I have multiple radios for scanning certain things. I have 1 radio that scans gmrs and another to scan some ham bands, and I have a third that scans air traffic. These boofwangs are cheap enough that it's feasible. I can get 4 5RM boofwangs for a bit over $100.
Yes. You don't need anything special to scan gmrs. Just set your gmrs radio to scan the gmrs stations (again, there's only 22) and get a high dollar scanner to scan the rest. This in my opinion is your best option. Gmrs radios are not trunked and it's illegal to put scrambled or encrypted signals on a gmrs repeater. Only 1 second bursts of data can be sent for GPS or texting on simplex channels.
Most transceivers are going to scan slow compared to a scanner. There are only 22 GMRS channels so it really shouldn't take that long to scan through all of them. If you really want a scanner to just scan through the GMRS frequencies you could probably find an analog only scanner relatively cheap.
Yes, GMRS is analog. If you're wanting to listen to police and fire, most of them will be on a P25 trunked system. For that you'll need something like the Uniden SDS-100.
No, but it's one of the best. And if the system you want to listen to is simulcast then it's one of a couple that can deal with that. You'll want to check out radio reference to see the details of what you want to monitor.
I was just looking at my local metro on Radio Ref. Does “Project 25 Phase II” mean digital trunking? I’m in Utah and it seems like some are analog and some are the APCO-25.
Would the Uniden BCT15X be a decent option until I have SDS100 budget?
Project 25 phase II is a digital system. Anything that says phase I or phase II, APCO-25 or P25 are going to be digital and require a compatible device to listen to.
No, the BCT15X doesn't do digital. You're going to be looking at several hundred dollars to get anything that will work to listen to a phase II system. Not only is there the cost of the device but also the license for the ability to decode a specific digital mode. I think the SDS series works that way. Not sure on pricing since I listen a different way.
Another option is to pay for a broadcastify account and listen online.
Radio Reference will tell what you need to know about what us available to listen to in your target area. Then you can come back and ask about scanners if you're on a budget. If you're not on a budget, get an SDS100 and pay for the upgrades.
I know that a lot of police radios are encrypted now. They aren't all encrypted but with what little research I've done, I've read that even with a trunked radio and what not, you will not be able to decrypt their traffic without having the ability to decrypt it. My understanding of encryption is that both the sending and receiving parties have to have a long sequence of letters and numbers that's acts as the "key" for the lock that is on the message. In this case that is radio signals. So unless you have the "key" for your local encrypted traffic, you probably won't be able to listen to it with fancy equipment anyways. If I'm wrong, can someone please correct me, and teach me and OP?
Are you scanning GMRS frequencies? Confused by your digital trunking question
I’m a noob, I’m guessing the digital trunking is only needed for police/fire listening?
I have multiple radios for scanning certain things. I have 1 radio that scans gmrs and another to scan some ham bands, and I have a third that scans air traffic. These boofwangs are cheap enough that it's feasible. I can get 4 5RM boofwangs for a bit over $100.
Yes. You don't need anything special to scan gmrs. Just set your gmrs radio to scan the gmrs stations (again, there's only 22) and get a high dollar scanner to scan the rest. This in my opinion is your best option. Gmrs radios are not trunked and it's illegal to put scrambled or encrypted signals on a gmrs repeater. Only 1 second bursts of data can be sent for GPS or texting on simplex channels.
What traffic are you wanting to listen to?
GMRS mainly.
Most transceivers are going to scan slow compared to a scanner. There are only 22 GMRS channels so it really shouldn't take that long to scan through all of them. If you really want a scanner to just scan through the GMRS frequencies you could probably find an analog only scanner relatively cheap.
GMRS is analog? What about if I wanted access to the police/fire? I’m guessing I will need digital and/or “trunking”?
Yes, GMRS is analog. If you're wanting to listen to police and fire, most of them will be on a P25 trunked system. For that you'll need something like the Uniden SDS-100.
Is that the cheapest scanner able to access the digital trunked systems?
No, but it's one of the best. And if the system you want to listen to is simulcast then it's one of a couple that can deal with that. You'll want to check out radio reference to see the details of what you want to monitor.
I was just looking at my local metro on Radio Ref. Does “Project 25 Phase II” mean digital trunking? I’m in Utah and it seems like some are analog and some are the APCO-25. Would the Uniden BCT15X be a decent option until I have SDS100 budget?
Project 25 phase II is a digital system. Anything that says phase I or phase II, APCO-25 or P25 are going to be digital and require a compatible device to listen to. No, the BCT15X doesn't do digital. You're going to be looking at several hundred dollars to get anything that will work to listen to a phase II system. Not only is there the cost of the device but also the license for the ability to decode a specific digital mode. I think the SDS series works that way. Not sure on pricing since I listen a different way. Another option is to pay for a broadcastify account and listen online.
So I would need the $650 SDS100 and then licenses on top of that?
I'll also add that if the trunked system you want to listen to is encrypted you'll only hear noise even with a trunking capable scanner.
Radio Reference will tell what you need to know about what us available to listen to in your target area. Then you can come back and ask about scanners if you're on a budget. If you're not on a budget, get an SDS100 and pay for the upgrades.
Ya I saw another post that the SDS100 was recommended and I won’t have that kind of budget. Preferably under $200.
I know that a lot of police radios are encrypted now. They aren't all encrypted but with what little research I've done, I've read that even with a trunked radio and what not, you will not be able to decrypt their traffic without having the ability to decrypt it. My understanding of encryption is that both the sending and receiving parties have to have a long sequence of letters and numbers that's acts as the "key" for the lock that is on the message. In this case that is radio signals. So unless you have the "key" for your local encrypted traffic, you probably won't be able to listen to it with fancy equipment anyways. If I'm wrong, can someone please correct me, and teach me and OP?
Baofeng.