Ask yourself how you’ll be using your scanner. Do you plan on doing most of your listening from the privacy of your home, or would you rather keep up with the action while you’re out on the go? Standalone police scanners can range in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Unless you’re a dedicated emergency radio enthusiast, downloading a mobile app instead might be the thriftiest way to go.
On some older models, it may be necessary to manually identify and connect to local channels through an internal database. [2] X Research source If you’re not very handy with electronics, ask the retailer you buy your scanner from to help you set it up before you leave the store.
You can pull up a list of emergency radio channels for various cities, states, and territories with a quick Internet search. Resources like Radioreference. com also compile police radio channels in one convenient place. [3] X Research source In addition to law enforcement channels, you’ll also be able to receive transmissions from your local fire department, EMS service, Air Traffic Control center, and even military!
While some police scanner apps are sold for a small price (usually $3-5), many of the best ones are free. Keep in mind, however, that free scanners may include ads that occasionally interrupt broadcasts. Some of the most highly-rated police scanner apps (or radio apps that police radio) on the market include Police Scanner 5-0, Scanner 911, Broadcastify, and Scanner Radio. [5] X Research source
If you have location services enabled for the app, it should detect where you are automatically. For some programs, however, you may be asked to provide your zip code or other location information, such as the name of your city or specific county. Another useful feature of police scanner apps is that you can save your favorite channels to create custom feeds which you can cycle between at will.
Channels are usually plainly labelled, which makes it easy to find the one you want right away. For example, the frequency for the Philadelphia Police Department will be displayed as “Philadelphia PD” or something similar. Transmissions from faraway places may be less stable than those originating from areas closer to you.
There may be a bit of a lull during the early evening—this is when most people are resting or eating dinner.
As the overall number of calls increases, so will the number of mundane ones. Be prepared to intercept a lot of noise complaints, car accidents, and drunk-and-disorderlys.
If you’re flipping through channels at random, be ready to stop when you hear activity pick up. These days, numerical codes aren’t used as much, so it’s not necessary to try to memorize them. Listening for subtle changes is a more reliable way to catch the big calls.
Your police radio will allow you to stay informed about the status of the wildfires ravaging California, for instance, or to “ride along” with the first officers on scene at a hostage situation. Don’t forget that police scanners can pick up fire and EMS channels, as well. This makes it possible to keep tabs on a certain event even after the police have left the scene. [10] X Research source
