Police Scanners

Post by **Silent Drifter** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Anyone know of a descent scanner to buy?

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Bearcat BC-350A. Best one for the $$$.

Get it for around $65 on eBay, retail is nearly $200.

Post by **karter74** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

does it have trunking so i can listen to the cops?

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Ummmm, duh.

It's a police scanner.

Sorry - I take back the *duh*.

Post by **'91 240sx** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

I've wanted to get a good scanner too, but I was just wondering, every person I know with one have a big *** antennae on the outside of their car, is there an antennae you could get that aint huge, noticable, and gross?? Just wondering

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Hard to run one in the car w/o an antenna. I'm certain there's a stealthier one out there - Just more expensive. Mine came from Gall's (http://www.galls.com) but it's law enforcement-only.

Also, check your local laws - Some states prohibit mobile scanners.

Post by **Silent Drifter** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Your probally thinkin about CB's they have the big *** antennas. Scanners ive seen people have are jus like walky talkies.

Post by **Syntax360** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

ya - all the police scanners i've seen (just at radio shack and such) are just handheld units w/o large antennas. i've always wondered about the effective range of the things though. :-\

Post by **Dano** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Beartracker makes some good scanners!

-Dan

Post by **karter74** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

not all scanners have trunking guys, and thats pretty much a necessity

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Silent Drifter wrote:Your probally thinkin about CB's they have the big *** antennas. Scanners ive seen people have are jus like walky talkies.

No, I have one.

In my car AND in my house.

Handheld scanners are OK but the reception and quality are not as good. Trust me on the BC 350A - It's sweet.

Post by **Silent Drifter** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Do you need to know the police call signs though to use it?

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Not necessarily - It helps you to understand what they're saying, but my wife listens to my base unit at home all the time and enjoys it (without knowing any of the lingo).

Post by **zion** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Some county/city police list their 10 codes or what ever codes on their websites. I Know that ours do that, but the only draw back is that you cannot hear the Servalence (SP?) channels. But somthing is better than nothing, I wish I had one a few months ago...:rolleyes

Post by **karter74** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

thats why u need trunking. police radios switch channels about every 5 seconds so a normal scanner can't pick it up. if a scanner has trunking, then it is able to follow the police radios and u can listen to them (i guess kinda like F&F when they heard the cops saying that there is illegal racing in progress)

Post by **zion** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

There are special channels that are used for servalence (sp?) that are not the same as a regular scanner and cannot be bought by civilians. Sting teams use these alot along with Narcs. Those are the channels that i am talking about, they are not used as often though.

Post by **Silent Drifter** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Hey AZHitman does the BC-350a have trunking?

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Yes.

My buddy and I used to launch homemade hot air balloons (don't ask) with strobe lights and stuff... Then listen to the police/fire/air traffic frequencies to hear them talking about our "UFO"... LOL.

Post by **karter74** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

how long ago did u do this, cause nowadays police use the 900mhz band and that one only goes up to 512

Post by **Thee 240sx Owner** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

AZhitman wrote:Yes.

My buddy and I used to launch homemade hot air balloons (don't ask) with strobe lights and stuff... Then listen to the police/fire/air traffic frequencies to hear them talking about our "UFO"... LOL.

I swear AZ you must be like 15.. or you photchopped your pic of you and your familly.... cuz you kick A55

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

karter74 wrote:how long ago did u do this, cause nowadays police use the 900mhz band and that one only goes up to 512

Not true. I've attached scanner frequencies for LA County and Phoenix as an example.

http://members.cox.net/kma367/LAPDnew.h ... encies.htm

Very few departments have moved into the 900mHz range, and when they do, it's typically only for super-secret or tactical stuff (which you wouldn't understand anyway so it'd be no fun to hear).

All your good police chatter is concentrated below 512mHz.

Post by **JESTER** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

Most departments are using or going to 800mhz. WE are suppose to be going to 800 at teh end of this year. Have to have it up and running sometime in December or we lose our frequencies. And they say it nearly takes an act of God to get them back.

Why do you want a police scanner for, anyway?

Post by **karter74** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

to be just like F&F so we know if the cops are coming to bust our street racing!!!!!! j/k

Post by **teriyakibroccoli** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

hmm.. a certain model claims to warn of any popo units within a 3 mile radius... is that true?

seems relatively cheap too.. around 80 bux.

Post by **JESTER** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

I would have to say no on that 3 mile deal. Unless it is able to home in on the unit when they are transmitting. I would be interested to see one and find out how it works if there is one that makes that claim.

Like AZ said, if your getting one, get a Bear cat. They are the best for the money.

I hate to think how many people in my area listen to me on scanners. Here's a good story for you. Had a call that was given out ref a suspisous person at a given location. When we dispatched we gave out 10-73. Which where I dispatch means Mental Subject. Well the caller had a scanner and called in. He said, "I know what that means, and I am not crazy." Yeah right! His description on the subject was green skin, buggy eyes, with a halo. Sounded 10-73 to me.

Post by **teriyakibroccoli** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

lol.. well it says it homes in on the unit if it was using a mobile extender... which i have no idea what that is.

Post by **teriyakibroccoli** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

and it was a bearcat unit.

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

LOL - That's funny as hell, JES.

As a former MAC Team (Mobile Acute Crisis) team member, that was the one code that definitely always triggered my T.P.A.D. - "temporary partial acute deafness".

Post by **Dragon240** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

My mom has a handheld bearcat with trunk tracking and it works great.. shes got lotsa cop friends and she likes to listen to 'em chat... Well she did, not so much anymore. I'm gonna try and con her out of her scanner...

Post by **kevdog240** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 6:38 pm

AZhitman wrote:Bearcat BC-350A. Best one for the $$$.

Get it for around $65 on eBay, retail is nearly $200.

can this one also hookup to a speaker under the hood so i can yell at people? someone i know has that and man is it fun!

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