Using Radio Scanners in Wrightwood

[asmith47]

I would be interested to know what supposed public good this law is designed to achieve.

[angelwolf326]

Wow, that was a ton of info to dive into.  Thanks for all the help and advice.  Being we are just over the holidays, I think it will be a while before I look into purchasing a scanner.  Maybe after tax return???

Thanks again,
Angel

[RobertW]

I would be interested to know what supposed public good this law is designed to achieve.

The law was designed so that the Authorities could deal with unscrupulous individuals who were using scanners for illegal uses or trying to thwart capture, as well as keep certain individuals from "chasing" calls and getting in the way or impeading Police and Fire personnel from performing their duties.

As I have stated, most departments applaud individuals who use scanners responsibly.  When a call goes out giving a description of a 211 suspect, the more people who hear it the more eyes out there to keep a look out.

[clint]

One more comment on the shortwave receiver law, many southern states have very old laws on the books that date back to Prohibition and moon shining. The moon shiners would have radios in their cars to avoid the police and that is what started the laws.

[clint]

Some frequencies penetrate glass pretty well. Frequencies below 300 MHz, where the Forest Service is and where lots of local fire and police departments are penetrates glass and therefore a handheld scanner with a rubber duck will work pretty well in a car. However - you knew there was one coming did'nt you - higher frequencies like 440, 470, 480, don't go through glasss well at all. 800 is attenuated by glass. That's why your cell phone will work better with the window down. Eventually when you get up into the Gigahertz range, RF goes through again. That's why police radar works through the radio car windshield, and why your microwave has a layer of plastic or metal mesh over the window.

Bottom line. If you want reliable reception of UHF frequencies in your car, you need an external antenna.

[RobertW]

[kew]

The law was designed so that the Authorities could deal with unscrupulous individuals who were using scanners for illegal uses or trying to thwart capture, as well as keep certain individuals from "chasing" calls and getting in the way or impeading Police and Fire personnel from performing their duties.

As I have stated, most departments applaud individuals who use scanners responsibly. When a call goes out giving a description of a 211 suspect, the more people who hear it the more eyes out there to keep a look out.

That is almost a direct quote I received from Pomona P.D. in the mid '70s.

Since the last post is 2 years old I would like to know of any updates about Cost - Frequency - Brands - etc. I also need to hear about the usefulness of these frequences in the Phelan area as well as Wrightwood. Particularly with reguard to Fire, Sheriff, CHP, and Rescue.

[RobertW]

Since the last post is 2 years old I would like to know of any updates about Cost - Frequency - Brands - etc. I also need to hear about the usefulness of these frequences in the Phelan area as well as Wrightwood. Particularly with reguard to Fire, Sheriff, CHP, and Rescue.

Not much has changed.  Radio Shack is having a sale on a couple of really good scanners that will match the needs of the Phelan, Wrightwood area.

They are both 1000 channel 800MHz Trunking scanners.  Both are on sale for $149. (Reg $199).

PRO-2052 Base scanner
PRO-95 Handheld Scanner

Bearcat/Uniden makes a good scanner also, but is usually a little more expensive ($200 + for the same scanner)

I have both brands and highly recommend both.

[kew]

I just returned here to ask for an opinion of Radio Shack PRO-95 Handheld Scanner.LOL I guess you already answered my questions. Thanks

[RennMan]

Thanks for the channel info, now I just have to figure out how to use the scanner...

[RobertW]

Thanks for the channel info, now I just have to figure out how to use the scanner...

If you have any questions, besides this forum, you can get answers from the people who hang out at:

http://www.scannerbuff.net or
http://radioreference.com

[TableMtn]

Wrightwood,

Have you heard any activity on these frequencies?  Could they possibly be used for "simulcast".

FYI the ANF cannot "simulcast" because of the location of the repeaters.  They are too close together and the dispatcher's get a very bad feedback squeal in their headphones.  At least that is the explanation I was given when I asked why they didn't simulcast. 

[RobertW]

Wrightwood,

Have you heard any activity on these frequencies? Could they possibly be used for "simulcast".

FYI the ANF cannot "simulcast" because of the location of the repeaters. They are too close together and the dispatcher's get a very bad feedback squeal in their headphones. At least that is the explanation I was given when I asked why they didn't simulcast.

Makes sense.  ANF has a very complicated communication system with it's repeater input and output frequencies, but works very well considering the mountains and rough terrain.

Since making that post in 2002, I've found that San Bernardino County "Desert Com" does indeed "simulcast" 151.145 on 867.8625.  Obviously the VHF 151MHz band works much better in the mountains than the 800 MHz UHF band which is pretty much line of sight.  As a result, I listen primarily to 151.145.

Station 101 in Wrightwood uses 867.8625 for "direct" or mobile to mobile transmissions.  When I hear Medic Ambulance 101 tell squad 101 to go "direct", I switch to 867.8625 and usually hear the transmission with no problems.

[RennMan]

Thanks for all the info, folks!  I've been playing with the scanner for the past week or so.  Listened to the local "Grub Grabbers" HAM 0700L checkin using the Table Mountain repeater.  Programmed the scanner using a bit of software I found on the internet, called WIN95 for the PRO-95 scanner.  There's a Yahoo! group specific to the PRO-93/95 scanners, and lots of good info there as well.

We had the scanner on, most of the day yesterday, tuned to the WW Comm Center, and noted all the calls to Mountain High...

[clint]

"Simulcast" is really not a term applied to commercial radio systems. The California Department of Fish and Game uses a system where all the field radios recieve and transmit the same frequency pair. When the employee in the field selects a "frequency" they are actually selecting a PL tone (also called CTCSS, because Motorola owns the name Private Line) that causes a different repeater to activate. The prefered method today for large area agencies such as the LA County Sherrif is to use Voting Receivers. All the receivers in the system, on all the mountain tops, listen to all the frequencies all the time. When a radio car or HT transmits, the receivers decide which one is receiving the strongest signal and assigns the traffic to that repeater location. San Bernardino County has some unique challenges being the largest county in the country, and like LA county there territory is split by a mountain range.

[RobertW]

[KWBoy]

is the RadioShack PRO-96 one over kill for a rookie? or will the PRO-95 be good enough?

[RobertW]

[scangod]

Unlock your pro-95 scanner to receive 17mhz thru 1300 mhz, no holes. I used this software and it works great. The website says it also works on the pro93 and pro2053 but I havent used it on them cuz I dont have those scanners. It also includes PC programming software for the scanner

if your interested, send me an email at a.shemonia@neonlaw.com for the web site link.

[Wrightwood]

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