll likely need to do some detective work here. Find the company name and look up their FCC license on the internet. It's free to use.

Also, since you have the handheld, make full use of Close Call. It's not perfect but it will detect RF sources nearby.

Most constructions crews use GMRS/FRS/MURS these days... You should always have a conventional group with these frequencies -- as well as Railroad VHF, Marine VHF and CB Radio.

FYI, most of the really interesting stuff is encrypted. Military and Federal communications. It's probably just a matter of time before local LE uses encryption too. Example: Boise uses P25 and only their dispatch channels are open -- everything else is encrypted.

You might be in a good location to pick up Military UHF Air from JBLM. This would likely require an external antenna however.

 

[scannerizer]

Last week I purchased a BCD436HP and I found myself in a completely new world from my BC72xlt. After several attempts to program the scanner using the Sentinel software, I finally figured it out and plugged in the usual suspects, i.e. Fire, Police, Aviation and Railroads for my area. I added a Diamond RH77ca antenna and it is amazing what it can pick-up from Fox Island.

I realize this is a rather subjective question, but other than the above mentioned, what other frequencies make for interesting listening in the Puget Sound area?

Thank you

Regards,

To be honest with you I mostly stick to police and fire on the King County system. Boeing operates a P-25 system that lets you listen to their fire and securtiy among other stuff. Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie Casinos have LTR networks but from what I see, you've got to be in or around one of them to get anything at all. That's pretty much all I can tell you.