looking to get into scanners

[silver runner]

I'm looking to get a scanner, but I have no clue about them. What is a good scanner? Is the range the same as CB, because I know they operate on lots of different freqs. If some one could give me a quick scanner 101, that would be great.

[busman]

i got a couple radio shack scanners that do a pretty good job. one was 160$ the other like 210$. they are capable of triple trunking. and regular scanning. the cops and emergacy sevices out my way dont use the trunking system. vhf hi and low around here. bigger cities use trunking systems. the uniden scanners are really nice but spendy. you can usually got to a local radio shack and some give out local freq. charts. most new scanners have gobs of pre set channels and the newer scanners got a search option on them so some what basically you can just turn it on or use the search and get something. ive had scanners for years and there a hoot. youll never regret getting one. somebody on here can do a better job of explaning them to ya.

[ksphotoguy]

there is a website called Radio Reference. that is a great place for you to get all kinds of scanner info, frequencies etc... do a google on them and check it out. it will be more useful to you than anything else

[LordDragr]

Mike / RadioActive has some good Uniden scanners on his site at The Radio Company I got mine from him a while back and I love it.

[linx]

Funny I was thinking of starting a thread but didn't.

I'm looking to get one too. I was looking at the Radio Company and saw a Uniden BC370CRS. It seemed to cover everything for around $140 or so...so why pay $400 for a scanner?

I think I'll be buying one in a few days if the better half permits. I really enjoy listening ot the police bands on my 2m/70cm radio.

That Radio Reference is a great site for freq listings.

[oknaz]

I've been in the hobby of scanner's since i was 19 and i've went through 3 brand's and i must say RS and Uniden are the best . But far as freq's go RR has a good listing and there updated almost every day . But you'r bigger cities have trunked system's and sometimes are very hard to scan since they hop ( DATA) most of the time . This is an example the county i live in has 20 towers all for trunked but there are like 5 cities sharing the same system but each city has it's own talk group . If you'll do a google search on P25 you'll get the picture of what i'm talking about . My base unit has trunking most it's not mfg to do hear P25 so i only listen to Air/Uhf/Vhf low/ 800 trunked but i've got that locked out ....I hope that gives you an idea how the system work's .

[silver runner]

thanks for the info guys!

[Maverick]

I have owned the radio shack Pro-94(~$100), Pro-96(~$500), Pro-97(~$200), and Pro-164(~$220)

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them, the pro-94 is pretty basic, but lets you listen to the police trunking freqs, the Pro-96 is a digital scanner that lets you listen to everything but cell phones, the pro-97 is an analog trunking scanner with a neat LCD screen labeling system, and the Pro-164 is an improved version of the pro-97.

My favorite budget scanner is the pro-97, but if the police in your area are using a digital trunking system, you will need a radio like the pro-96. you can lookup the freqs on radioreference.com.

[silver runner]

what the range on a scanner? Is is like CB range?

[Maverick]

what the range on a scanner? Is is like CB range?

Of course the range depends on the transmitted signal you're listening to, but you'll be able to cover your whole city's PD and maybe a few others.

From Where I am in unincorporated Adams county, CO, I can hear the Denver PD, The Aurora PD, Broomfield PD, Brighton PD, etc. and that's all with the antenna on the handheld.

You'll be able to hear a long way off, Especially if you get an external antenna.