police scanner info
police scanner info whats a good site to read up on police scanners? i need to do some research to add one ot my collection of "**** you think will help if you speed but doesnt." i just got pulled over twice on the same road since christmas both times the cops were just driving, once going the same way, the other on the oncoming side. both times i got cited for speeding, once with no speed, the other with just some made up speed to avoid other charges.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
This is what I would recommend, I bought one about six months ago, trunking capability is something you should look for since that is what a lot of departments are switching to. It can get kinda complicated(I still don't know how to fully use mine, just enough to get what I want) so you may wanna research some sites from google. Radio Shack is where I bought mine for like $200 but they have many cheaper ones that just wont pick up as many frequencies. It's pretty cool to have one, just another toy.
Uniden Scanners
Uniden Scanners
i like this one, but its not out yet. http://uniden.com/products/productde...6T&filter=Base
looks like it has everything i may or may not need and then some. it is DIN and would be nice in a custom double-DIN setup.
msrp is $849.99 though, maybe i better keep researching...
from what i've read i'm gonna want digital...
looks like it has everything i may or may not need and then some. it is DIN and would be nice in a custom double-DIN setup.
msrp is $849.99 though, maybe i better keep researching...
from what i've read i'm gonna want digital...
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
Yeah, that one looks cool. I got a handheld one so I can take it with me anywhere (i.e. friends' cars) and that one you're looking at has a cool feature similar to mine. I forget what uniden calls it but on mine it's called the signal stalker function. It picks up nearby signals, so if there is a cop behind me I can hear him running the plates on a blue camaro. 
And I've also used that function and clearly heard what people order in the drive through at taco bell 
Just another thing you might wanna get in a scanner, that's all. Good luck on your shopping.
And I've also used that function and clearly heard what people order in the drive through at taco bell Just another thing you might wanna get in a scanner, that's all. Good luck on your shopping. Trending Topics
wow, that makes me more anxious to get one now...that one i picked looks like it is the "baddest muthafucka" on the uniden site, so hopefully it will be a good buy, its like $300 more than the best radioshack one though.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Brighton, Michigan
http://www.radioreference.com is a good site.
As far as it actually helping you avoid speed traps, your mileage may vary. I have been scanning for a while, and I can count on one hand the number of times where actually listening to the scanner traffic -might- have saved me from a ticket.
What has been more useful to me are the Unidens with the "Highway Patrol Alert" feature. In the states where this works, it is almost better than having psychic powers.
They used to make radar detector-sized models, the BCT-10 and the BCT-12. But they don't make them anymore, the current models are the BCT-8 and the RadioShack Pro-2051 (almost the same but cheaper with more features). Hard-core scanner guys might put-down these models, and while it is true that you can program almost any scanner to work similar, it will almost certainly be a lot more work and not as user friendly. What is nice is you don't have to listen to the traffic if you don't want to. They'll just beep when they determine a cop is around.
Some people think you can use the "close call" features in some of the Unidens to get the same thing, but it's not.
Jim
As far as it actually helping you avoid speed traps, your mileage may vary. I have been scanning for a while, and I can count on one hand the number of times where actually listening to the scanner traffic -might- have saved me from a ticket.
What has been more useful to me are the Unidens with the "Highway Patrol Alert" feature. In the states where this works, it is almost better than having psychic powers.
They used to make radar detector-sized models, the BCT-10 and the BCT-12. But they don't make them anymore, the current models are the BCT-8 and the RadioShack Pro-2051 (almost the same but cheaper with more features). Hard-core scanner guys might put-down these models, and while it is true that you can program almost any scanner to work similar, it will almost certainly be a lot more work and not as user friendly. What is nice is you don't have to listen to the traffic if you don't want to. They'll just beep when they determine a cop is around.
Some people think you can use the "close call" features in some of the Unidens to get the same thing, but it's not.
Jim
speed traps are not my problem. i keep getting pulled over by cops just driving around and if this helps any i want to try it.
if that "highway patrol" feature happens to work on these county cops in my area that'll do me some good, i tell you my v1 does its job, but it is a very limited job in that if the cops are using laser or arent using any radar (of course) i'm gonna get a ticket. and lately i havent had a chance to close the cutout and act low-profile until the cops already got the spotlight on my head. not that i go speeding all over the place, its just my car has become a magnet for attention and i get nervous when the cops are riding my *** "admiring"...
if that "highway patrol" feature happens to work on these county cops in my area that'll do me some good, i tell you my v1 does its job, but it is a very limited job in that if the cops are using laser or arent using any radar (of course) i'm gonna get a ticket. and lately i havent had a chance to close the cutout and act low-profile until the cops already got the spotlight on my head. not that i go speeding all over the place, its just my car has become a magnet for attention and i get nervous when the cops are riding my *** "admiring"...
Last edited by spy2520; Jan 2, 2006 at 04:47 PM.
how about this one? it seems cheap enough and i figure it should work until i want an upgrade.
http://www.uniden.com/products/produ...T8&filter=Base
http://www.uniden.com/products/produ...T8&filter=Base
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Milpitas
I used a scanner for a few years(before I got my current job) and as jimbonzzz said, it never really made that much difference. Where it did really help me was with the CHP when they were working speed enforcement with aircraft. It becomes obvious where they were working because of the radio traffic. The airplane would call out a description of the vehicle, speed, and the mile marker or geographic identification of where they were. Anyone can cleary tell that this is not like the other radio traffic.
Cops running radar traps or just cruising around town don't announce over the radio stuff like "I'm on main street and 1st running radar." I should know since I'm in law enforcement.
I suggest spending the scanner money on items like suspension, brakes, wheels and tires, or stereo.
Dog
Cops running radar traps or just cruising around town don't announce over the radio stuff like "I'm on main street and 1st running radar." I should know since I'm in law enforcement.
I suggest spending the scanner money on items like suspension, brakes, wheels and tires, or stereo.
Dog
Originally Posted by meldog21
I suggest spending the scanner money on items like suspension, brakes, wheels and tires, or stereo.
Dog
I used a Uniden Beartracker scanner and a Uniden CB in my car for a few years. I had them professionally installed. Neither ever worked very well apparently due to the glass-mount antennas (which are horrible for reception from what I've been told). I really didn't want to drill up my roof or body panels for a hardwire connected antenna. Anyway the Beartracker function of detecting State Troopers never worked for me in any states in New England. Apparently MA State Troopers radios do not use repeaters from the car to the hand helds and therefore there is no signal to pick up to alert you to a cruiser w/in a 3 mile circumference or so. I never really saw it work in any other States I drove through either. Anyway I removed both radios from my car due to the static and also because once I did get pulled over and the cop wasn't amused with my array and it looked funny anyway. I still have the CB and scanner in my basement and I'd sell cheap if anyone is interested. Bottomline is don't bother if your going glassmount. Good luck.
Scanners can be interesting, but ive never had any real effective use out of mine. I have 2 Unidens, a BCT7 (older) and a newer BC245XLT handheld. The computer programming on the 245XLT kicks ***, being able to quikcly enter used channels and modify them. I havent really used them to avoid cops though, the handheld is my dads for races, and the BCT7 was from when my dad did lots of highway driving.
