"chaz" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Alex Clayton" wrote in message
nk.net...
"chaz" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hi,
Looking at / for a handheld scanner. I live in a relatively large metro
area, near Augusta, GA. Several communities and I would like to just
scan
for the fun of it. I dont know what "trunking" is but a lot of the new
scanners offer this capability, maybe all?

Question is, whats a good starter unit? Im not looking to eavesdrop on
the
CIA or IRS, just want to listen in on the local stuff. Dont want to
spend a
lot of money as this wont even really be a hobby. I just dont want to
purchase old technology thats an obvious waste.

Any advice appreciated.

chaz


Look at the :

http://www.radioreference.com/index.php


Find the area you want to scan, make sure it's not digital. If it is
Trunked
of any kind you need a Trunk Tracking scanner. The low end models are
Radio
Shack Pro-97 and Uniden makes a couple. The Uniden BC246T would be my
first
choice. Cost is the same as the RS, and it includes a PC cable, and AC
adapter. Not to mention it's a very small package, easy to carry around.
If
you can still find a Pro-95 that RS discontinued to make the 97 it will
work
great also. Little complicated to get one set up for Trunking, but there
is
lots of help on line to get you over the hump.

--
"Money is truthful. If a man speaks of his honor make him pay cash."
:Lazarus Long



Alex,
How will i know if an area is TRUNKED? (digital??) I see the tables on the
site you sent, but it means nothing to me, because i am a neophyte




Ok I'm FAR from any kind of expert at this, but it looks to me like there is
no digital yet. There does seem to be a LOT of trunked stuff to choose from.
These names don't mean anything to me as I don't live there but look at this
page:
http://www.radioreference.com/module...=TRSDB&sid=429

There is a lot of Motorola Trunked stuff there. Are any of these communities
near you? If so you want a trunking scanner. Looks like there is some
standard stuff you could pick up with any scanner, but the majority seems to
be Trunked. A cheap new scanner that does not Trunk Track is about $100.00.
A very good, Trunk Tracking scanner is about $200.00 new. So I would
recommend getting the 246T. Looks like there will be a hell of a lot of
stuff to listen to there.
If you decide to get one, join the Radio Reference page it's free, and if
you like what they have, as you should, send them a few bucks to show it. A
10$ donation to them is appreciated, and if you buy a book at a place like
RS they are twice that and the RR forum will give you much better info. If
you decide to buy a scanner, there's LOTS of help getting it going. They are
a lot of fun. I started with one at one job as a necessity. Soon I found
myself listening at home to for fun.
--
"Money is truthful. If a man speaks of his honor make him pay cash."
:Lazarus Long