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

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**Scanner School – Everything you wanted to know about the Scanner Radio Hobby**

Welcome to Scanner School, a podcast dedicated to the Scanner Radio Hobby.

Each week we cover another topic related to scanning and will be answering all of your questions to take you from Scanner Radio Student to Scanner Radio Scholar.

Latest Episodes:

165 - This is Why You Need an SDR Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

Free SDR webinar!

Our new webinar will introduce you to Software Defined Radios.

"Why Every Scanner User Needs an SDR: The #1 Underrated Tool that should be in your setup" will be February 23, 2021.

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In this episode, Phil walks through the basics of what an SDR is, its history, and how you can get set up with one. The perfect introduction to his upcoming SDR webinar and course.

What you will take away from this week's podcast:

An SDR means that anything normally handled by the hardware of the radio is now handled by the computer, and the physical hardware serves as an interface.
The only limitation on the SDR hardware you buy is the frequency range and the amount of RF it can digest.
SDR receivers have come a long way since they were first hacked into existence.
SDRs used to be difficult to set up, but that's no longer true.
You don't need advanced computer skills to run SDR software.
SDR software can run on PC, Linux, Mac, Raspberry PI, and even Android.
An SDR is more flexible and less expensive than a traditional radio.
You can turn a $30 USB stick into something as powerful as an SDS200 in an afternoon.
All you need to get started is an SDR USB stick, a computer, and the free starter software SDR Sharp.
Once you get set up with FM broadcast stations, aviation, and other analog systems, Phil's SDR course will go into how to set up digital reception.
If you download DSD+ Fast Lane or Unitrunker you can monitor trunking systems.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session165

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Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

164 - Raspberry PI and SDR w/ Fuzz the Pi Guy Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

Free SDR webinar!

Our new webinar will introduce you to Software Defined Radios.

"Why Every Scanner User Needs an SDR: The #1 Underrated Tool that should be in your setup" will be January 26, 2021.

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In this episode, Phil talks to "Fuzz the Pi Guy".

Fuzz has a large YouTube channel and has a ton of SDR and Raspberry Pi Videos.

Fuzz and I discuss how he uses his Software Defined Radios and how he keeps costs down by using a Raspberry Pi as as his computer for many of these projects.

What you will take away from this week's podcast:

SDR stands for Software Defined Radio, where you plug your hardware into power on one end and your computer on the other end so the computer software can interpret the signal.
The Raspberry Pi is essentially a low-cost computer to help teach computer science in schools, and is now used for things like hosting Minecraft servers, learning Linux, and running SDR programs.
Fuzz has a YouTube channel where he primarily demonstrates Raspberry Pi projects and tips, as well as a wide variety of small electronics content.
He's using a new setup that involves a Raspberry Pi 3 with an RTL-SDR dongle, connected to a 2m 70cm homemade antenna to receive his local Phase 2 frequencies, uploaded to Broadcastify using the new free software OP25.
Using this setup, Fuzz essentially created a Phase 2 scanner for under $100.
The FlightAware website gives a good introduction to using the Raspberry Pi with an SDR that can get you set up in under 15 minutes.
The Raspberry Pi has the best support system out there for any Pi hardware, but Fuzz has been working with the Atomic Pi lately.
This setup provides an inexpensive alternative to buying a pricey scanner if you don't mind troubleshooting and problem solving to get going.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session164

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Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

163 - Ask Scanner School v29 Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

Free SDR Training!

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."

You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com

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Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them.

This month I answer:

What makes the SDS200 so much heavier than the SDS100, and what more are you getting for the weight?
What equipment is compatible with a BCD3600XLT with NXDN for location-based scanning via GPS?
Bergen County PD is now operating on a new system. What is the best scanner to use to pick up and listen to their new system?
How can I update the firmware on a Uniden trunk tracker for BCD996T?

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session163

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Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

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Get started with Scanning in 2021

Our "2021 Scanner Radio Crash Course" Webinar rebroadcast is now online. www.scannerschool.com/crashcourse

This webinar will get you started or up to speed on Scanning for 2021.

162 - Crash Course 2021 Pt 3 - Hardware Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

Free SDR Training!

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."

You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com

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Get started with Scanning in 2021

Our "2021 Scanner Radio Crash Course" Webinar will be January 26, 2021 at 8pm Eastern US time. Register for the live webinar or catch the replay at www.scannerschool.com/2021

This webinar will get you started or up to speed on Scanning for 2021.

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Do you want to get started with scanning or brush up on basics in the new year?

In this episode, Phil goes through a rapid-fire rundown of Scanner Radio Hardware

This is part 3 of this 2021 crash course.

What you will take away from this week's podcast:

Antennas need to be matched, or resonant on the frequency or frequencies you need to monitor.
The lower the frequency, the larger the wavelength, which requires a longer antenna. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength, and thus the shorter the antenna.
Some antennas can cover a wide bandwidth or even multiple bandwidths.
A discone antenna works reasonably well across just about every frequency we might want to listen to, but there is no gain.
Discone antennas are omnidirectional and vertically polarized.
Yagi antennas are directional antennas with high gain over a small bandwidth, consisting of a boom, a reflector, and a driven element.
After your antenna, you need good quality coax cable to deliver the frequencies your antenna is picking up into your radio.
As your frequency increases, the amount of loss in coax cable also increases.
The best way to combine multiple scanner to a single antenna is with an active multicoupler because it uses isolated ports.
You can use filters if you have nearby interference that is preventing you from hearing what you want to listen to.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session162

---------------------------------------------------------------

Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

161 - Crash Course 2021 Pt 2 - Trunking Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

Free SDR Training!

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."

You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com

---------------------------------------------------------------

Get started with Scanning in 2021

Our "2021 Scanner Radio Crash Course" Webinar will be January 26, 2021 at 8pm Eastern US time. Register for the live webinar or catch the replay at www.scannerschool.com/2021

This webinar will get you started or up to speed on Scanning for 2021.

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Do you want to get started with scanning or brush up on basics in the new year?

In this episode, Phil goes through a rapid-fire rundown of Trunk Systems.

This is part 2 of this 2021 crash course.

What You Will Take Away from This Week's Podcast:

Trunking means that multiple users share pooled frequencies, allocated on an as-needed basis.
Each talk group is assigned a frequency to use, which is more efficient than conventional systems.
These systems can be linked together into networks.
The control channel can be considered air traffic control or the traffic cop at an intersection; when a user keys in they request a voice channel, and when it's no longer in use, everyone moves back to the control channel.
Types of trunking include EDACS, Motorola Type II, P25, DMR, LTR, NXDN, and more.
Rebanding came about because NexTel purchased ESMR frequencies, which resulted in cell phone band frequencies moving up 15MHz and public safety bands moving down 15MHz.
Simulcast is when you have multiple transmitter locations keying up at the same time and broadcasting the same information over the same frequencies.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session161

---------------------------------------------------------------

Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

160 - 2021 Crash Course Pt 1 - The Basics Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

Free SDR Training!

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."

You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com

---------------------------------------------------------------

Get started with Scanning in 2021

Our "2021 Scanner Radio Crash Course" Webinar will be January 26, 2021 at 8pm Eastern US time. Register for the live webinar or catch the replay at www.scannerschool.com/2021

This webinar will get you started or up to speed on Scanning for 2021.

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Do you want to get started with scanning or brush up on basics in the new year?

In this episode, Phil goes through a rapid-fire rundown of basic terminology and types of scanning from analog to digital transmissions.

This is part 1 of this 2021 crash course.

What You Will Take Away from This Week's Podcast:

Scanning is the ability to cycle through many frequencies per second, or to monitor one or several frequencies, allowing you to monitor several agencies on one radio.
What is a frequency and how do we measure it
The difference between Hertz, Kilo-Hertz, and Mega-Hertz.
AM, FM, and USB
Simplex, Duplex, and Repeated Transmissions
The benefits of Analog and Digital Transmissions
The differences between FDMA and TDMA and what this means for Digital Transmissions
P25 is short for Project 25, a set of standards under telecommunications associations.
What DMR is and the differences between Tier 1, 2 and 3
NXDN and it's benefits

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session160

---------------------------------------------------------------

Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

159 - Ask Scanner School v28 Jan 05, 2021

Show notes

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."

You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com

Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them.

This month I answer:

The first question is more of a comment regarding the improvements made to the Unication G5 scanner. Will Phil update his review of this scanner to mention these upgrades?
How are DMR and simulcast on the Whistler TMR1?
Does the new firmware on the BCD 996P2 and 325P2 p25 improve their function for Phase 2 simulcast?
What antenna and equipment does Phil recommend for someone who wants to mount a Uniden SDS-200 in their truck without drilling holes and who thinks he needs a wideband antenna?
What scanner does Phil suggest for someone who used to scan but hasn't been involved in the hobby for a few years and wants to get back involved in the community?

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session159

Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

158 - The Secrets are in the Searches Dec 29, 2020

Show notes

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."

You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com

Have you wondered how you can best use the search function on your scanner?

In this episode, Phil walks through some tips for how to use your scanner to search for new frequencies, from pre-programmed search ranges to scan and search mode, and more.

What You Need To Know

There is more out there than what you program into your scanner.
Not every frequency or use for a frequency has been documented.
Once when searching late at night, Phil found an active Federal frequency that he discovered was the USPS sorting mail onto trucks.
He also once found a military installation trunk system that he was able to monitor.
Searching is useful in case something you listen to becomes encrypted so you have alternatives.
Even if you don't know what you want to search for, scanners have built-in search ranges right out of the box that you can use as a starting point.
Phil sets up search ranges for what he knows he likes to scan, for example, aviation.
Sometimes he sets up new search ranges for random things he feels like listening to that day.
Phil suggests setting your search range as a favorites key.
You can set your scanner to go through all of your programmed frequencies, and then go back into search mode.
You can connect your scanners to your computer with software like Butel or ProScan and have it log the frequencies it finds in search mode for you.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session158

Would you like 1 on 1 help?

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

Help support Scanner School

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

157 - Uniden Close Call vs Whistler Spectrum Sweeper Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

Uniden Close Call vs Whistler Spectrum Sweeper

Which is better: Uniden Close Call or Whistler Spectrum Sweeper?

In this episode, Phil puts them to the test in a head-to-head comparison on speed, distance, and technology. Listen in to find out who wins!

What You Need To Know

Close Call and Spectrum Sweeper are used to seek out nearby frequencies that are stronger than a set value over the scanner's noise floor.
You would use this function to listen to, for example, news helicopters flying overhead to report on traffic.
Close Call has three modes: standard Close Call, Close Call DND, and Close Call priority.
Spectrum Sweeper can be accessed through your settings menu, as a special feature or as automatic tuning.
Phil took the current flagship scanner model for both companies with a fresh charge on the battery, using the stock antenna straight out of the box.
He set the scanners to Channel 14 to simulate a worst-case scenario scanning situation on a low power FRS channel where the ERP is half a watt.
Then, for each radio, Phil tested how long it took for each scanner to lock onto the frequency at progressively farther distances.
There were three variables to the test: speed, distance, and technology (Analog, DMR, etc)
We choose a winner at the end of this podcast

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session157

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

156 - Whistler Signal Stalker & Spectrum Sweeper Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

Whistler Signal Stalker & Spectrum Sweeper

Do you want to know how to use Whistler's signal stalker or spectrum sweeper functions?

In this episode, Phil explains how to access and use these features, the options you have, use cases, and more.

What You Need To Know

The signal stalker and spectrum sweeper features are found on many RadioShack Pro series scanners, as well as GRE Whistler object-oriented scanning.
Signal Stalker and spectrum sweeper are the same.
The scanner will rapidly search for a strong signal that's coming through at a set value over the noise floor.
Signal Stalker is not a solution for finding frequencies while traveling, similar to Uniden close call.
As a refresher, an example of how to use these types of features is tuning into a traffic or news helicopter overhead.
You can also use it to listen in to sporting events, construction sites, department store security, and more.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session156

If you need help with your scanner and are looking for some one on one tutoring, I'd love to help you out. Visit www.scannerschool.com/consulting to book your one hour appointment today!

You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support

Don't forget to join us for our weekly net on Zello. For info, visit https://www.scannerschool.com/zello

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