My Motorhome has a Uniden Bearcat BC350A scanner installed.
I never paid much attention to it till now, I'm curious to see if it works and how to program it.

Its OLD!
I'm sure tech has leap leapfrogged over this dinosaur but before I toss it I thought I would get some knowledgeable opinions.
I only heard it give weather reports before and thought that function alone might be worth keeping it for. I just downloaded the manual and will look through it and try to learn how to use it. I don't want to waste my time only to find out that everything now is digital and won't work with this old unit.

Your thoughts and opinions?

Between the move to 125khz channel spacing and P25 encryption, it's unlikely you'll find much. You can generally find local frequency listings online.

This might help.
https://www.radioreference.com/db/browse/
Click on the state(s) you are interested in scanning.
I do not know how current the information is at this time.

PC

at one time bearcats were the gold standard

I use this site:
https://m.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/20296
Lineman

Our stuff (CPD) is digitally encrypted, Fire is going the same route soon.

You might be able to listen to aircraft and tower communication.

Years ago, I could listen to cell phone calls on my scanner. This one couple was talking for a long time and I figured out they were cheating on their spouses. Strangely, they started "meowing" at each other. They were just saying "meow" in different intonations as if they were cats having a conversation. This went on for at least a minute. Weirdos!

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
Our stuff (CPD) is digitally encrypted, Fire is going the same route soon.

Most public safety departments are going encrypted these days, for various reasons: patient/juvenile/victim confidentiality, tactical advantage, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Suppressed:
You might be able to listen to aircraft and tower communication.

Years ago, I could listen to cell phone calls on my scanner. This one couple was talking for a long time and I figured out they were cheating on their spouses. Strangely, they started "meowing" at each other. They were just saying "meow" in different intonations as if they were cats having a conversation. This went on for at least a minute. Weirdos!

They were playing the Cat Game....

quote:

Originally posted by Suppressed:
They were just saying "meow" in different intonations as if they were cats having a conversation. This went on for at least a minute. Weirdos!

LMFAO!!!!

[drift]
Reminds me of something from years ago. When I had finished training at ExpressJet Airlines circa 2005 and had started flying the line, one of my first overnights was in Hartford, CT. We walk into the hotel and it's crowded as hell...people EVERYWHERE. We ask the desk clerk what's with all the people. She sheepishly tells us a swinger's convention was being held at the hotel.

Can I just say that I didn't see ANYONE or ANYTHING there that I, as Sheldon Cooper puts it, would coitus with your genitals.

[/drift]

Our comms are digital, frequently change frequency, and are possibly encrypted. Beyond that most traffic is by mobile data terminal and not spoken over the air.

I listen to my scanner pretty often. Out here in the rural areas an old analog scanner still works fine.

I listen to the sheriff dept. and fire rescue and the surrounding towns police.

Albuquerque is on a digital trunking system. Not encrypted yet.


.

I many states unless the laws have changed at one time scanners were illegal to be in operation in a motor vehicle.. Or even handheld portable scanners with people were using them to follow the police actions when they were up to no good and trying to avoid the police. ................................... drill sgt.

And why aren't they included on $500.00 cell phones,
Seems like a no brainer

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
Our stuff (CPD) is digitally encrypted, Fire is going the same route soon.

Most public safety departments are going encrypted these days, for various reasons: patient/juvenile/victim confidentiality, tactical advantage, etc.

We are a little late to that party.
We just started switching over at the end of last summer, I don't think we're done with all of our radio zones yet (12 Zones, 6 Citywide, I think 4 special event channels, 2 or 3 "car-to-car" channels, and a few SWAT channels).

During the "mostly peaceful" protests of 2020, our comms got knocked out by "mostly peaceful" protesters with a $50 Baofong, and pulling the frequencies off the internet.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
And why aren't they included on $500.00 cell phones,
Seems like a no brainer

******************************
There is some free scanner phone apps. So you can listen to police calls on your phone.

.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
Scanners, are they still usefull?

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Seems like a no brainer

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
And why aren't they included on $500.00 cell phones,
Seems like a no brainer

There's an app for that!