Police Scanners

skybolt_1 · January 12th, 2004, 03:09 PM

I am in the market for a handheld police scanner and I was wondering what kind of features i should be looking for? Are there certain models which are particularly good deals? Right now I am looking at Uniden Bearcats.

Let me know if there is anything that I should be on the look out for.

Joe F.

desmocat · January 12th, 2004, 04:20 PM

You need to find out if the local agencies are trunked or not.
If they use a trunked radio system, you will have to have a trunk-tracking scanner to follow conversations.
Most of the truntrackers only follow analog systems, but Radio shack has a mac-daddy scanner that follows the APCO-25 digital trunked systems.
Mac daddy price too.. like 500 bucks..

Atomic Rooster · January 12th, 2004, 04:39 PM

Quote:

trunked radio system

What exactly is that?

Is that the reason why on normal scanners, you can only hear the dispatcher side of the conversation?

skybolt_1 · January 12th, 2004, 04:42 PM

According to a friend of mine who knows cops, the city used non-trunked, old style analog.

desmocat · January 12th, 2004, 05:13 PM

Trunked systems utilize multiple repeaters and channels to handle large amounts of traffic as well as being able to have multiple departments on the same system.
It's kind of like at the store, when things get real busy, instead of one line, you can have multiple lanes to choose from to exit.
The control repeater will look for the unused repeater/channel to route the call through.(in a nutshell)

a couple links fer ya:

http://www.genesisworld.com/trunking.htm
http://www.trunkedradio.net/modules.php?name=Web_Links

It's a pretty cool concept.

Atomic, usually there is a 5 Mhz offset between TX & RX.
example, mobile transmit might be 453.100 Mhz and Receive might be 458.100 Mhz. or vice versa.

My local PD is like that, on the lower freq, I hear both sides, but on the upper I only hear 1 side.

With trunked systems, you might hear cop fred talking on 825.675 Mhz, then he lets off the mike and then transmits again, but that channel is now busy, so the controller sees 835.425 is open so it sends the call thru that freq. Virtually impossible to follow a whole conversation without a scanner that can follow.

They use talk group codes to keep track of who needs to talk to who.

Atomic Rooster · January 12th, 2004, 05:18 PM

Cool. Thanks Desmocat.

desmocat · January 12th, 2004, 05:25 PM

One more:

http://www.twowayradiodirectory.com/LTR.htm#1

that one is good for the down and dirty on how it works.

sao95 · January 12th, 2004, 06:29 PM

one of those old bearcats can be converted to pick up cell phones and what not, not legal to do though ...

desmocat · January 12th, 2004, 06:43 PM

tis true, but with most new cellys going digital can't hear a lot.
you can also "tune" an old style TV that gets the upper UHF channels with the dial tuner to hear analog cell phones.
Hefty trouble for you if you use /divuldge anything you hear tho..

More fun can be had with the freqs around the old cordless phone bands.
Hint: do not transact business, talk about about your sexual prowess, talk about the neighbors,give out bank account info, make drug deals, etc etc on cordless phones.
Ya nevah know whos hearin' ya.....

P.S> like cell phones, if you like cordless, be sure it's at least spread spectrum, preferably digital as well.

Uncle Bob · January 13th, 2004, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skybolt_1
I am in the market for a handheld police scanner and I was wondering what kind of features i should be looking for? Are there certain models which are particularly good deals? Right now I am looking at Uniden Bearcats.

Let me know if there is anything that I should be on the look out for.

Joe F.

Police scanners like radar detectors may not be legal in all areas.