Quote:
Originally Posted by tis
Exactly. When they switched to digital, it was scrambled. Can you get all those now with the new scanners? Do you know where you can buy those scanners in this area?
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Yes, the new digital P25 scanners will receive and decode all current digital transmissions.
However, they are not inexpensive. I have a Uniden BCD396XT handheld scanner that was purchased several years ago. Amazon.com currently sells it for $333.25 here:
http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-Handhel...canner+digital
(Walmart sells that same unit for $419.00, but I believe you have to order it online.)
Radio Shack also sells a handheld digital scanner, the Pro-651, which goes for $399.99. You can see it here:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...uctId=42351856
There may be other digital scanner manufacturers, but the units made by Uniden and Radio Shack have gotten the best reviews over the past several years. They are both very sophisticated scanners that are loaded with features, but they are also fairly complicated to learn how to use! I've only learned how to use a few of the features in my Uniden model, but I can pick up all the scanner "chatter" in our area with it. The biggest challenge is programming all the frequencies into it that you want to receive, but once that chore is done the actual scanning and listening are fairly easy.
Many of our local police and fire departments, including Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid, still use analog transmissions, but some departments have converted to digital. The Belknap County Sheriff Dept. transmissions I receive are digital, as are those from the Laconia Police. I think in time, most all law enforcement agencies and emergency responders will be converting to digital.