Police scanner

[HotelSecurity]

Listening to the police scanner has been my hobby for a very long time now. It helps me on the job also.

In Quebec French is the offical language. There is about 20% of the population that is English. (I'm one of them!) I went to school in English & in those days the teaching of French was not very good. (It is one of the reasons I could not join a police force when I finished college). I'm like a Cubian in Florida. It is still possible to live in English in Montreal. My wife for example, works in English schools. 80% of our TV is from the US & therefore in English. Most of the French I have learned has come from listening to the scanner.

As supervisor for 3 hotels the scanner also comes in handy to hear when the police or fire departments are respionding to one of the hotels. My staff are supposed to call me but obviously can't while the emergency is still on going.

Any other scanner buffs out there?

[ycaso77]

We scan the local departments at work and have thier channels programmed into our portables so everyone can keep track of whats going on and talk with the locals if the need arises. I don't have a scanner at home and turn off my portable, I figure if something happens I'll find out soon enough when the phone rings.

[Mr. Security]

Count me in. As a former dispatcher, I like to listen in and be aware of any activity near my site. I don't listen to it at home though.

[nyspo]

I have a scanner at home and listen to it every night...i live in a small town of about 3,000 people.i like to keep tabs on every one....lol

[EMTGuard]

Any other scanner buffs out there?

I've been scanning since I ws a teen. Dad was a cop and I kept a scanner on to hear him at work. Also got into CB and Shortwave Listening (SWL) which came in handy when I deployed for Desert Shield/Storm. My Shortwave radio kept up up-to-date on the front lines.
I am also a Ham operator and GMRS radio op. Basically I will dabble with any electronics for fun.
Several years ago I started a Yahoo Group for scanner listeners in my area and today it has over 300 subscribers. I've used many different scanners over the years and have built up quite a collection. I even record scanner audio hooking one to my computer and running a program that converts it into Mpeg3 files.
Here's a shot of my radio/computer desk with many of my scanners posed. It's never really this clean-

[Mr. Security]

I've been scanning since I ws a teen. Dad was a cop and I kept a scanner on to hear him at work. Also got into CB and Shortwave Listening (SWL) which came in handy when I deployed for Desert Shield/Storm. My Shortwave radio kept up up-to-date on the front lines.
I am also a Ham operator and GMRS radio op. Basically I will dabble with any electronics for fun.
Several years ago I started a Yahoo Group for scanner listeners in my area and today it has over 300 subscribers. I've used many different scanners over the years and have built up quite a collection. I even record scanner audio hooking one to my computer and running a program that converts it into Mpeg3 files.
Here's a shot of my radio/computer desk with many of my scanners posed. It's never really this clean-

Nice set-up. I have the license and radios for GMRS. I'm probably one of the very few who even bothered getting the license since the FCC doesn't seem to care about enforcing its own regulations on that level.

[EMTGuard]

Nice set-up. I have the license and radios for GMRS. I'm probably one of the very few who even bothered getting the license since the FCC doesn't seem to care about enforcing its own regulations on that level.

There are a few who still do the right thing and get the license of GRMS. If you want to meet a bunch more and talk GMRS then come join us at the Popular Wireless forums- http://www.popularwireless.com/cgi-b...assCookie=true
I'm WQBY447 there.

For scanner stuff I recommend Radio Reference. Great Forums and Database there- http://www.radioreference.com/ . I'm cellblock776 there.
Check out all the scanner installs and shack photos at http://www.radioreference.com/forums...splay.php?f=92 . Some only have one or 2 scanners and others have shacks with more than a dozen radios set up.

[Mr. Security]

Thanks. I'll check it out now.

[Mr. Security]

For scanner stuff I recommend Radio Reference. Great Forums and Database there- http://www.radioreference.com/ .....

Did you read the article about grandma and grandpa being served with a search warrant for allegedly interfering w/police transmissions?

Another terrorist plot thwarted by our ever vigilant authorities.

[HotelSecurity]

Did you read the article about grandma and grandpa being served with a search warrant for allegedly interfering w/police transmissions?

Another terrorist plot thwarted by our ever vigilant authorities.

Another interesting note re the differences between Canada & the US. In Canada it is LEGAL to listen to cell phone conversations. The problem is that since most scanners are made in the US where it is illegal, this area of the band has been cut out. (It's boring anyway).

It is now ILLEGAL to listen to digital signals in Canada without a license. We believe it means a ham license but no one has checked.

73s EMTGuard, real nice set up!

Montreal Fire Department just switched over to a digital trunked system so I had to fork out $1000.00 Canadian to buy the Uniden Bearcat BCD369T. I'm very happy with it though!

[Tennsix]

Count me in. As a former dispatcher, I like to listen in and be aware of any activity near my site. I don't listen to it at home though.

Hey, I was a dispatcher too. Anyway, I don't have a scanner at home but I might turn my radio if I hear sirens near-by. I will also turn it during severe weather.

[Mr. Security]

..... I will also turn it during severe weather.

So do I. Power failures nix the Weather Channel.

[Tennsix]

So do I. Power failures nix the Weather Channel.

And if you are trapped, it is more likely (than a cell phone) to transmit.

[HotelSecurity]

And if you are trapped, it is more likely (than a cell phone) to transmit.

Actually a scanner is not more likely than a cell phone to transmit at any time since it only receives & does not transmit.

[N. A. Corbier]

Actually a scanner is not more likely than a cell phone to transmit at any time since it only receives & does not transmit.

He's referring to his Indiana University Police mobile radio, in that case.