apco 25 scanner

Have a Radio Shack Pro 2050 scanner and all I get is static. How do I set it to get trunk police calls? Do I need to get a APCO-25 card to install?

You need to have a trunking scanner which can also be purchased at Radio Shack

2006-10-21 05:28:45 by luvlabs

the police and fire dispatcher simlucast a fire dispatch on PD and on the Fire CH..the PD CH is P25 and Fire is analog. you get to see how much of ...

I never realized there were so many different types of antennas until I started looking for one. I've been told higher gain is better, and others say gain has nothing to do with it. One website says Discone muti-band, other sites suggest yagi or beam antennas. AHHH,

I just want an antenna for my digital police scanner, 25-1300mhz, so I can try to get the most out my digital scanner. I want to be able to pick up APCO-25 trunked freq, (800mhz), within 30 to 50 mile radius from my location.

The antenna I'm using now is a cheapie radioshack, that the wind has broken. It's on a 15 ft pole. Before it broke, I was able to put my scanner on search, and I found several control channels that I listened to, they cut in and out sometimes, but were from locations 30 to 60 miles away.

However, now, they have changed all their freq. and I entered the new ones listed at radioreference.com, but it's like all the 800mhz outside of my area, are dead, no where to be found. Putting it on search doesn't work any more, it's not picking anything up, other than local stuff, so I want to upgrade my antenna and invest in a good quality antenna.

It's confusing, I don't which kind of antenna to try.

Yagi and Beam antennas are used to receive (or transmit) in a directional position. In that position as you direct the yagi it receive the signals stronger and make more gain, all the rest as comming from his sides left or right will be reduced specially those signals that comes from his backside those signals get more reflected all to gain power of the choosen direction. So: to use the yagi's and the beam's is only usefull in directions that you have to choose and change all the time.
Better for your scanner is the "Omnidirectional Antenna" which will receive your signals as the name sayes from all sides all coming from around the antenna. (btw: yagi antenas have been used to receive televisionsignals also).

2008-12-24 14:06:51 by micki

Price: $499.99 $433.11

TrunkTracker IV technology lets you can keep up with the action on P25, Motorola, EDACS, and LTR Trunked systems
Connect compatible GPS receiver for location-based scanning, location alerts, crows-flight navigation, GPS control of sites/channel groups
Mobile BearTracker scanner with 25,000 Channels, advanced dynamic memory system, close call RF capture technology, and more
NOAA weather/emergency with S.A.M.E. weather alert for tracking severe conditions in your immediate area
100 system Quick Keys with 10-channel group Quick Keys per system; system/channel number tagging for rapid access

I need a pro 96 scanner because the damn LAPD switched to apco 25 and I can only listen in on LASD, LAFD and CHP on my pro 95. Pro 96 is the only apco 25 capable radio, so if you don't use your 96 trade it or sell it to me at a low price.

don't be such a cheep bum and buy your own

2006-07-14 16:16:44 by thewanderer862004

Price: $79.99

Compact design fits comfortably in hand; easy-to-read backlit display, lockable keypad for saving settings
Comprehensive memory with 100 channels over 10 banks; Close Call RF technology identifies nearby signals
Handheld scanner for monitoring police and fire signals, weather transmissions, ham radio bands, and more
Easily locate specific calls with 6 preprogrammed service searches, including public safety, railroad, and marine
Runs on 2 AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries (these can be be recharged while in the scanner)

Here is my town's frequencies -

System Type: Motorola Type II SmartZone
System Voice: Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface
Uniden DSP: 0333 1985 3542

Here is the scanner I think I need, but can someone tell me if there is something I can get for less, or something that will work better?

http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-BCD396T-Tru nkTracker-Handheld-Channels/dp/B000A2RZ7 E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&a mp;qid=1198122954&sr=1-2

Yes, this or any of the following will work.

Your area uses digital or P25 or APCO P25 thus you need one of the digital capable units.

The Radio Shack units are on sale till 12/24 for $-150.00 off which puts them into the range of some of the older top of the line units.

Radio Shack
Pro 2096 http://tinyurl.com/ykvdy6
Pro 96 http://tinyurl.com/ylsvym

Bearcat/Uniden
BCT996 http://tinyurl.com/yvl9vw
BCT396 http://tinyurl.com/2eb72p

GRE (Who makes Radio Shack as well)
PSR500 http://tinyurl.com/2ot9uv
PSR600 http://tinyurl.com/3ycvth

2007-12-19 20:00:56 by twinmom

I never realized there were so many different types of antennas until I started looking for one. I've been told higher gain is better, and others say gain has nothing to do with it. One website says Discone muti-band, other sites suggest yagi or beam antennas. AHHH,

I just want an antenna for my digital police scanner, 25-1300mhz, so I can try to get the most out my digital scanner. I want to be able to pick up APCO-25 trunked freq, (800mhz), within 30 to 50 mile radius from my location.

The antenna I'm using now is a cheapie radioshack, that the wind has broken. It's on a 15 ft pole. Before it broke, I was able to put my scanner on search, and I found several control channels that I listened to, they cut in and out sometimes, but were from locations 30 to 60 miles away.

However, now, they have changed all their freq. and I entered the new ones listed at radioreference.com, but it's like all the 800mhz outside of my area, are dead, no where to be found. Putting it on search doesn't work any more, it's not picking anything up, other than local stuff, so I want to upgrade my antenna and invest in a good quality antenna.

It's confusing, I don't which kind of antenna to try.

First skip the reference sites, use your local scanner user groups and sites.

Second: The following antennas should be ignored at all times regardless of what certain reference sites promote. These are:

1) Discones
2) Scantennas and its clones


Third, CABLE, CABLE, CABLE.

If your area is exclusively 800MHz then getting a good 800Mhz antenna is crucial along with PROPER CABLE.

If you have any of the following junk it:

RG58
RG8
RG8x
RG59

These are not suitable for any use except below 30MHz.

If you have short runs of 40-60ft then

RG6
RG11

Cable is acceptable. YES this is CATV cable that is 75ohm. Since your not transmitting and impedance is not a constant the slight mismatch in impedance is not a problem for scanner use. ONLY use UP TO 60FT at 800MHz.

For runs above 60ft and the BEST PERFORMANCE use:

LMR400
Belden 9913


Now for antennas.

If you do not need anything below 800MHz then you can get a single band antenna.

If you need other bands then you may need multi band antennas or multiple antennas.

Next, omni or yagi?

Do you want to monitor agencies that have 100% of their towers located in one direction? YES. Then a yagi or directional may be best.

If you have multiple agencies with towers in multiple directions then you need an omni.

You mention trying to listen to systems 30-60miles away. This is pushing the limits of 800MHz scanners with out using high end commercial equipment, multiple antennas, etc..

For your local systems I would suggest:

http://www.rfwiz.com/Comtelco/ComtelcoBa se2.htm

BS800SN-A
Along with LMR400

If you need frequencies other than 800MHz you will need to go another route.

If you want to ensure you get systems, then:

http://www.rfwiz.com/Comtelco/ComtelcoYa gi1.htm

Y2283A-06 along with LMR 400

You will have to point this in the direction of the towers for the system you want.

Antenna ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS should have GAIN, period. No gain like discones, scantennas and its junk.

There are situations where high gain is not needed, and actually can be a problem, but for scanners. GAIN, GAIN, GAIN is ALWAYS REQUIRED.

You have several questions asking this same question in differing ways, and links to discones on one.

Discones provide 0db/0dbi gain, and actually can be a loss at some frequencies. Add that to 10-15db of loss in the RG58 cable and you've lost the signal that may have been present at the antenna to start.

Discones were designed mainly to be on aircraft and be aerodynamic. They've around since the late 1940's and the military took them up for their use in 225-406MHz mil aviation band. Discones main advantage is their wide frequency coverage for transmit, but they fall flat on their face when it comes to receive. They actually don't even work that well for wide band transmit applications often having a high VSWR that can damage transmit equipment.

Unfortunately in the scanner market the best antenna for scanners is no longer made. Antenna Specialists got out of the antenna market for scanners and the MONR58 base antenna was not replaced by any one. Discones and "scantenna" clones are as useful as putting a paper clip on a scanner for antenna. May work for local systems, but not for top of the line performance.

An antenna on a 15 ft pole/tower outside with low loss cable, and a good 800Mhz antenna will pull in the system you want. A discone on the same location will not have the same results and will not pull in the system you want.

2008-12-24 15:03:07 by micki