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

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

• Bill has a question about using a negative delay
• Dylan plans to move to Sullivan County, Tennessee. He has a question about what scanner to use after he moves.
• Greg would like to know how to use an Airspy or RSP SDR with DSDPlus.
• Someone from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, he wants to know about the best scanner for his county.

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at https://www.scannerschool.com/session246

#podcast

Ricky Radio, Ricky Rescue, or Scanner Stan. These are the stooges we want to not emulate when we are out in public with our scanners.

We don't want to draw extra attention to ourselves and become the guy who goes overboard.

Don't be the guy with the scanner radio up to his ear at full volume.

We don't need to be the guy at the fire with the radio up telling everyone around what is going on. And we don't need to be the guy at the accident scene giving out information when we hear the ambulance talking to medical personnel.

What You Need To Know

• Scanning is a hobby that many can find strange.
• In today's age of "See Something, Say Something", you don't want to be the "Something" that people feel the need to report when you are out enjoying scanning.
• You don't need to be Ricky radio. You don't need to be on the news. You don't need to be on somebody social media wall as unhinged.
• Think about how loud your scanner might be if you are using it around others
• Don't draw attention to yourself by holding your radios out for everyone to see.
• There are still plenty of ways to enjoy scanning and be out in public and keep the equipment hidden in plain sight.
• Backpacks are coming common places these days for anyone out in public. Use one to conceal your scanner and antenna.
• You can blend in if you have a wired headset in your ear because there are a ton of people out there that are listening to portable devices.
• Wireless headphones do bring in a challenge. You need to find a Bluetooth transmitter that will plug into the speaker port or headset port on your scanner so that you can listen to it.
• There are plenty of options too if you do not want or cannot bring a scanner physically with you.
• There are plenty of apps that will allow us to listen on our phones.
• Setting up our own private audio feeds can be another option, so we have more control over what we are listening to.
• With cameras on every phone and people looking to post their side of their story, play it safe when out scanning.
• The last thing you want to do is be seen as a nut on someone's social media account. There are many who post for "internet points" and do not take other people's feelings into consideration when oversharing their own personal points of view.
• Remember that you are an ambassador to the hobby when out in public. Be polite, professional, and courteous. Don't give anyone a reason to make you and your actions an example and give scanning a bad name.
• If someone asks you to move, stop monitoring, or lower your volume, please respect their ask.
• It's easier to relocate yourself somewhere else and let them think they've won then to argue with them. Simply apologize (even if you did nothing wrong), relocate yourself, and then go back and enjoy monitoring without being bothered.

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session245

#podcast

This is a warning about trunk systems.

There are issues that can arise when trying to setup your scanner to monitor trunked radio traffic.

Today's podcast contains some hints to help you keep your sanity when programming your scanner for large trunk systems with multiple sites.

What You Need To Know

• Trunk system has a couple of different components that make it work.
• We need a transmitter or tower to receive or tune to.
• We need a control channel that tells the scanner what talk groups are active
• Our scanner will move to voice channels when talk groups are active.
• Talk groups are segments of users or departments on a trunked system.
• Trunk systems can have multiple sites. Trunk systems can be large, they can be small. They can be multi-level, multi county, multi state, single state. They can be small systems ranging inside of a building to ranging across thousands of miles, but they all start with a single site.
• A "site" in Radio Reference and a "site" on paper are not the same as a transmitter site. It can be, but it shouldn't be thought of that way.
• We can also have sites and layers set up based on who uses them.
• To program our scanners correctly, we need to know if talk groups are segmented on specific layers (aka sites) or if they are shared across multiple sites
• Talk groups only appear on sites if there are users affiliated on those sites. This helps manage spectrum and only required talk groups are using valuable RF resources.
• Don't expect a user that's 100 miles away from you to be on the site you are listening to if the selected layer doesn't cover where they are.
• It's very important to understand where the talk groups are showing up on these systems.

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session244

#podcast

Do you need an aftermarket antenna for your scanner?

Will changing your antenna help or impair your scanner's performance?

What You Need To Know

• Stock antennas included with your scanner can cover large frequencies.
• Antennas with wide coverage will sacrifice performance.
• Antennas with too narrow coverage can also impair your reception.
• You don't want to have an 800 MHz antenna on your scanner when you're trying to also listen to VHF.
• However, if you have an 800MHz antenna and need to monitor 800MHz, then you may find a big improvement in reception.
• When we look at aftermarket antennas, we need to check what type of connector do we have on top of our scanner.
• Today's scanners use BNC or some style of SMA. You need an antenna to match or buy adapters to make your new antenna match your scanner's antenna jack.
• After market antennas can have gain, which can certainly help us pull in weaker signals.
• There may be times where you want to cause an intentional degradation of reception
• If you have issues with P25 simulcast, maybe you want to knock out distant transmitters and detuning your antenna might actually help you receive better.
• If you are receiving well enough using the stock antenna, will swapping the antenna out actually improve anything? You can't receive 120% of a signal.

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session243

#podcast

How should you ask your questions online?

What do you need to do to get the most helpful responses?

What can you do to help others answer your question?

Knowing how to phrase your question can yield better responses from those willing to help you with the hobby.

What You Need To Know

• Knowing what type of information to put into your question can help you get an answer quicker than a poorly written request for help.
• The more information you can give up front, the more likely it is that responses to your post will contain more useful information.
• Giving details about what equipment you are using, where you are located, or what you are trying to listen to should be included with the question.
• Have you tried troubleshooting? If so, include that information as well.
• There is difference in questions like "I need help as my scanner doesn't work" versus, " am trying to listen to my town fire on an SDS 200 that used to work great and suddenly now no longer receives my town fire and I need help".
• When it comes to an online website like Radio Reference, make sure that you post your question in the right section.
• People are taking time out of their day to read your question and answer your question right. So, be kind, be courteous and give feedback.
• Post your question in the website, forum, or group's native language. If someone needs to Google translate your question, they may not take the time to do that or help you.
• Post question in one specific forum that you think is the best fit and you can always say moderators please move this thread if you think it belong someplace else.
• Don't insult anybody for their responses.
• Don't hijack an existing thread with your own problem because people will change focus to your problem from original problem. If your question has nothing to do with the original question, create your own thread.
• You will be surprised at how many people in the scanner radio hobby will be more than happy to help.

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session242

#podcast

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

• Dan asks about listening to aviation from his apartment.
• Alan is using an SDS200 and is having trouble setting limits on search ranges.
• Raymond is using several scanners and is struggling to receive aviation frequencies.
• Gregory is having reception problems with his BCD325P2.

====================================

🔗 Links from this week's podcast

====================================

Providence County Airports (RI): https://www.radioreference.com/db/aid/7982

Boston ARTCC (ZBW): https://www.radioreference.com/db/aid/2248

MFJ Coax Passthrough: https://amzn.to/3zk0zv9

DPD Productions Indoor Aviation Antenna: https://dpdproductions.com/collections/aviation-base-mobile-antennas/products/vhf-air-blade-indoor-antenna

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at https://www.scannerschool.com/session241

#podcast

Today we will be talking about War driving with your scanner radio to find frequencies that are in use during your day-to-day travels.

War driving is a term that comes from the Wi-Fi cracking or hacking hobby which basically means searching for open Wi-Fi wireless networks usually from a moving vehicle using a laptop or a smartphone.

"War Driving" can be one of the more interesting ways to find new frequencies.

What You Need To Know

• War driving is kind of a hit and miss type of deal, but it's very rewarding when things happen.
• You can find local repeaters that we did not know existed
• You may hear local businesses using frequencies or security agencies.
• Is it possible to security companies to use their own frequency? Yes, it is possible that they might be using the school's frequency.
• War Driving a fun way of finding out information or finding out what else is out there.
• Anytime you go out is an opportunity for you to put the scanner into a search mode and see if you can hear anything local.
• I recommend having a scanner that covers all the modes you're interested in like P25, NXDN, DMR, analog and digital scanners that should be able to record if you are mobile.

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session240

#podcast

When I bought my first Airspy, I realized that I was really starting to get serious into the SDR side of the hobby.

Before my Airspy's, I was buying the cheap SDR's that did not have a TCXO and would seriously drift. It was a joy to start using the Airspy receivers.

Since then, cheap RTL style SDR's with TCXO's have come out on the market that reduce the drifting issue.

If you are looking for a reliable Software Defined Radio that works right out of the box, then you want an Airpsy SDR.

What You Need to Know

• Airspy devices do not require special firmware applications, like Zadig to install.
• Most SDR software supports Airspy products.
• If you used SDR#, then you already have experience with their products
• There are a plenty of community plugins for SDR#, including audio processors and recorders, CTCSS and DCS squelch options, DSD plus interfaces, frequency managers, screen readers, DVR or time shifts, etc.
• SpyServer is another piece of software that is offered by the SDR Airspy community.
• Airspy receivers support firmware upgrades
• I purchased my first Airspy years ago and have added more Airspy products to my SDR collection.
• I'm using my AirSpy mini with SDR trunk on my MacBook.
• There are Airspy receivers for HF and VHF. Others to VHF and UHF.
• A Spyverter will allow you to monitor HF from your VHF/UHF SDR

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session239

#podcast

Being here on Long Island, we are obviously surrounded by water on all sides.

One of my favorite things to scan during the summertime are the VHF Marine Channels, as well as the USCG "CG", "LANT" or "NET" frequencies (whatever they are called these days).

I'd like to thank Greg Weamer for suggesting this week's podcast topic. If you have a topic you'd like me to cover, please let me know.

What You Need To Know

• VHF Marine Frequencies are globally carved out of the VHF Spectrum
• USCG is the international distress frequency, and all mariners should monitor that channel.
• Even if you don't want to scan the full channel list, Ch 16 should be a bare minimum.
• VHF Marine frequencies range from 156 to 174 MHz
• Most scanner radios have a built-in search band for VHF marine with channels already defined.
• Frequencies can be found using a simple web search, using the Radio Reference Database, or even on Wikipedia.
• You can expect to find a wide range of transmissions and traffic on these frequencies depending on who is using each channel.
• You may hear fishing reports, asking for a bridge to open, or boats announcing their navigational intentions.
• The layout of the VHF marine channels are broken down by certain uses for frequencies.
• You have sections that are set aside for port operations, for commercial use, for non-commercial use, for inter ship safety, calling coast guard, digital selective calling or DSC, and automatic identification system.
• VHF Marine channels are Simplex, meaning they are point to point (boat to boat). Typically, there are no repeaters involved on these frequencies.
• Because of this, the USCG uses high power stations on tall towers usually on waterway coast.
• There are plenty of times to when the coast guard needs help hearing somebody, and vice versa.
• There are a few occasions where you will find a USCG repeater.
• These repeaters will crossband the VHF channel to a USCG Frequency.
• You may even be lucky enough to have a VHF channel patched into your local trunk system.
• This could be used by other users on the trunk system to monitor USCG activity during exercises or rescue attempts.
• How do large vessels, tankers, ferries, and cruise ships navigate tight waterways and ports?
• Harbor Masters are like the air traffic controllers of the waterways. They will give you clearance to enter in or they will tell you who to follow in.
• We can also track marine traffic similar to how we track planes with ADS-B.
• Marine uses AIS and we can find out all of these vessels that are reporting on sites like shipfinder.com and shipfinder.co.
• DSC or digital selective calling is kind of panic button on your radio. It sends out a digital SOS, and that alerts the coast guard with your vessel ID and a GPS coordinate.
• In the US Coast Guard uses several prefixes at the beginning of their messages.
• PAN PAN is an emergency that indicates somebody is declaring an urgent situation, but maybe not an immediate threat to life or the vessel or people on board.
• A Sécurité call is an informational broadcast
• Mayday is used when there is immediate threat to life
• There are also general "Attention all Mariners" messages for informational broadcasts
• The coast guard has its own frequencies they use for their only use. A lot of these are P25 and many are encrypted.
• There are also UHF channels, and they are basically from 406 to 420 right in the middle of the federal band.
• The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is a civilian branch of the Coast Guard.

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🎓 Check out our online courses

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Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

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⚠️ I want to answer your questions

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I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

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🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

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We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

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All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at

https://www.scannerschool.com/session238

#podcast

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

• Mike has a question about his Home Patrol scanner and the "Extreme Upgrade" features
• Dylan is having issues with his Uniden BCT-8
• Lloyd has a question about 3rd part programming software for Whistler TRX-1 and TRX-2 scanners
• Bill wants to know if he can control his scanner from his iPad

====================================

🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community

====================================

Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!

By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!

Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord

====================================

🎓 Check out our online courses

====================================

Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.

Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.

🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com

====================================

⚠️ I want to answer your questions

====================================

I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.

If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:

📞 516-308-2885

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask

====================================

🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters

====================================

Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.

Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.

Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.

Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.

🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon

====================================

🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel

====================================

We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel

🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/youtube

====================================

➡️ Follow Scanner School on Social Media

====================================

▶︎ Twitter - https://www.scannerschool.com/twitter

▶︎ Facebook Page - https://www.scannerschool.com/facebook

▶︎ Facebook Community - https://www.scannerschool.com/faceboo...

▶︎ Instagram - https://www.scannerschool.com/instagram

▶︎ TikTok - https://www.scannerschool.com/tiktok

====================================

All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at https://www.scannerschool.com/session237

#podcast