Radio scanners

[LTDHO]

Hey all,

Are these still available and are they legal?

I am talking about the radio scanners, my GF is a CFA volunteer, sure she has the pager to alert her to the job, but she doesn't know if a job is cancelled until she gets there. So, if she had a scanner she could be kept up to date and told if it was a false alarm.

Cheers

[The Yeti]

I do the same I have a uniden digital trunking scanner.

I live the maximum distance allowable from my station, so I dont always make the pump, so I have my scanner on and when I hear the truck roll I know the situation isnt as urgent. you arnt allowd to speed etc to the station but its still good to know the pumps rolled and I'm gonna follow on rather than bust a hump trying to make the pump

give RedXM a PM and see what he can do for you (I assume CFA have gone digital?) if not I have a Unident Bear Cat you can have for a box of beer

[AC/DC]

They are Legal, as long as you dont use the information in a "negative" way.

[Mr Hardware]

I have a Uniden handheld. Does UHF CB rx/tx and UHF rx. http://www.ryda.com.au/ProductDetail...ctCode=UH078SX

I keep it in my falcon all the time, and just program in the freq.

[Mr Hardware]

and if ltdho doesn't want the bearcat yeti, i'll take it.

[xisled]

In Victoria most of the services have now gone digital and can not be picked up.

they are still legal.

[LTDHO]

She is pretty sure they are digital and can be picked up on scanner.. Dunno

[XR6Naranja]

So uhhh don't boo me here, as I would assume it's frowned upon.

But I was told that police scanners can be picked up if you have one and it's a chargeable offence, not a police issued scanner, just one that will listen in.

I only wish to use it for good purposes, over the weekend the town is usually full of fights and vandalism, so often I rather no drive into town to get food and risk my car being damaged.

Cops regularly patrol most of the bad roads, so is it illegal to listen to police freq's and if not what am I looking at to get one/set one up in the car.

[MR.BA.GT.332]

I have one on my phone thats an app and has proved accurate a couple of times now. Can only listen in obviously

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

She is pretty sure they are digital and can be picked up on scanner.. Dunno

Legal and CFA have not moved to a digital network as yet. There are plans in place to join to a P25 network, but I'd hazard a guess this is still at least 1-2 years away.

A Uniden 396XT digital scanner will pick up analogue and digital transmissions (non encrypted) and is only $400-500 new.

I always thought CFA volunteers receive cancel pages when a 'stop' wordback comes in.

[XR6Naranja]

Originally Posted by mr_460bigblock

I have one on my phone thats an app and has proved accurate a couple of times now. Can only listen in obviously

I do as well however it doesn't have my town =\

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Legal and CFA have not moved to a digital network as yet. There are plans in place to join to a P25 network, but I'd hazard a guess this is still at least 1-2 years away.

A Uniden 396XT digital scanner will pick up analogue and digital transmissions (non encrypted) and is only $400-500 new.

I always thought CFA volunteers receive cancel pages when a 'stop' wordback comes in.

Thanks, so they are analogue then.

So I am looking at $400+ hrmmm. WOW. what happened to the 'mod' to old AM CB to pick up emergency channels?? LOL

Nope, she doesn't know until she gets there. Which isn't a bad thing, as she goes in the bood as 'attending' whereas if she turns around before hand, there is no record.

[blownv8au]

Originally Posted by mr_460bigblock

I have one on my phone thats an app and has proved accurate a couple of times now. Can only listen in obviously

I do to. my town was added about a month ago, its best app there is except poker of course.

[Trevor 57]

I am not critising your GF here OK.

I used to be a Controller (Captain) of a Vic SES Unit and I used to discourage my people from having a scanner - why, coz at 2.00 am I would get a call from anyone of about 8 of them telling me there was a car accident somewhere and I did my 'nana over it, I told them that if the Police/Ambulance/CFA wanted us they will page/call us. One of my people actually used to drive to the scene to check it out - ****en ambulance chasers - I ****en hated them.

Sorry, me just recounting

[The Yeti]

Trev, ambulance chasing isnt cool

but for listening for stops, code 1 & code 3 messages they make life so much easier.

LTDHO $400 is good buying I think I paid arround that for a second hand one 12 months ago.

Like I said check if they are digital if not I have an anologe one and if you dont want it, Mr Hardware does

for a new Digital talk to RedXM he's great to deal with, I havent purchased a unit off him but he was great repairing my digital one when it had a fault and if I wanted a new one thats who I would be talking to

[LTDHO]

Hey Trev, she wants nothing more than just to be up to date. It will be on only after her pager goes off.

Thanks Yeti, will do.

$400 is a lot for the minimal use it will get for the next 2 years.

[LTDHO]

Looking at UBC73XLT

FEATURES:
Designed and Engineered in Japan
100 Analogue Channels
7 Bands
Ultra Compact Design
Frequency Range: 25-88MHz, 108 - 174 MHz, 400-512 MHz
Close Call™ RF Capture Technology
Frequency Searching:
Program Search
Chain Search
Direct Entry Search
Channel Scanning:
Memory Channel Scan
Direct Channel Access
Channel Lockout
Priority Scan
Duplicate Channel Alert
Backlit LCD Display
Keypad Lock
Key Touch Tone
Memory Back Up
Low Battery Alert
External Jacks - ANT: BNC Type
Internal Speaker: 8ohm.1W
Max Search Speed: 150 Steps/sec
Operating Temperature: -20° - +60°c
Size of Unit (mm): 68(w) x 31.5(D) x 115 (H)
Weight without battery: 165g
Batteries not included: 2AA Standard Batteries or Rechargeable batteries
SPECIFICATIONS
Channels: 100
Banks: 10 (10 channels each)
Frequency Range (in MHz)
25.0-27.995 Citizens Band/Business Band
28.0–69.995 10 Meter Amateur Band
137.0–147.995 2 Meter Amateur Band
Above bands in 5 kHz steps
70.0–88.0 6 Meter Amateur Band
108.0–136.9875 Aircraft Band
148.0–174.0 VHF High Band
Above bands in 12.5 kHz steps
400.0–512.0 Land Mobile Band
Above band in 6.25 kHz steps
Sensitivity (SINAD 12 dB)
25.005 MHz (AM) 0.5 μV
54.050 MHz (FM) 0.3 μV
86.275 MHz (FM) 0.3 μV
118.800 MHz (AM) 0.5 μV
127.175 MHz (AM) 0.5 μV
135.500 MHz (AM) 0.5 μV
138.150 MHz (FM) 0.3 μV
162.400 MHz (FM) 0.3 μV
173.225 MHz (FM) 0.3 μV
406.875 MHz (FM) 0.4 μV
453.250 MHz (FM) 0.4 μV
511.9125 MHz (FM) 0.4 μV
Operating Temperature:
Normal –20°C to +60°C
Close Call –10°C to +50°C
Scan Rate: 50 channels per second (max)
Search Rate
Normal 60 steps per second (max)
Hyper 180 steps per second (max)
Priority Sampling 2 seconds
Scan Delay 2 seconds
IF Rejection (at 162.4 MHz) 90 dB
IF Frequencies
1st IF (25-174 MHz) 380.6050-380.7000 MHz
1st IF (400-512 MHz) 380.60625-380.7000 MHz
2nd IF 21.3 MHz
3rd IF 450 kHz
Audio Output 490 mW maximum
Built-in Speaker 32 mm dia, 8 ohm
Dynamic Type
Current Drain
Squelched 110 mA
Full Output 310 mA
Power Requirements 2 AA Alkaline Batteries (3V DC)
or 2 AA Rechargeable Ni-MH Batteries (2.4V DC)
or AC Adapter (6 VDC 500mA)
Antenna 50 ohms (Impedance)
External Jacks Antenna Jack BNC Type
Ext. Speaker Jack 3.5mm
DC Power Jack 4.4 mm
Size 68mm (W) x 31.5mm (D) x 115mm (H)
Weight 165 g

Thoughts?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by XR6Naranja

But I was told that police scanners can be picked up if you have one and it's a chargeable offence, not a police issued scanner, just one that will listen in.

Scanners are perfectly legal.
The person who told you this might have been confusing them with Radar Detectors, they can be picked up in most HP cars, the fine used to be about $800...

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Hey Trev, she wants nothing more than just to be up to date. It will be on only after her pager goes off.

as I said in the opening line of my post, I wasn't having a go at your girlfriend, I admire her for what she is doing, I understand why she wants one, I was just vocalising an opinion about scanners.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Looking at


Thoughts?

You can buy programable Icom UHF radio's, they will scan and transmit, she could get the Fire Comms people to program it for her.

http://www.icom-australia.com/products.html

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by Big Trev

s I said in the opening line of my post, I wasn't having a go at your girlfriend, I admire her for what she is doing, I understand why she wants one, I was just vocalising an opinion about scanners.

my biggest problem when I was the captain of my RFS station was people using them to vet calls, it was preatty easy to pic who was doing it, they were the ones that only turned up to the "good jobs" and always came in their own vehicel

Our pages only gave a "Incident call" no other information, the type of call etc wasnt given to the brigade came on air. you wouldnt see them at a car fire at 2am on a rainy July morning, but get back to station, close down and get another call to a house fire an hour later and theres a cast of thousands

a few well placed words were tried and only had sucess with some people, but when you want people to to to the Task forces and the good jobs, you just call them last, when they complain you just tell them you called the people you can count on first they only have to get put aside for a hero run and they come in to line, ether that or they leave and well, that solves a problem as well

[Trevor 57]

Something we have in common Yeti

I would call the 'regulars' first all the time. My crew knew I would do that so I generally had a good bunch of people.

[The Yeti]

yea my guys n girls were pretty good (its easy to be a good captain if you have a great crew and I had a great crew)

but you get the odd one whos in it to be a hero, and thankfully their few & far between

O and I thing V8 super cars are rather boring as well ;)