Sometimes it is easier to troubleshoot with more than one device. When you have a reference for comparison, it can make a big difference. I have almost given up on the Software Defined Radio as a scanner. While I can tune in on simple GMRS frequencies, I have heard nothing on the emergency frequencies.

I decided to purchase a proper scanner. With that, I would have a second device to compare what is happening on the SDR with a reference. I think it was a steal of a deal on eBay at $68. I will talk about some of the things that I have learned about scanners.

It is true that you can buy a new scanner for a little over $100. The problem is that these devices are for analog signal only. This would be a good device to take to a NASCAR race but there is a whole world of technology out there.

Then there are digital radios. Those scanners start over $200. The more sophisticated departments are using trunked radios which means that they operate on more than one frequency for privacy purposes. These are about $500. Now, you can see why my eBay deal was so good.

This is the Realistic Pro-2052. It is actually made by Uniden and is a trunking scanner. It was clearly used. It is missing one of the feet to prop it up at an angle and didn’t come with an antenna. I bought one for $8 and plugged it in. Within 20 minutes, I heard my first ambulance call. I had the same frequency on the SDR for a week and didn’t hear a thing.

This scanner also has an RS-232 port on it. Auxiliary software can be purchased to do additional programming. For that reason, I added serial ports to my Linux computer. This is a whole realm of things that I have to figure out in my free time (I find it pretty easy to dream up things to do with all of my excessive free time).

I have had it running for a couple of days now. Nothing really exciting has happened. There have been a lot of calls for transport and lift assistance. That is pretty much what I expected for mid-week. It seems like the weekend get a little looser. I probably won’t be near the scanner much on the weekend unless I move it upstairs.

What I really need to do is read the manual. The scanner is programmed by whomever owned it last. I tend to push buttons until I get what I want. That is not really how it is intended to be used. You are supposed to bank up all these channels in groups and then let it run. Something else to do in my free time.

End Your Programming Routine: I am happy to report that since I threatened the SDR with a real scanner, I started hearing the fire broadcasts. It seems to be that I wasn’t using the software properly. That is pretty neat because I now have two ways of listening. Don’t forget that one of the tenants of preparedness is ‘two is one’. This one being portable will be helpful to bring into the bunker during the apocalypse. 🙂