New…Suggestions for scan list???

sandiegojoe · Post by **sandiegojoe** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:09 pm

I’m new to scanning. I bought a Uniden Bearcat BC200XLT scanner at a yard sale for 50 cents.

I’ve been playing around with it for a few days. I looked up some frequencies. I enjoy listening to the SD Police and the aircraft landing at Lindberg & Gillespie. I’ve had some trouble getting the El Cajon Police (I live in El Cajon). I programmed the 800mhz frequencies like I did with the SD Police, but I keep getting these loud tones that come and go.

I’m looking for ideas for a scan list that works with an older scanner like this.

Thanks,
Joe
sandiegojoe at gmail.com

w6pix · Post by **w6pix** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:59 pm

Wow, I'd say that's the deal of the century! 50 cents for a working scanner of any type is a steal!

However, it is not capable of listening to SDPD or El Cajon PD.

Most public safety comms are done thesedays via TRUNKED RADIO SYSTEMS (TRS). They utilize 800Mhz frequencies which your scanner can hear. However, that scanner lacks trunking capabilities to follow the control channel of the system and put your scanner on the correct frequency.

In a TRS, no one frequency is assigned to a user. The frequencies are pooled and dished out as needed by the control channel.

To further complicate this matter, most city law enforcement except SDPD has gone to DIGITAL trunking. So not only will you need a trunking scanner (often called Trunk Trackers) you will need a DIGITAL trunking scanner.

The scanner you have is great for listening to the airports you describe as well as the San Diego and Oceanside CHP offices (39.400 and 39.800) The El Cajon CHP office is on the county's TRS digital at this time.

You can listen to state firefighting, but not local city firefighting with your scanner. Put in 151.190 for CDF dispatch. Look on the web site for the rest of the "CONVENTIONAL" frequencies that are available to you.

You can of course put in all of the San Diego city frequencies, then lock out the control channel (digital noise) and scan those. You'll get broken conversations, bits and pieces, but beter than nothing I guess.

You can't really do the same with the County RCS (El Cajon PD included) because of the digital transmissions.. that's the loud tones you're hearing, digital modulation that your scanner can't decode.

Post by **brandon** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:05 pm

Here are some good freqs to try

39.400 - CHP San Diego
39.600 - CHP El Cajon (not used as much since they are on the RCS)
39.800 - CHP Temecula
151.190 - CDF Monte Vista
168.750 - Cleveland NF - Forest Net
168.150 - Cleveland NF - Admin Net
151.355 - CDF Command 1
151.265- CDF Command 2
151.340 - CDF Command 3
155.205 - AMR 1
155.280 - AMR 2
155.265 - AMR 3
155.220 - AMR 4
160.665 - San Diego Trolley
160.380 - San Diego Trolley

Media freqs
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.p ... R&aid=2444

Also see this for others
http://www.scandiego.com/VFH/MyVHF.htm

Good luck and enjoy your new and nearly free scanner 8)

sandiegojoe · Post by **sandiegojoe** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:56 am

Thank's for the input. I'll try those frequencies.
Take care,
Joe

sandiegojoe · Post by **sandiegojoe** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:48 am

Another good deal...This weekend I bought a PRO-92 Trunking Scanner at the swap meet for $5. It seems to work fine.
I've been trying to program the trunking for the San Diego Police but I'm having a little trouble getting it to scan. It works well on each channel/frequency, and I can see the talk group numbers, but it won't scan to the next channel/frequency. I'm sure it's something I'm doing wrong. I'm trying to build an interface cable so I can program it easier. I'm also reading up on programming this model.
I'm enjoying the learning process.
Later,
Joe

N6ATF · Post by **N6ATF** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:08 am

Santee Swap Meet?

I went there to scope it out for selling, but there were maybe 15 vendors left toward the end of the day...

A Uniden CB caught my eye, but I didn't bring any money.

Post by **brandon** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:24 pm

I've seen some radios at the Santee Swap Meet. I think they have Ham Radio days every month or so. I remember seeing a whole area full of radio gear.
$5 for a PRO-92 you got a very good deal!

Another good place for deals is AmVets Thrift Store in El Cajon. Sometimes you get lucky and find scanners there. I bought a PRO-2030 something (200 CH Base that does Mil Air) for really cheap and it works perfectly.

N6ATF · Post by **N6ATF** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:36 pm

1st and 3rd Saturdays are ham radio/electronics days at Santee. When I went there in the morning a few years ago, shortly after getting my ticket, it was a rain-out, hardly any sellers, pretty much just a bunch of guys with big vertical antennas and a few dusty rigs. At least the swap meet staff gave me comps for another time.

I'll probably check out AmVets at some point. Thanks for the reccomendation.

sandiegojoe · Post by **sandiegojoe** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:49 am

I like to go to Koby's swap meet. Spring Valley has become such a rat race, and the last few times I went to Santee it was slim pickin's.
I'm still trying to get that PRO-92 programed. Maybe I'll post a question in the scanners section.
Joe

sandiegojoe · Post by **sandiegojoe** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:42 pm

I did a lot of reading and I think I got it now...I had read somewhere that I was supposed to lock out the control channel.
I unlocked it and it seems to be scanning/trunking now with the RCS South.
I'll try re-programming the SD City later and see if that was it.
Joe