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gear:scanner [2024/07/04 03:34] – [Digital Scanners] Humphrey Boa-Gartgear:scanner [2025/11/18 15:52] (current) – [Digital Scanners] Bruce Dackler
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 The term "//police scanner//" is actually somewhat of a misnomer, as all of the devices described on this page can listen to more than just police frequencies, including fire/EMS, aircraft bands, [[gear:radio#marine-radio|marine radio]], [[gear:wx|weather radio]], [[gear:radio#frsgmrs-walkie-talkies|civilian walkie-talkie channels]], [[gear:radio#amateur-radio|amateur radio]], and much much more. The term "//police scanner//" is actually somewhat of a misnomer, as all of the devices described on this page can listen to more than just police frequencies, including fire/EMS, aircraft bands, [[gear:radio#marine-radio|marine radio]], [[gear:wx|weather radio]], [[gear:radio#frsgmrs-walkie-talkies|civilian walkie-talkie channels]], [[gear:radio#amateur-radio|amateur radio]], and much much more.
  
-Scanners are (usually) only capable of receiving audio. If you want to transmit, you will need a [[gear:radio|two-way walkie talkie or amateur radio]]+Scanners are (usually) only capable of receiving audio. If you want to transmit, you will need a [[gear:radio|two-way walkie talkie or amateur radio]].
  
 ===== Types of Scanners ===== ===== Types of Scanners =====
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 Some popular digital scanners with trunk-tracking capabilities include: Some popular digital scanners with trunk-tracking capabilities include:
  
-  * [[rr>BCD325P2|Uniden BCD325P2]] +  * [[rr>BCD325P2|Uniden BCD325P2]] //(Buy on [[amazon>3X2Wvfb|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>BCD436HP|Uniden BCD436HP]] +  * [[rr>BCD436HP|Uniden BCD436HP]] //(Buy on [[amazon>481kHUf|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>BCD536HP|Uniden BCD536HP]] +  * [[rr>BCD536HP|Uniden BCD536HP]] //(Buy on [[amazon>4oT9NY6|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>BCD996P2|Uniden BCD996P2]] +  * [[rr>BCD996P2|Uniden BCD996P2]] //(Buy on [[amazon>4o5YWbU|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>SDS100|Uniden SDS100]] +  * [[rr>SDS100|Uniden SDS100]] //(Buy on [[amazon>3XxlmYK|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>SDS200|Uniden SDS200]] +  * [[rr>SDS200|Uniden SDS200]] //(Buy on [[amazon>4rbJ5eS|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>TRX-1|Whistler TRS-1]] +  * [[rr>TRX-1|Whistler TRX-1]] //(Buy on [[amazon>4r41UjS|Amazon]])// 
-  * [[rr>TRX-2|Whistler TRX-2]]+  * [[rr>TRX-2|Whistler TRX-2]] //(Buy on [[amazon>47M7yzB|Amazon]])//
   * [[rr>WS1098|Whistler WS1098]]   * [[rr>WS1098|Whistler WS1098]]
  
 ==== Software-Defined Radio (SDR) ==== ==== Software-Defined Radio (SDR) ====
  
-[[wp>Software-defined radio]] (or **SDR**) is a simple type of radio tuner, which relies on piggybacked software to tell the radio what to do, instead of built-in firmware and hardware components. Many modern consumer radios are now glorified SDR's, as they are far cheaper to manufacture than your typical digital scanner. This is also extremely useful for hobbyists and other people with too much time on their hands, who can spend forever working on the perfect custom radio setup by tweaking some applications on their computer. +[[radio:sdr|Software-defined radio]] (or **SDR**) is a simple type of radio tuner, which relies on piggybacked software to tell the radio what to do, instead of built-in firmware and hardware components. Many modern consumer radios are now glorified SDR's, as they are far cheaper to manufacture than your typical digital scanner. This is also extremely useful for hobbyists and other people with too much time on their hands, who can spend forever working on the perfect custom radio setup by tweaking some applications on their computer.
- +
-The easiest way to get started with SDR, is with **RTL-SDR**, which is built off of the notoriously cheap and widely available [[https://www.realtek.com/Product/Index?id=615&cate_id=194|Realtek RTL2832U]]. For under fifty dollars, you can get an RTL-SDR starter kit from [[https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/|RTL-SDR Blog]] or [[https://www.nooelec.com/store/sdr/sdr-receivers/nesdr-smartee.html|Nooelec]], which works with any standard PC and even many phones, as long as you have the right software to make it work. +
- +
-**Note: If you choose to go the RTL-SDR route, __do so through Nooelec or RTL-SDR Blog__. Because anyone can order a crate of these RTL2832U chips and haphazardly slap them in a case, there are many RTL-SDR knockoffs which are infamously unreliable. DO NOT try to cheap out on these already inexpensive chips by going to Aliexpress or eBay, as YOU WILL REGRET IT.**+
  
 The first drawback with RTL-SDR (and other similar SDR setups) is that you are basically on your own when it comes to the implementation. There are a bunch of open-source software applications that will do the heavy lifting for you, but you have to set them up yourself, and not all of them are available on every operating system. There are all sorts of guides and write-ups out there, but other than that, expect minimal documentation and lots of conflicting advice. Furthermore, expect to have to learn a lot of nitty-gritty details on how the radio spectrum even works, if you want to make sense of this software yourself. Also, trunk-tracking with these requires the use of [[https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-following-trunked-radio-unitrunker/|two RTL-SDR's running simultaneously]], each with their own antennas. After that, you will find out that regular broadcast AM/FM signals and background noise will overpower your radio and "intrude" on other frequencies, necessitating the use of a bunch of extra in-line filters and low noise amplifiers if you even want to hear anything of value. Then there's the matter of cable management, as instead of a single device you now have a bunch of tiny dongles and filters and external antennas all daisy-chained to your computer or phone, which is not practical on the field at all, and especially not while driving. And don't forget spare batteries, as plugging your computer into an outlet or your car's cigarette lighter can introduce **even more** radio interference. The first drawback with RTL-SDR (and other similar SDR setups) is that you are basically on your own when it comes to the implementation. There are a bunch of open-source software applications that will do the heavy lifting for you, but you have to set them up yourself, and not all of them are available on every operating system. There are all sorts of guides and write-ups out there, but other than that, expect minimal documentation and lots of conflicting advice. Furthermore, expect to have to learn a lot of nitty-gritty details on how the radio spectrum even works, if you want to make sense of this software yourself. Also, trunk-tracking with these requires the use of [[https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-following-trunked-radio-unitrunker/|two RTL-SDR's running simultaneously]], each with their own antennas. After that, you will find out that regular broadcast AM/FM signals and background noise will overpower your radio and "intrude" on other frequencies, necessitating the use of a bunch of extra in-line filters and low noise amplifiers if you even want to hear anything of value. Then there's the matter of cable management, as instead of a single device you now have a bunch of tiny dongles and filters and external antennas all daisy-chained to your computer or phone, which is not practical on the field at all, and especially not while driving. And don't forget spare batteries, as plugging your computer into an outlet or your car's cigarette lighter can introduce **even more** radio interference.
  
-For these reasons, many people will just give up and buy one of the digital scanners mentioned in the above section. But, if you persevere, and make it work, then the knowledge, skills & capabilities you will acquire as a result will make you a radio-god among Anons.+For these reasons, many people will just give up and buy one of the digital scanners mentioned in the above section. But, if you persevere, and make it work, then the knowledge, skills & capabilities you will acquire as a result will make you a radio-god among Anons. For more information, read our [[radio:sdr|SDR article]].
  
 ==== Police Scanner Apps ==== ==== Police Scanner Apps ====
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