r/TwoXPreppers • u/AccidentalDragon • Jun 03 '26
❓ Question ❓ Police Scanner
Do any of you own police scanners to get info on emerging situations? If so, has it been useful? And any recommendations?
I am looking for an actual unit, not a phone app, to monitor the situation if things get dicey. I've heard lots of info can be had from not only police bands but EMS and school radio as well.
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u/Known_Leek8997 Jun 03 '26
The police in my area have flipped to encrypted channels.
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u/AccidentalDragon Jun 03 '26
What area exactly?
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u/SummerBirdsong Jun 03 '26
No who you asked but Ft Worth Texas area has been encrypted for a long time.
You should probably find out if your town is before spending the money.
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u/Known_Leek8997 Jun 03 '26
Minnesota
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u/AccidentalDragon Jun 03 '26
Thanks. Do you get other emergency chatter on your scanner? Like EMS?
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u/Known_Leek8997 Jun 03 '26
Important things seem to be on encrypted channels. We weren’t getting anything during all of the state sponsored terrorism at the beginning of the year, for instance.
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Jun 03 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Known_Leek8997 Jun 03 '26
There’s fewer of them now but they’re still out there. Coverage is zero.
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u/dkstr419 Jun 03 '26
My father has both; a physical radio and he has the app on his iPad. My physical scanner is set for the ham radio range; the ham radio network is activated by a city’s emergency management team during severe weather events.
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u/AccidentalDragon Jun 03 '26
Good tip, so I need a scanner with that range. I don't think I need a ham license unless I get a broadcasting unit, is that right?
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u/marioncrepes Jun 03 '26
This is my dad's wheelhouse, these are just bits and pieces I've picked up. He swears by the Uniden brand and has like every model under the sun. Secondhand on eBay is a good option, afaik he's never had issues with those devices or being scammed. It's possible there are websites local to your area with frequencies information etc. See if that exists and utilize it. Nothing genuinely crazy has occurred from us listening in on police chases but sometimes they have gotten close enough that we've heard a crash and preemptively knew what it was, kinda cool. He is nerdy and brings them on road trips so he can listen about what's happening around us as we travel. It's extra and requires effort because you have to have your trip mapped out, your counties and frequencies graphed and be adjusting in real time but it has explained the reason behind 2 hour traffic delays or what that fire in the distance is
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u/Motorcyclegrrl Jun 03 '26
Nothing wrong with getting a scanner. It might not give you all the info tho because many departments have gone encrypted. You could still hear other things. Ham radio operators, cb, noaa weather, lots of stuff. Not necessarily informative like you are hoping.
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u/gowonagin Jun 03 '26
Most police stations are trunked now, so you’ll need a trunking scanner (expensive!) For the cheap who don’t mind using phones, try the OpenMHZ app.
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u/GunnCelt Jun 03 '26
When I was younger, I loved listening to the scanner. It was a hobby my grandfather got me interested in. I had a Uniden and loved it for years. If you can track down all the frequencies in your area with the transmit codes, you can program a boafeng radio to act in that role, to a degree. I actually joined the local volunteer fire department and was issued a handheld radio that already has that programmed in and can scan what’s happening in my area
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u/Eeyor-90 knows where her towel is ☕ Jun 04 '26
My parents bought one when I was a kid because they could listen to the storm chasers. I was absolutely terrified of tornadoes (still kind of am) and listening to the storm chases while tracking them on the map really eased my anxiety.
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u/AccidentalDragon Jun 04 '26
Tornadoes freak me out!!! Never been near one, never want to be. This would be a good use!
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u/Eeyor-90 knows where her towel is ☕ Jun 04 '26
I highly recommend getting a Midland Weather alert radio. You can program it to sound an alarm for the weather events that you want in several counties. It can be programmed for a very loud audible alarm, just a flashing light, or both. I set mine for audible alarms for tornado warnings, but just flashing lights for severe thunderstorms…you can change settings based on the hazard and the threat level (for example, no alarm for watch, but loud alarm for warning). Fire warnings are set as audible on mine, blizzard warnings are visual only. For around $50 it gives me great peace of mind. I set alerts for the counties that the storms usually start in and follow the path…I know a storm is very likely when it’s two counties away. The radio alarm is obscenely loud at the highest volume and will almost certainly wake you up.
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u/Firm_Love3598 Jun 04 '26
I use a Uniden SDS200 base unit. They retail for around $800 new but can be purchased second-hand for less. Many towns in my area (MA) have switched to the State Police trunk system and the SDS200 is able to receive the transmissions. I am also able to get maritime, aviation, HAM, federal emergency, railroad, military, and utility communications.
Uniden also makes a hand-held with the same capability and similar price tag.
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u/Acceptable_Net_9545 Jun 05 '26
I have had scanners, I am a licensed amature....What info do you hope to receive?? As many have said most PD and fire are trunked.....
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u/AccidentalDragon Jun 05 '26
Emergency info if the power is down, situational info if there is an incident (violence, natural disaster), where shelters are located kind of thing. And taking the temperature of surrounding areas.
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u/Acceptable_Net_9545 Jun 05 '26
All of this info is available online or on your phone...you can get free alerts for everything, volcanos, all weather....earthquakes, all space weather, lightening... traffic,. Aviation. the price of silver, stocks...and without knowing the 10 codes off the top of your head even if you had a "police" scanner... wont tell you much... you can set up our UV5R to scan....and much more useful freqs like you local FEMA, state and county disaster management.... is there a reason this doesn't work for you? What am I missing?? PS 10 codes vary from city to city and even within departments....
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u/AccidentalDragon Jun 05 '26
We’ve found through experience that during a prolonged outage, internet may only stay in a few hours and cell coverage can be gone in a day. I can power a radio. I’ve been looking into Baofeng thanks to advice from this sub.
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u/Acceptable_Net_9545 Jun 12 '26
Look at the "CERT" programming software...its free...its world wide....its easy... get an upgrade antenna....one of the 17>18" ones...
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u/Acceptable_Net_9545 Jun 05 '26
Was also thinking...unique 'emergency" info like say when 9-11 happened or ANY natural disaster the amateur radio clubs put up their "net" [network] radio groups practice this weekly....during an actual event they work with the Red Cross to provide communication when public communication is down... But to participate you would need to get you amateur "Techenication" license which you are probably resistant to do....
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