Son Of Thunder: Radio Frequency Scanners and their use

Great article originally appearing on Signal Corps Ministry. – NCS

People who use scanners get a bad rap, stereotypes ranging from wanna-be super heroes to vigilantes. Like any tool, how it is used is its defining characteristic. A scanner is a radio receiver that is designed to store programmed frequencies and scroll through them constantly. When there is an active transmission on a programmed frequency, the scanner stops scanning and receives the traffic, then resumes scanning either immediately or after a set pause to allow for ongoing traffic. This is an excellent tool to monitor many radio users from public safety, to amateur radio operators, to telemetery signals and emergency and weather alerts. If you reference the “Frequency Spectrum” files under this site’s resource library, you can see the myriad user agencies of radios. Your basic scanner won’t cover the whole spectrum but depending on the model you buy and its features, a newer model scanner will cover from 25Mhz to 1200Mhz which is more than enough to be very useful. A typical feature of scanners new and old is how the programmed frequencies are stored in the memory, which can facilitate listening for a specific type of transmission, a type of agency, or a user selected group of frequencies.

When I briefly lived on the Colville Reservation, everyone it seemed had a scanner. I saw how the community supported itself by monitoring for traffic, and could quickly render aid, respond to assist, or simply know when one is being called. This was before cell phones so the common technology was 2 meter amateur radio, public safety radio, and C.B.’s. (and crystals determined what frequencies you could use, not your fancy modern radios with variable frequency oscillators!) The topography varied so there was rarely any traffic that wasn’t nearby if one was receiving it. Given the nature of Tribal governance and the close knit community it was likely the game warden, police officer, utilities, or other public servant at work was a friend or relative and if he or she was in trouble or simply need a hand, a quick call on the radio would get a response. Fresh road kill was always a welcome gift of fresh meat, and if you knew it would be your turn next, keeping in touch with the game warden was particularly fruitful result of having a scanner. Getting stuck in the snow (which took some humility to make a call for help) or dealing with a bear or moose that was not letting someone get on with their day because it decided to park itself in the road, or a creek was too high to get out for groceries, having a radio and likely more than a few people listening was just how things got done. This is how things will get done if there’s no cell service or internet, or someone lives a lifestyle where those things are considered optional and undesirable (ahem).

There are many models of scanners out there, and while many of them are viable options, I have only used Unidens, some old Radio Shacks, and sometimes an odd off brand someone got a hold of and showed me. There are handheld models and mobile/base models. Incidentally, the 2 meter amateur radios can be set to scan programmed frequencies in the public safety band and can serve a dual purpose if one is authorized to use non-amateur frequencies or simply for listening. The act of scanning programmed frequencies is a feature on many radios, while a scanner radio is specifically a radio receiver designed solely to efficiently monitor and receive traffic.

Base Scanner

Some legalities to be aware of. Look up scanner use statutes for the country/state/province/ county/city/parish/reservation et al where you live as they vary widely. In the U.S. some states don’t allow a scanner to be used in a vehicle with no exceptions, or if you’re a convicted felon. In most places the use of a scanner in any conjunction with a crime is an automatic felony, and this includes relaying information from a scanner to another party who is committing a crime. If I’m remembering correctly, Canada does not allow use of scanners unless you’re a licensed (amateur) radio operator. Re-broadcasting scanner traffic in real time is often illegal, so scanner apps and websites that feature scanner traffic have a programmed delay in their transmission of scanner traffic. The popular site Broadcastify can be useful, especially if you want to monitor events on the ground somewhere far from your location. Again, not only are they not in real time (a 30 second delay in addition to the latency of a online audio feed) but I have found that during highly visible events like protests, riots, political conventions, etc. that the traffic you hear through Broadcastify can be a looped recording varying from 30 minutes to several hours. That is fine if you’re a casual spectator, but useless if you’re using the site for situational awareness for personal safety. Having your own scanner is far better for awareness and use in your community. In many places it is unlawful to ‘respond’ to a location where law enforcement or first responders are dispatched that you hear on the scanner, but in my view it is always highly unethical and irresponsible unless you have an objectively valid interest. If you don’t work/volunteer for the responding agency, don’t go to a call thinking you’re going to help. You’ll likely cause a problem at least for yourself, if not for the people who are actively involved. This is obviously different from using a scanner to monitor and respond to aid from other members in the community who are looking for you to respond, such as a call from a friend on their 2 meter ham radio, C.B. or GMRS/FRS radio.

Programming a scanner is the most common barrier to a new user. Primarily a scanner has to be programmed with frequencies for it to scan. Increasingly scanners can come pre-programmed for your area, and some have a ‘search and store’ feature which will scan a band (e.g. the public safety band) and store frequencies that it receives. Then once you’ve collected some frequencies, you can set the scanner to scan just them. The best option for scanner programming is to get the usb cable that is more and more often an option with purchasing a scanner, and using the proprietary software or other programming software that is available online. I use ProScan with my Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2 and RadioReference to program my scanner. (These are the sites and hardware I have used and can recommend, there are many other options available but don’t have familiarity with them). The ‘search and store’ feature can be used to scan a band for rare and unpublished frequencies too.

Most scanners come with a AC wall wart power supply. They usually can be wired for vehicle use too, much the same as a C.B. as they are 12 volt DC as well. The last component, and equally important one, is the antenna. For public safety frequencies, amateur radio frequencies, and most frequencies that common scanners can monitor, a good receiving antenna is a must. Line of sight is still the determining factor in getting good reception. That means getting it as high as one can for your circumstances. For a home/base scanner, a discone antenna is a great option. For a vehicle, there are myriad options which an internet search will surely overwhelm you with options.

Discone Antenna at 20ft for Base Scanner

There is much more to scanners and using radios to scan to come, but hopefully this is good primer to start the new-comer off. As always, the tool is only as effective as the user, and can only be beneficial with practice, ethical use, and what ultimately God has called you to do. In all things seek guidance through prayer and fellowship, with humility and a servants heart.

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

8 Comments

  1. Johnny Paratrooper December 2, 2020 at 13:24

    I learned a lot just reading these few paragraphs.
    I’ll shift my Midland radios to a scanner/NOAA function exclusively.
    Use some UV-5R’s to scan the others like MURS, FM, and the standard emergency frequencies.
    And the DMR’s are emergency only.

    Until I can get a dedicated Scanner, and Arrow antenna.

  2. redclay7 December 2, 2020 at 17:41

    FWIW – here in NC, unless the legislature has changed the law, scanner use by the public is lawful, IF the scanner is not used in the commission of a crime. From my scanner listening for news work and local travels, I have found that when a call goes out the first responders and media head to the scene where they do their prearranged dance, and the rest of us are supposed to stay away – a good idea. But you also may realize that hearing real time of a bad fire, MVA on the interstate or police action in a city is a chance to avoid the scene by evacuation or go around it esp. when traveling. That is why I never leave home without at least one Uniden scanner, digital capable, even as old as they are.

    Keep in mind that to hear what is coming in the near future as new radio systems come online (NXDN systems and Motorola phase 2 digital systems for example) you will need to purchase one of the latest models of digital scanners – older scanners are not capable of monitoring them. Also keep in mind that ProScan and all other software programming for scanners (and CHIRP) for those Baofeng radios are PC based, not compatible with Macs. This was a big disappointment when I first learned of this, being a Mac guy. Just know that at least here in NC, radio systems are periodically updated and/or replaced with new, different systems, and that will require you to reprogram your scanner when those banks go silent and you check Radio Reference. Broadcastify and other scanner apps for your phone are good, but remember when there is no cell service, apps like that don’t work. So have a scanner handy and learn to use it. I am sure someone more knowledgeable than I can recommend good scanner stores and sources. redclay7

    • wwes December 3, 2020 at 08:05

      Like you said, here in NC they are legal, and I am not aware of any restrictions on having them in a vehicle like in some states EXCEPT that one of the bigger cities, I think it is Charlotte, has some sort of ordinance that you can’t have them in your vehicle.

      • Romeo foxtrot December 3, 2020 at 09:34

        @WWES

        damn…who knew it is illegal to operate a scanner in the city from a vehicle

        https://library.municode.com/nc/charlotte/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH15OFMIPR_ARTIIHIEQPORASEAUCADE_S15-51DE

        High frequency police radio receiving set means any radio receiving set capable of transmitting or receiving any police radio messages.

        however, it reads to me that as long as its not installed, just a handheld unit, we have a loophole:

        Sec. 15-53. – Permit—Application; issuance; annual renewal required.

        (a)

        Any person desiring a permit to operate a high frequency police radio receiving set in a motor vehicle inside the city shall file an application with the chief of police of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department or his designee in writing, stating the name of the applicant and the license number, engine number, model and make of the motor vehicle in which it is desired to install such set. Such person shall furnish a photograph of the applicant and his fingerprints. The application shall also state the reason why it is desired to install such set.

        Either way, fuck em, most of these guys would not know the difference between a normal HT or scanner, and they have no way of knowing my tm-v71 is modified for out of band rx/tx either..If my laptop running sigint os, connected to mobile discone is open, i just shut lid, it shuts down and would require a complex password to get past the full disk encryption and user name and password to access it….

        This is also why i keep both my AR license and GMRS license in vehicle, just in case….If i am using a digi/analog scanner and get pulled for speeding or some other silly violation, like tinted windows, i can just turn it off, stash it and no one is the wiser, as i am not operating it….Mere possession is not a violation….

  3. Anonymous December 2, 2020 at 19:10

    0.5

  4. Anonymous December 2, 2020 at 20:35

    5

  5. romeo foxtrot December 2, 2020 at 20:46

    JP et al:

    get your self an sdr kit, or load sigint os https://www.sigintos.com/ and a diamond discone, https://www.diamondantenna.net/d130j.html this will allow you to have wideband scanner capability …

    I run multiple scanners at my CommoToc:

    uniden home patrol connected to discone

    uniden dedicated analog scanner connected to discone

    uniden dgi scanners connected to discone

    various sdr kit, dedicated laptop w sigint os and sdr kit on pc, connected to discone in attic

    broadcastify on pc

    scanner pro on smartphone

    kenwood tm-v71 w mod under desk connected to arrow dual band j pole in attic

    alinco rig w long wire antenna as well..

    i have a diamond mobile discone on suv that i can connect my laptop and handheld scanners to for mobile operations as well…

    Good luck..

    btw…i’m an IT geek by profession and former .mil 80’s comm guy, so this is something i am serious about, and having taken many of ncs’s classes, have become more serious about..might not be the pointy end of the spear guy as i once was back at 4th POG, but can be older support guy and do my part… :-)

    “All the Way!”

  6. Anonymous December 6, 2020 at 08:54

    1.5

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