Hand Held Radio Scanners - which one?
Discussion
I need to get a hand held radio scanner that will monitor marine, air, CB, broadcast radio and emergency services. I've seen prices ranging from £60 in Maplin to £400 online for different types of hand sets. Other than the required bands, a good clear display, auto scan and memory for storing frequencies is required. Charging via an adapter or preferably a dock is also a plus.
They're not something that I know much about, so I thought I'd reach out to the oracle that is PH for advice! I was hoping to spend about £150, but I'm happy to pay more to get a good one if required.
Thanks in advance!
They're not something that I know much about, so I thought I'd reach out to the oracle that is PH for advice! I was hoping to spend about £150, but I'm happy to pay more to get a good one if required.
Thanks in advance!
Tip 1: Get a QUALITY outdoor aerial as radios are quite 'deaf'!
Remember that most of the main emergency services have now gone digital and the older ones are an AM broadcast. CB is near on dead.
It really depends on what you are using it for. Ham radio? DXing? Then you really need SSB.
Remember that most of the main emergency services have now gone digital and the older ones are an AM broadcast. CB is near on dead.
It really depends on what you are using it for. Ham radio? DXing? Then you really need SSB.
Edited by Morningside on Monday 10th November 14:50
Morningside said:
Tip 1: Get a QUALITY outdoor aerial as radios are quite 'deaf'!
Remember that most of the main emergency services have now gone digital and the older ones are an AM broadcast. CB is near on dead.
It really depends on what you are using it for. Ham radio? DXing? Then you really need SSB.
This is why I'm calling on PH for advice! There's budget there for something proper, but it does need to be hand held. Just because I'm generally tech savvy, I'm expected to know about radio scanners!Remember that most of the main emergency services have now gone digital and the older ones are an AM broadcast. CB is near on dead.
It really depends on what you are using it for. Ham radio? DXing? Then you really need SSB.
Edited by Morningside on Monday 10th November 14:50
[AJ] said:
V8mate said:
What do you want it for? What you up to?
Just being nosey
It's for a local volunteer response group that is to support local councils and authorities in the event of a disaster or emergency. Nothing more exciting than that I'm afraid. I hope it never has to be used!Just being nosey
With regards to a scanner, it's not as simple as you think. The police use Tetra (digitally encrypted) as well as their other sets, Ambulances are moving to Airwave (IIRC) which is similar to tetra, so you won't be able to listen to either of these. I'd save your money TBH, unless you want to listen to taxis and G2A.
No they are not self tasking! I'm just imagining a band of curtain twitchers, flasks at the ready listening to emergency services!
It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
Who exactly drew up this Disaster Recovery Plan? Makes no sense at a bizarrely high level.
Surely you have to make assumptions about what people who are 'reaching out' will be using to communicate. They'll be using mobiles if the infrastructure has survived otherwise you'll beback to smoke signals.
Surely you have to make assumptions about what people who are 'reaching out' will be using to communicate. They'll be using mobiles if the infrastructure has survived otherwise you'll beback to smoke signals.
V8mate said:
Who exactly drew up this Disaster Recovery Plan? Makes no sense at a bizarrely high level.
Surely you have to make assumptions about what people who are 'reaching out' will be using to communicate. They'll be using mobiles if the infrastructure has survived otherwise you'll beback to smoke signals.
Anyone have any advice regarding recommended hand held radio scanners?! Surely you have to make assumptions about what people who are 'reaching out' will be using to communicate. They'll be using mobiles if the infrastructure has survived otherwise you'll beback to smoke signals.
[AJ] said:
No they are not self tasking! I'm just imagining a band of curtain twitchers, flasks at the ready listening to emergency services!
It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
Who told you to get one? It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
What do you mean by reaching out?
Please don't take this the wrong way, but the type of group you mention are typically tasked with nothing else beyond making tea and helping set up church halls / schools in preparation to receive those dislocated individuals who are victims of whatever disaster has befallen them. Simply because they will not have had the specialist SAR training required.
The standard protocol for these sorts of situations is that: either you would be contacted via your home phone, or in extremis, following a huge incident where phone lines are down, via your local radio station. In either case, you will typically have a pre-agreed RV point from which you would receive your subsequent tasking.
rhinochopig said:
[AJ] said:
No they are not self tasking! I'm just imagining a band of curtain twitchers, flasks at the ready listening to emergency services!
It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
Who told you to get one? It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
What do you mean by reaching out?
Please don't take this the wrong way, but the type of group you mention are typically tasked with nothing else beyond making tea and helping set up church halls / schools in preparation to receive those dislocated individuals who are victims of whatever disaster has befallen them. Simply because they will not have had the specialist SAR training required.
The standard protocol for these sorts of situations is that: either you would be contacted via your home phone, or in extremis, following a huge incident where phone lines are down, via your local radio station. In either case, you will typically have a pre-agreed RV point from which you would receive your subsequent tasking.
So the only kind of scanner they need is a £9.99 radio with AM and FM frequencies.
V8mate said:
rhinochopig said:
[AJ] said:
No they are not self tasking! I'm just imagining a band of curtain twitchers, flasks at the ready listening to emergency services!
It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
Who told you to get one? It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
What do you mean by reaching out?
Please don't take this the wrong way, but the type of group you mention are typically tasked with nothing else beyond making tea and helping set up church halls / schools in preparation to receive those dislocated individuals who are victims of whatever disaster has befallen them. Simply because they will not have had the specialist SAR training required.
The standard protocol for these sorts of situations is that: either you would be contacted via your home phone, or in extremis, following a huge incident where phone lines are down, via your local radio station. In either case, you will typically have a pre-agreed RV point from which you would receive your subsequent tasking.
So the only kind of scanner they need is a £9.99 radio with AM and FM frequencies.
IMHO obviously. In the mountain rescue team I'm in we get called out by telephone/pager. Take no notice of what you've been asked to get. You, or they, don't need it. Instead, buy a receipt printer and a £10 hand-held walkie talkie. Create a receipt for £400 and pocket the difference.
Tell the senile old goat that the new Morphy Richards is the height of modern communication technology and in the event of a tragedy to kick start its response by calling the emergency services on 999 from their mobile phone.
That should evade disaster!
Tell the senile old goat that the new Morphy Richards is the height of modern communication technology and in the event of a tragedy to kick start its response by calling the emergency services on 999 from their mobile phone.
That should evade disaster!
[AJ] said:
V8mate said:
Who exactly drew up this Disaster Recovery Plan? Makes no sense at a bizarrely high level.
Surely you have to make assumptions about what people who are 'reaching out' will be using to communicate. They'll be using mobiles if the infrastructure has survived otherwise you'll beback to smoke signals.
Anyone have any advice regarding recommended hand held radio scanners?! Surely you have to make assumptions about what people who are 'reaching out' will be using to communicate. They'll be using mobiles if the infrastructure has survived otherwise you'll beback to smoke signals.
rhinochopig said:
V8mate said:
rhinochopig said:
[AJ] said:
No they are not self tasking! I'm just imagining a band of curtain twitchers, flasks at the ready listening to emergency services!
It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
Who told you to get one? It's just what I have been told go get. PMR radios have already been provided. It's more likely to be used to listening for anyone 'reaching out' in the event of an emergency than for monitoring police and ambulance services etc.
What do you mean by reaching out?
Please don't take this the wrong way, but the type of group you mention are typically tasked with nothing else beyond making tea and helping set up church halls / schools in preparation to receive those dislocated individuals who are victims of whatever disaster has befallen them. Simply because they will not have had the specialist SAR training required.
The standard protocol for these sorts of situations is that: either you would be contacted via your home phone, or in extremis, following a huge incident where phone lines are down, via your local radio station. In either case, you will typically have a pre-agreed RV point from which you would receive your subsequent tasking.
So the only kind of scanner they need is a £9.99 radio with AM and FM frequencies.
IMHO obviously. In the mountain rescue team I'm in we get called out by telephone/pager. Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff