MassCops - Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network, A Mass Police Web Portal

Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Pages: 1

Main Page scanner opinions? yay? nay?
(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: Oscar8

Are there a lot of scanner hobbyist on this web page? What are the police officers opinions on scanners in here? I know there are mixed feelings on them in law enforcement. I personally am a scanner hobbyist and always have been I love listing to the local Pd's and FD's, MSP, coast guard, and any Military comm's I can hear from Otis (ANGB). My true passion in scanning is DX'ing which is searching for distant signals. I live on the Cape and when conditions are good I can hear FDNY and NYPD, NJ, CT, RI, NH, and ME. I have picked up comms from as far away as Mississippi, Illinois, mostly Highway Patrols. I haven't seen any one talking about scanning on here to much so I figured I would either start it up or get shot down trying and never do it again!

Posted by: rg1283

Scanning is interesting. But I find myself only listening to what I need to listen too, e.g. every town that encircles my listening location, plus MSP.

Posted by: Oscar8

o ya...... and if you do scan what scanner do we have?

BC246T
PRO-94
is my arsonal

Posted by: resqjyw0

I don't listen to the scanner very often.

As far as what scanners, the one I have lets me listen to the departments surrounding me, that's all that matters to me. I haven't gotten to getting one of those trunk trackers yet to listen to MSP but I'll get there eventually. It's not high on my priority list.

Posted by: Deputydog522

I like listening to my surrounding towns and my department. I have scanners and I found my Motorola HT1000 UHF portable works better in my car than my scanner with an outside antenna. I also have a vertex mobile radio on a power supply in my house and it works better rhan my scanner in my house too. I recommend that you buy a two way radio and have it programed for your area and you will see a big difference on reception. PM me if you have any questions on where you can get good prices on radios. i also have a few that I was thinking of selling if anyone is interested.

Posted by: msp626

Once i get out of work I dont want to listen to any radio traffic.. I have to do that 40 hrs a week it is not something I want to do on my down time.. But I always have been a fan of a Uniden

Posted by: j809

My cruiser I scan surrounding towns on my 2-way Motorola and I listen to C Troop trunked on the scanner.

Posted by: kwflatbed

There are many options to listen on the computer also.

http://www.scancapecod.us/xoops/

http://www.scanboston.com/

http://www.scannewbedford.com/

Posted by: Deputydog522

Yeah there are some days when i do not want to listen from listening all day at work. But I really like to know what going on.

Posted by: resqjyw0

Just for the record, I almost never listen to the scanner. I really must have nothing to do or I have to listen to it to have that thing on. There was a point in time where it was on all the time just so I knew what was going on, but that grew old pretty quick.

Posted by: kojack1

I scan at work, especially the surrounding towns, other than that once I am home I cant get the radio off fast enough. I don't mind them but when you walk into someones house and you are listening to yourself, it gets annoying fast.

Posted by: screamineagle

I have a trunk tracker at home but cant figure out how to program the damn thing.

Posted by: Deputydog522

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamineagle

I have a trunk tracker at home but cant figure out how to program the damn thing.

The trunk trackers are dificult until you get the hang of programing the talkgroups. I got mine down to a science, but when I first got it I was lost. It took me about a week to get it down.

Posted by: SOT

that means SE will take about 1.35 years to figure it out...

Posted by: screamineagle

I gave up. I've had it for about three years.

Posted by: Nightstalker

I have a BC78xXLT... Got it cheap and it works great!

Also, another live scanner broadcast for the computer....

http://scanneraudio.com - City of Worcester Police and Fire(with displayed talkgroups)

Posted by: resqjyw0

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamineagle

I gave up. I've had it for about three years.

The Uniden BCT8 that I programmed for the PD in town has the State Police/Highway Patrol already programmed in. Just pick your state (MA) and wha-la. It even puts out an alert if a transmission was made within 3 miles of your location (only in their state highway mode). Pretty convenient. It can be programmed using your computer (if you have a serial port). It makes it a hell of a lot easier than programming by hand, although it isn't all that difficult to do.

My friend has a Unident BCT15. I can't figure out for the life of me how to program that thing. He bought it off of ebay without the manual or programming software so I couldn't do it by computer. He somehow figured out how to do it manually right before he finalized a deal to sell it. I am still confused as to how to operate the damn thing. All I can figure out is how to turn it on and adjust the volume and squelch. It is nicer than the BCT8 because you can input text to show which department you're listening to which is nice if you have a ton of area PDs programmed. The BCT8 just shows the frequency.

Posted by: Nightstalker

Quote:

Originally Posted by resqjyw0

My friend has a Unident BCT15. I can't figure out for the life of me how to program that thing. He bought it off of ebay without the manual or programming software so I couldn't do it by computer. He somehow figured out how to do it manually right before he finalized a deal to sell it. I am still confused as to how to operate the damn thing. All I can figure out is how to turn it on and adjust the volume and squelch. It is nicer than the BCT8 because you can input text to show which department you're listening to which is nice if you have a ton of area PDs programmed. The BCT8 just shows the frequency.

- Hope this helps http://www.uniden.com/pdf/BCT15om.pdf

Posted by: SinePari

I bought the BCT15 and put it in my cruiser. The manual was as thick as "War and Peace". I can get the entire myriad of bands plus trunked systems without changing channels. I don't know anything about scanners but our commo guys said the BCT15 was the one to get. As a matter of fact I believe they said the 2008 cruisers will be getting them installed, once they run out of the old Unidens.

The radio room guys have the disc with all the freqs and all you need is the USB cable to load them. They set it up in groups with all the towns in each barrack. Channel 1 has all C-1 towns, Ch 2 has all C-2 towns and so on. Pretty convenient. Another channel is all Worcester channels, and one more for all CB channels.

With a dozen or so towns in my patrol area it's nice to have an ear for what's going on. So I have my 800 MHz, low band, scanner, Sirius radio and cell phone, all this while drinking my black tea with 2 Splendas...

Posted by: Oscar8

I just picked up a BC370CRS. Its a great bed side/desk scanner, it has a clock/alarm/AM/FM and is a scanner also. The best part is it covers military air. The only thing that sucks is I got the MIL AIR scanner and all the F-15's just left OTIS (angb)
There has been a lot of talk scanning with the 2 ways, sounds great but all the police and fire departments in my area are on the MSP trunked system. The FD's all have a low band 33.xx freq that simulcasts thier assigned talkgroup. Any of the police departments that arent on the trunked system have a 800mhz freq. Departments off cape use the uhf/vhf but I dont have much interest in them.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinePari

With a dozen or so towns in my patrol area it's nice to have an ear for what's going on. So I have my 800 MHz, low band, scanner, Sirius radio and cell phone, all this while drinking my black tea with 2 Splendas...

You must have more antennas than a Soviet fishing trawler.

I have a scanner, but can't remember the last time I turned it on. I get a headache listening to my own radio most nights, I don't care to listen to anyone else's.

Posted by: kttref

http://scanct.com/

You can listen to my town...surrounding towns...and a few other areas.

I'm not a scanner person. I listen enough while at work. But feel free to listen..my town is hopin with false alarms, burgs, traffic stops...oh and we use "plain language" now...so no 10-codes to figure out. Stupid FEMA.

Posted by: Deputydog522

At my dispatch, we have a the base motorola radio with ch 1 and a talkaround/direct freq. Then we have a a radio that scans all the surounding towns. I a mobile radio on a power supply at home with all the local pd's in the area. I noticed that the mobile radio works better than my scanner. I use my ht1000 UHF in my car witch works better than my scanner with a outside antenna.

Posted by: Oscar8

hey any of you guys want to get rid of these scanners that you "dont use" for cheap let me know!

Posted by: SinePari

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

You must have more antennas than a Soviet fishing trawler.

I have a scanner, but can't remember the last time I turned it on. I get a headache listening to my own radio most nights, I don't care to listen to anyone else's.

When I'm doing trucks I keep the CB band on also; now THOSE idiots can give you a headache. They sound like bunch of little girls on a chat line.

With about 20 large towns in the patrol area, it sucks to have something whiz past you and you have no idea what the hell is going on, like the dipshit who killed his girlfriend in Webster the other day.

Posted by: kttref

You guys have CB's?? I haven't had one of those since I was a kid in CO!!! Too bad about the Webster thing though....

Posted by: SinePari

Quote:

Originally Posted by kttref

You guys have CB's?? I haven't had one of those since I was a kid in CO!!! Too bad about the Webster thing though....

Not a CB radio, the scanner picks up everything from CB to 800Mhz

Posted by: kttref

I thought you were cool

Posted by: Oscar8

When the conditions are good I will pick up the guys down south who still use the CB like its the 70's. Hearing that jibber-jabber-mumble jumble will really give you a head ache! I hear people from Alabama to Illinois.

Living on the cape I have most of the active marine frequencies programmed into my scanner. You want to talk about guys who talk like little girls on a chat line you should listen to some of these commercial fisherman. You should hear the mouths on these guys, every other word is F this and F that, F the government, the F'ing Coast Guard. its really bad! A guy on www.scancapecod.us had to take some freqs out of his marine internet scanner feed because of the way those guys were talking.

Posted by: GMACK24

Here is my Scanning Page.
Pretty much my Towns. The Surrounding ones and some of the older MSP frequencies.

Also the towns I pass along the way on Route 24 (Yes I carry it in my car)

Let the bashing begin. LOL

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeopzls/policecars/id22.html

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMACK24

Let the bashing begin. LOL

Scanning can actually be fun; it's just that if you're a landscaper, the last thing you feel like doing when you get home is cutting the grass.

Posted by: jackiedee2002

My mom and step-dad listen to their scanner religiously. They openly admit that they're just nosy and want to know who's doing what in their town. :P

Jackie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

Scanning can actually be fun; it's just that if you're a landscaper, the last thing you feel like doing when you get home is cutting the grass.

lol, well put! I have to deal with these idiots all day long - I don't want to have to hear about them when I get home. That could be why I don't watch much news anymore, either....

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinePari

When I'm doing trucks I keep the CB band on also; now THOSE idiots can give you a headache. They sound like bunch of little girls on a chat line.

I seriously didn't know that CB radios were even used anymore. I figured that cell phones and the Internet would have replaced them, but you learn something new every day.

Sine....certainly these truckers have something worthwhile to report once in awhile, why not have CB radios with transmit capability in the cruisers?

Posted by: lpwpd722

I keep mine own for the most part. Half ass listen to it. What do you think of the "citizens" that have one? We have someone that has one in his vehicle. Everytime something goes on he finds a way to be in the area. But, i'm glad for some of the people. They help us out if we are looking for a vehicle or a person. Some people will call and say, so and so is at the neighbors, or I seen the vehicle you just bolo'd.

Posted by: jackiedee2002

I don't know about citizens having them. At home, just to be nosy - sure. But in your car? Most people just tend to get in the way. I can't imagine that many of them are all that helpful!

Posted by: screamineagle

I have a scanner. Couldn't figure out how to program it. Its heavy enough to use as a sledgehammer though, so I may use it to split wood this fall.

Posted by: jackiedee2002

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamineagle

I have a scanner. Couldn't figure out how to program it. Its heavy enough to use as a sledgehammer though, so I may use it to split wood this fall.

lol, just don't hurt yourself.

Posted by: SinePari

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

Some guys have an actual CB radio with xmit capabilities in their cruiser and it's a personal purchase if they do. Sometimes I turn on the CB band on the scanner because some bad guys still like to use CB. You can pick up who's doing what with certain buzz words and guys using different channels other than "19".

For those of you who don't stop trucks...you're missing a whole genre of criminals out there laughing at us. Take a little time to learn about their paperwork and it's just a big car. Simple moving violations, plus their EXTENSIVE criminal histories can make for some very good traffic stops.

Posted by: kwflatbed

Many state police from many states use the CB radios.
Most are very glad to have the helping hand that truckers can give in
an emergency situation where more eyes are needed.
There has been a lot of good drug busts that started from CB talk in a
truck stop parking lot.
Many BOLO's that have been put out on the CB by the state police have been located by truck drivers.
Not all truck drivers are bad guys but there are a lot of bad apples out
there on the road as Sine has said.
Also you will find across the country in many of the rural areas that
there are many PD's that moniter the CB at their stations.

Posted by: Oscar8

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpwpd722

I keep mine own for the most part. Half ass listen to it. What do you think of the "citizens" that have one? We have someone that has one in his vehicle. Everytime something goes on he finds a way to be in the area. But, i'm glad for some of the people. They help us out if we are looking for a vehicle or a person. Some people will call and say, so and so is at the neighbors, or I seen the vehicle you just bolo'd.

Talking about firebuffs and people that like to GET IN THE WAY. Police should be able to take scanners away from people like that. I'm not a PO (yet) I have a scanner in my truck because I love to hear whats going on. I did hear a BOLO go out one time and the car was infront of me so I called it in. There have been a few other times that I have called about something that went out on the scanner. For the most part the PO at the desk is thankfull for the info. I would never go out and try to see for myself whats going on.

One time a call went out for a "ball of fire falling from the sky". Most likely a meteorite. The Pd called the tower at Otis (angb) and they saw the object falling from the sky and gave a general location. I will admit if they found it I would of "wanted" to go out and see but I wouldnt of. I would never go out and see a fire or a car accident, thats just ridicolus.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscar8

Police should be able to take scanners away from people like that.

I don't think I want my kids growing up in a world where the police can seize private property just because they feel like it.

Posted by: 94c

I happen to be a fan of train wrecks, myself.

Posted by: MM1799

I have no problem with anyone who has a scanner in their home or in their car. I figure, as in everything else in the world, there are always a select few idiots who manage to give everyone else a bad name. If you start showing up to calls and becoming a disturbance; then you'll be spoken to and dealt with. If you are at home or in your car listening to me play the name game with a suspect and the desk officer than more power to you.

Posted by: 94c

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM1799

I have no problem with anyone who has a scanner in their home or in their car. I figure, as in everything else in the world, there are always a select few idiots who manage to give everyone else a bad name. If you start showing up to calls and becoming a disturbance; then you'll be spoken to and dealt with. If you are at home or in your car listening to me play the name game with a suspect and the desk officer than more power to you.

The name game.

Tell them with a straight face you just came up with a hit on a murder warrant.

See how fast they lose the amnesia.

Posted by: Oscar8

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

I don't think I want my kids growing up in a world where the police can seize private property just because they feel like it.

come on now you didnt think I was serious did you??

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscar8

come on now you didnt think I was serious did you??

There is absolutely, positively nothing in your post to indicate that you were anything less than 100% serious.

Posted by: wryman

Posted by: SinePari

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94c

The name game.

Tell them with a straight face you just came up with a hit on a murder warrant.

See how fast they lose the amnesia.

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.

When I was on active duty last year I took my laptop to do homework online and was listening to that scanboston website at the same time. I heard one of the guys in my troop stop a knucklehead I dealt with in the past. I gave him a quick call and told him where to find the Class A in the vehicle. Just a shot in the dark but it I didn't want him to get stuck with a needle.

Posted by: Oscar8

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinePari

nice! good call

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

There is absolutely, positively nothing in your post to indicate that you were anything less than 100% serious.

Is there really anyway to show exaggeration in text?

I guess I could of added a bunch of periods afterwords but I really didnt think some one would take that serious!

"they should just take scanners from those people..............."

Better?

Posted by: resqjyw0

"they should just take scanners from those people.

"

That's better... Notice when to hover your mouse over the smilie, it says "Rolls Eyes (Sarcastic)"

Posted by: MM1799

I think we all know you were serious. Then Delta slammed you for it. Now you are changing your mind and pretend you were kidding. It's actually painful to watch. Next time, tell Delta to "stfu". He wont mind -- he's cool like that.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM1799

It's actually painful to watch. Next time, tell Delta to "stfu". He wont mind -- he's cool like that.

Only with you, poopsie.

Posted by: Oscar8

ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops

About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.

The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.

The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.

The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.

The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.

MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)

3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108