Scanning with a Baofeng

[nucular]

I am trying to set up a baofeng with local channels to scan. Still learning terminology, etc. This is from radioreference - Does the DPL tone mean that it is digital? I thought because it was FMN that it was scannable by us mere mortals.

 

[ancjr]

I set mine up and listened for a couple days. It made me depressed to hear all the stories and I haven't turned it on since.

 

[Cameramonkey]

You just may not be on frequency when they are actually transmitting? Or maybe they have changed to a modern digital trunked system?

Tones dont encrypt. they only trigger a repeater to actually open and accept the traffic. So for instance if you typed in the frequency on your radio and nothing else and keyed up, the repeater would ignore your traffic.

And if you setup privacy tones on your radios, everyone on frequency (without privacy tones set) can still hear you. Your radio just doesnt "light up" when somebody on the same frequency without a tone transmits. Your radio just ignores them.

 

[rosejm]

It seems like Hendricks County Fire (and many others) has adopted the "Hoosier Safe-T public safety radio system" which is a digital setup.

Hendricks County (IN) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Frankly, scanning with a Baofeng is super slow and unreliable.
A dedicated scanner is far more flexible, faster and typically has a longer battery life.

 

[draftsman]

It seems like Hendricks County Fire (and many others) has adopted the "Hoosier Safe-T public safety radio system" which is a digital setup.

Hendricks County (IN) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Frankly, scanning with a Baofeng is super slow and unreliable.
A dedicated scanner is far more flexible, faster and typically has a longer battery life.

Is there a particular (digital) scanner you would recommend?

 

[88E30M50]

It seems like Hendricks County Fire (and many others) has adopted the "Hoosier Safe-T public safety radio system" which is a digital setup.

Hendricks County (IN) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Frankly, scanning with a Baofeng is super slow and unreliable.
A dedicated scanner is far more flexible, faster and typically has a longer battery life.

They really are slow, but if you keep the scanned channel set small, they do OK. I have one set up to scan a handful of local repeaters. There are only 3 or 4 in that group, so it does a decent job scanning those.

For a larger scan set, I use an FT65R, VX-6R or IC-92AD. Those do much better scanning a large group of channels.

 

[efd1295]

Is there a particular (digital) scanner you would recommend?

Hendricks County is a simulcast system. The only reliable scanner that works with simulcast is the Uniden SDS-100/200.

Uniden SDS100 Digital Police Scanner

The Uniden SDS100 Police Scanner is another first for Uniden. Free shipping, lifetime support, programming, best price guarantee, easy returns, Uniden full line of scanners

bearcatwarehouse.com

 

[.38 Special]

I 2nd the SDS 100. It will pick up fire, Ems, police no problem. they are programmable also, well worth the money.