Scanner School - Everything you wanted to know about the Scanner Radio Hobby

Digital modes, like P25, NXDN, DMR and others will use FDMA, TDMA, or both allow multiple transmissions to share a single frequency at the same time. FDMA or Frequency Division Multiple Access divides a current carrier frequency into multiple parts, allowing for multiple users to operate on the same time on the same frequency. TDMA or Time Division Multiple Access divides a current transmission ov...

Imagine knowing that your scanner radio has a full signal, but you can't hear anything. Maybe you're listening to a p25 trunk system,  but you can't listen to any of the activity.  You can see your scanner is trying to go to a voice channel. It's trying to work.   But you hear nothing.  How frustrating does this sound? For many, this is a common occurrence when they try to listen to a P25 Simulcas...

The Nextel Conundrum: Originally established as a convenient communication solution for small businesses, Nextel swiftly expanded its services to include cellular telephony.    However, the positioning of Nextel within the RF spectrum, sandwiched besides public safety frequencies, combined with its network built for capacity, led to unprecedented challenges.    The dense clustering of Nextel sites...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask Questions answered on this week's podcast SDS100 channel labels & alpha tags BCD436HP SD card error Whistler Group & SDS150 release King County, WA scanner recommendations Brevard County, FL P25 scanner options...

Phil sits down with Justin Kistner, a lifelong radio enthusiast and experienced storm chaser. Discover Justin's journey from his first analog Bearcat scanner in the mid-90s to navigating the complexities of today's advanced digital systems. Whether you are curious about the evolution of the hobby or looking for practical advice on monitoring public safety communications, this conversation bridges...

Once upon a time, we only had analog trunked radio systems.   These systems all had analog voice talk groups. These systems included Motorola Type I, Motorola Type IIi, Motorola Type II, EDACS, and LTR systems. Today, we are living in a digital trunked environment, where there are no analog voice channels.  All voice is done using a form of digital modulation.   These systems include P25, DMR, and...

  There are two distinct flavors of trunked radio systems that we need to be aware of when programming our scanners. There are systems that require that every frequency for each site be programmed into their pre-determined channel number, and those that do not. Systems that require every frequency be programmed into our scanners in their designated sequence are Logical Channel Numbered systems and...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask This month, we are pulling questions that were asked via our Facebook Group. Questions answered on this week's podcast 1. What height should my antenna be on my tower? 2. How do I stop my scanner from stopping o...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask This month, we are pulling questions that were asked via our Facebook Group. Questions answered on this week's podcast 1. Is this an issue with simulcast? 2. Can You Scan Brandmeister or TGIF Talk Groups? 3. Fin...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask This month, we are pulling questions that were asked via Facebook Messenger. 1. How do I log P25 Radio IDs? 2. Where can I find a manual for a Uniden BC950XLT? 3. How can I fix a battery door on a SDS100 that wi...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask Don't forget to join us on YouTube on the first Tuesday of every month for our live Q&A session.   Click here to Subscribe! Questions answered on this week's podcast 1. Jenny has a question about a strange signa...

Did you know that trunked radio systems are just like an orchestra? There are several parts in each that work in harmony.   In our latest podcast, we compare the two to make it easier for you to understand exactly how a trunked system works. We also dive into why trunked systems are an excellent way of utilizing the limited radio frequency resources. YOUTUBE LINK TBD ========= ====================...

Conventional is the "OG" when it comes to scanning. Every scanner radio that has ever been sold can receive conventional (analog) signals. This week's session of Scanner Radio University will break down several modes of conventional transmissions you can receive with your scanner radio. 🎬 Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube   ====================================...

Welcome to the first in a series of classes that we are calling "Scanner Radio University". Over the next several weeks and months, we will be covering topics that will not only be geared towards those just entering the hobby, but topics that maybe you needed to overlook because a lot of today scanners just work out of the box or with computer assisted programming. This week, we will cover the bas...

Discover the incredible story behind my love for scanner radios. Join me as I reminisce about my first scanner radio and how it sparked my lifelong passion to helping others with the scanner radio hobby. 🎬 Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CeW3APzXvGM ==================================== 🛒  Check out our new Merch! ==================================== Squelchy opened his own store...

The Yaesu FT-60R has to be one of the longest radios available for purchase. First released in 2004, the FT-60R is still for sale, 20 years later! Yes, this is a Ham Radio, but this rugged two way radio has a wide enough receiver that it could be used as a conventional only scanner radio. While it lacks some of the bells and whistles that most scanner radios have, this radio has enough going for i...

Whether you are just getting into the scanner radio hobby or you are a seasoned scanner listener, you need to have these 13 types of frequencies in your scanner. Here is the good news, most of these are already pre-programmed into your radio so you can be a complete novice and follow along with this guide. As a bonus, just about everything discussed can be monitored on older equipment from decades...

Uniden has surprised the Scanner Radio world with several recent updates. In July 2023, Uniden announced they will be releasing two new scanners, the BCD160DN and the BCD260DN. These two new scanners will be conventional only, Analog, DMR, and NXDN capable. These scanners will not be capable of P25 or any Trunking. At the end of 2023, Uniden released a new version of Sentinel, firmware upgrades fo...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask Don't forget to join us on YouTube on the first Tuesday of every month for our live Q&A session.  Questions answered on this week's podcast Jacob has a question about a P25 setting on his Uniden Scanner Bill is...

We've made it through another year. Here is a quick rundown of what we did in 2023 and what is planned for Scanner School in 2024. ==================================== 🛒  Check out our new Merch! ==================================== Squelchy opened his own store selling Scanner School merchandise! Show your love for the Scanner Radio Hobby and Scanner School. Pick up a hat, shirt, bag, or mug and...

Are you looking for a last minute Scanner Radio gift this holiday season? Do you need something for yourself or someone else? Here is a list of Scanner Radio accessories that you can have as a gift in just a few days. ==================================== 🔗  Gifts recommended in this week's podcast  (Links Below May Be Affiliate links, which means we could earn a small commission if you use these...

How does the Radio Reference obtain the data that it publishes? Is it from Federal Licensed Databases or other online frequency repositories?   Nope! It comes from Scannerds like you and I.   In other words, the data that is inside the Radio Reference database is user contributed data that has been confirmed. We'll cover how you can find and submit data in this podcast episode, and cover the diffe...

Every month I answer your questions on the podcast. If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask Don't forget to join us on YouTube on the first Tuesday of every month for our live Q&A session.  Questions answered on this week's podcast Ralph is looking for help using DSD Plus and his Scanner Danny has a fe...

Garrett Farwell returns to the podcast this week to talk about his recent trip from California to Colorado aboard Amtrak's California Zephyr. How does a "Scannerd" occupy their time while on a multi-day and multi-state land cruise?   With their portable scanner of course! Garrett shares how he prepared for his trip using online resources to find frequencies he might be interested in monitoring on...