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Planning
Planning
Collecting Information
Getting your scanner programmed and scanning takes a
few steps. This section guides you through these steps
that will make it easier for you to start scanning.
1. Collect information about the system(s) you want to
monitor.
Do you want to listen to your local police and fire
departments? How about the highway patrol,
ambulance service, and aircraft? You might even
want to listen to your local utility company as they
track down a break in electrical service in your area.
Make a list of the agencies you want to listen to,
then look up the frequencies and systems used by
those agencies. The Internet is a great source for
current frequencies and information about scan
-
ning. Here are a few useful sites:
• http://www.scannermaster.com/ - frequency
resources and home of Police Call.
You can also call them at 1 800 SCANNER (hours
are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Monday through Friday.)
• http://www.radioreference.com/ - the Internet's
premier source for user-supported radio system
information.
• http://www.bearcat1.com/ - frequency information
from National Communications.
• http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports/index.cfm -
conventional frequency information on file with the US
Government
Tips:
• Scanners are designed to monitor complex radio
systems. That means that programming your scanner
might seem like a daunting task at first. Be patient if
you don't get it right the first time. You can also seek
out help locally for the systems you want to scan by
visiting the forums section of
http://www.radioreference.com/forums.
• Before you start to program your scanner, decide how
you want to organize the frequencies you want to
scan. For example, some areas are best organized by