Introduction
Try to read this entire page straight through without following any of the
links to get an overall feel for what is being presented. Once done, go back
and delve deeper into the aspects that you find most useful or interesting.
I have purposefully listed the presented items in a particular order and you
might find it beneficial to follow them in this manner if you are new to the
hobby.
Be sure to keep the Glossary page handy as it will help to explain terms and
conecepts which will be unfamiliar to you. Most of your time will probably be
spent on the Picking A Scanner/Receiver page since it will be important to you
in helping to select the radio you're looking for.
Best of luck, and enjoy!
Definition Of A Scanner
- How about we start with trying to define what a
scanner is?
Learn The Lingo
- To keep you from getting lost in all the new terms you'll be seeing, be
sure to check out my glossary page.
Picking A Scanner/Receiver
- With over 50 new models on the market today, it can be a daunting task
to pick the scanner/receiver that will be right for you.
- For some help in making your decision, try my
picking a scanner/receiver page.
What To Expect
-
When you turn on your scanner, don't expect an audio version of the TV shows
COPS or Rescue 911. There will be times when the drama is quite intense but it
takes dedicated listening.
-
Where you live will also dictate the amount of traffic and types of agencies
that are at your disposal. If you live in the sticks, don't expect a lot of
radio traffic from the FBI!
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Find several agencies to listen to. Give everything a try and find out what
interests you most.
-
And listening is just part of the story. To understand what you are hearing at
times, you might have to do a little research. Take notes and keep a log of
your monitoring activities. In doing so, you learn more about the world we all
live in.
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Most of all, be patient. It takes a while to get up to speed with radio
monitoring. Many seem to think it's a passive hobby where you just sit and
listen. Far from it! Listen day after day, and soon you'll be able to separate
the wheat from the chaff.
Reference Material
-
To get started properly, you'll need some good reference material.
-
Police Call Plus, sold in the US at many delears including Radio Shack, is a
great value and provides a wealth of information about our hobby. There is also
loads of frequency info you can use to get started.
-
If you travel a lot, then Monitor America is a great resource. It covers the
United States and includes radio codes, PL tones and maps as well as lots of
other miscellaneous info.
-
You might also want to look into purchasing some form of CD-ROM which contains
frequency data on file at the FCC for all licensed radio users.
-
Depending on your particular monitoring favorites, you'll probably find one or
more books which deal exclusively with the agencies you find particularly
interesting. Many are a great source of information and provide more depth into
what you are hearing.
-
Here's a listing of some of my
favorite books as well as where to go for
FCC license material.
Keeping A Log
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Keeping a log of your monitoring activity can be very beneficial.
-
The information kept in the log can be as simple or as complex as you deem
necessary. At the bare minimum, you should log the date, time, and frequency as
well as a column for remarks that might help you identify the agency.
-
I find it useful to keep log sheets for each of the frequency bands I like to
search around in.
-
Each time I get a "hit", I check to see if it is in the log. If not, it gets
added to the bottom of the list.
-
As each hit is positively identified using recent reference material, it gets
added to my master list of confirmed frequencies.
-
As time goes by, the log sheets will turn into a notebook which will grow with
each year that passes. Such a notebook is a testimony to your dedication and
helps provide a feeling of accomplishment!
Support Groups
-
A good source of information is the Internet in the form of USENET newsgroups
or private/commercial web pages. Much can be learned if you're willing to
simply look around. Just prepare yourself for a lot of immature behavior!
- Popular newsgroups these days include
-
Try to find out if there are any local clubs or groups that meet in your area.
The latest copy of Police Call Plus is a good place to start and you can always
ask on one of the above newsgroups.
-
There are also several mailing lists available that deal with many facets of
our hobby. Try the lists at
QTH.NET, the Yahoo
Groups and
Clubs or
Peter Laws'
SCAN-L list.
-
This site has several
message boards that can be used
to post messages and share information.
-
Perhaps you'd care to share your monitoring passion by authoring your own set
of web pages?
Accessories
-
As you gain experience and learn more about this great hobby, you'll want to
try new things to help you become more productive or simply hear more of what's
out there.
-
Here's a listing of accessories you are bound to
come across
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When you feel up to it, you'll probably want to try a better antenna to pick up
more signals. Regardless of whether it's a base or handheld model, you might
find some interesting details on my
antenna page.
Computer-aided Scanning
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Once attached to a computer, a scanner can double or triple its capabilities!
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Some radios only allow frequency upload/download while others allow complete
control of everything you would normally do from the keypad. Some even add
features that were not part of the original radio!
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Not all radios can be hooked up to a computer though. Most computer-controlled
radios are made by Alinco, AOR, Camnis, iCOM, Trident, and WiNRADiO.
-
For the full low-down, see my
Computer Control page.
-
Try reading my PRO-2035/OS535/PROBE review
to get an idea of how powerful such a system can be!
-
Have a look at my software page for more info on
suppliers and links to more web resources.
Shortwave
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Monitoring shortwave, or HF, signals is usually considered a separate hobby
from 'scanning'.
-
The biggest users of HF are world broadcasters (BBC, Voice of America), US
government and military, amateur radio operators, utility stations and
"pirates" (those operating without a license).
-
It involves listening to signals under 25MHz and for the best results, you'll
need a good radio and antenna. Most signals are in AM but there's also heavy
dependence on single-sideband (SSB) and continuous wave (CW) (i.e. Morse code).
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For serious work, you'll want to get a dedicated HF receiver like those made by
AOR, Drake, Grundig, iCOM, Kenwood, Lowe, Sony, or Yaesu. Most large book
stores carry Passport To World Band Radio and World Radio TV Handbook which
will give you a good idea of the current crop of receivers on the market and
how to choose one that's right for you. It's also full of schedules for the
major broadcasters and the good times to listen.
-
You might also want to stop by the
Radio Netherlands Receiver Survey
site...good stuff.
-
For casual monitoring and some introduction to this other "realm", you can do
HF with some of the more exotic scanning receivers like those made by Alinco,
AOR, Icom, Welz, WiNRADiO, and Yupiteru. Just be sure to buy a better antenna
like a long telescoping whip...you won't be able to hear much without one!
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