Radio Scanners

wxsby · 04-10-2008, 11:04 AM

Does anyone else use a scanner to monitor radio traffic on the road or while camping? I don't think I could be without one. I listen to emergency services, aviation, railroad, maritime and any other radio traffic I can find.

RandD · 04-10-2008, 01:16 PM

Hi Barry - I have two modes of traveling. When the DW is aboard, Sirius radio is on and I listen to CB with an open air earphone, and the
DW in the other ear. When I travel solo, I have the CB on, the Uniden 396 scanning various public service frequencies, and my 706 listening to the ham bands. Either way, I always have the 396 and my Yaesu VX-7R with me and feel naked without them.

wxsby · 04-10-2008, 07:16 PM

My wife now knows I need to listen to at least 4 sources to be able to travel. Have you monitored the railroad freqs? Out on the road it's very interesting. And a bit of humor.

MaverickBBD · 04-10-2008, 08:17 PM

After 17 years in Law Enforcement DW can't be without hers. It is the first thing set up in camp. Has a blast listening to Casino security. She collect frequencies like some people collect refrigerator magnets. On the other hand after 27 years in the fire service I tell her to turn that squawk box down all the time.

John66 · 04-10-2008, 08:20 PM

In my old truck, I had 2 scanners. One was a bearcat specifically designed for vehicle use and the other was a Radio Shack hand held mounted in a cradle.

RandD · 04-11-2008, 05:48 AM

Barry - Sure have! Between California and Texas, railroad coms s about all there is to listen to except for truckers and alot more amusing

Tom N · 04-11-2008, 06:14 AM

I have a 760xlt.

Where are the railroad freqs???

-Tom

wxsby · 04-11-2008, 06:28 AM

Most of the railroad freqs are between 160 & 162 Mhz. Going cross country I usually don't program in any specific freqs but just run a continous search from 160 to 162. When we stop for the night or longer, I'll note the most used freqs and put them in, so I can listen to other stuff as well.

Some of the most interesting things are the detectors. When a train crosses one it activates and says what mile marker it is on. When the train passes, it says how many axels went by and if there were any defects, and sometimes gives the temperature. I understand they are what replaced the cabooses.

ctcamper · 03-02-2009, 01:03 PM

I just found this thread. I bought a GRE PSR-500 last year and love it.
I program it ahead of time for the states I am going thru -- state, local, rangers etc.. PSR 500 is set up so there are folders you can load. Each folder is composed of 20 different divisions that you load whatever talk groups, freq you want in.
i set them up for the main folder to hold one to three or so states, and then further divide the sub "folders/divisions" into state police, local for the area I will be, nps if I can etc... -- or at a campground I scan the local freq to see what is going on

Lots of fun and a bit addictive

ctcamper · 04-11-2009, 07:20 AM

The radioreference forum is an incredible resource for all things scanner related.

RedneckExpress · 04-11-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wxsby

Most of the railroad freqs are between 160 & 162 Mhz. Going cross country I usually don't program in any specific freqs but just run a continous search from 160 to 162. When we stop for the night or longer, I'll note the most used freqs and put them in, so I can listen to other stuff as well.

Some of the most interesting things are the detectors. When a train crosses one it activates and says what mile marker it is on. When the train passes, it says how many axels went by and if there were any defects, and sometimes gives the temperature. I understand they are what replaced the cabooses.

They must have adjusted them a bit since I last had access to an old Railroad handset. That old Motorola (Southern Pacific hardware) used around 150-158mhz. Course the buggered thing wouldn't hold a charge and if you took it out of its charger base, it would immeadiately go dead.

John-D · 04-11-2009, 01:26 PM

IN some states possession of a scanner in a motor vehicle can cause you issues with folks of the law enforcement profession.. (Of course some of us are exempt from that regulation.. But that is another (Federal) matter)

Just so you know.. Michigan recently changed it's laws.. IT is a lot harder to convict for scanner possession now. (Which is a good thing) Also some cities or counties will have rules agains radios capable of receiving police, fire or EMS.

And lastly if you hear something funny on the radio and laugh.. That's allowed

If you hear something funny and then tell me.. That's illegal so I can laugh, that's illegal by federal law (At one time I was also exempt from that one, but no more, and only on a very few frequencies)

And finally if you do anything that affects you financially as a result of what you hear on police, fire, or EMS radios.. That is a violation of federal law.

Just so you know That said.. Very few folks enforce the federal law. I know of perhaps 2 or 3 cases in the last quarter century where the federal "Do not use the info" rule was invoked.. But then it's possible (HECK, VERY LIKELY) that I have not heard all such cases