RailRoadFan.com

Hello all,

I'm looking at maybe getting a scanner for Christmas (finally) and I'm starting to do some research on what frequencies I want to be able to include on the scanner, which is a 300 channel Uniden Bearcat handheld w/ antenna. These include:

Kalamazoo City DPS/Kalamazoo County Sheriff

Amtrak (Road)
CN (Road for South Bend Sub)
NS (Road)
Grand Elk (Road)


I found the Kalamazoo City DPS radio frequencies on RadioReference, however I am unsure of what's what. Can someone help with "decoding" what these all mean, specifically the DEC, HEX, mode, and Alpha Tag, and what I need to put into said scanner?

Also, how would I program the scanner? Is there a computer program I need to get? How long does it take?


Thanks,

-NS

Kalamazoo County (39) Kalamazoo City D.P.S. Talkgroups

DEC HEX Mode Alpha Tag Description Tag
3471 d8f E 499KDPSAD1 DPS - Admin 1 Multi-Talk
3472 d90 E 499KDPSAD2 DPS - Admin 2 Multi-Talk
3473 d91 E 499KDPSBMB1 Police - Bomb Squad 1 Law Tac
3474 d92 E 499KDPSBMB2 Police - Bomb Squad 2 Law Tac
3475 d93 E 499KDPSBMB3 Police - Bomb Squad 3 Law Tac
3476 d94 E 499KDPSCID1 Police - Detectives 1 Law Tac
3477 d95 E 499KDPSCID2 Police - Detectives 2 Law Tac
3478 d96 E 499KDPSCID3 Police - Detectives 3 Law Tac
3480 d98 E 499KDPS Police - Dispatch Law Dispatch
3481 d99 D 499KDPSFIRE1 Fire - Dispatch (Dispatch in Clear) Fire Dispatch
3482 d9a D 499KDPSFIRE2 Fire - Secondary (Dispatch in Clear) Fire-Talk
3483 d9b E 499KDPSKVET1 Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team 1 Law Tac
3484 d9c E 499KDPSKVET2 Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team 2 Law Tac
3485 d9d E 499KDPSLEIN Police - LEIN Law Tac
3486 d9e E 499KDPSSW1 Police - SWAT 1 Law Tac
3487 d9f E 499KDPSSW2 Police - SWAT 2 Law Tac
3488 da0 E 499KDPSSW3 Police - SWAT 3 Law Tac
3489 da1 E 499KDPSTAC1 Tactical - 1 Multi-Tac
3490 da2 E 499KDPSTAC2 Tactical - 2 Multi-Tac
3491 da3 E 499KDPSTAC3 Tactical - 3 Multi-Tac
3492 da4 E 499KDPSTAC4 Tactical - 4 Multi-Tac
3493 da5 E 499KDPSTAC5 Tactical - 5 Multi-Tac
3494 da6 E 499KDPSTAC6 Tactical - 6 Multi-Tac
3495 da7 E 499KDPSTRU1 Tactical Response Unit 1 Law Tac
3496 da8 E 499KDPSTRU2 Tactical Response Unit 2

You'll need a trunking scanner to program the police and sheriff, which not all scanners are. What is the model number of your scanner? Sentinel is what use with my Bearcat BCD436HP, but I don't know if Sentinel works with all Bearcats. But again, if your scanner isn't a trunking scanner it's a moot point.

cbehr91 wrote:You'll need a trunking scanner to program the police and sheriff, which not all scanners are. What is the model number of your scanner? Sentinel is what use with my Bearcat BCD436HP, but I don't know if Sentinel works with all Bearcats. But again, if your scanner isn't a trunking scanner it's a moot point.

With that in mind, I've tracked this beauty down.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Uniden-BCD325P2-H ... Ciid%253A1

Would this work for the trunk system as well as railroad frequencies?

I'm really new to this, so please forgive any idiocy on my part.

Thanks,

-NS

Yes, it will. But beyond that I don't have any personal experience with the BCD325P2. The only other thing I can recommend is a better antenna like the Diamond RH77 which will really improve performance on the rail channels.

As for various frequencies...go to Radio Shack and get their freq book. Railroad channels are available almost any where, including this website.
As for cops and stuff...a lot of the channels are rarely used...i.e. detectives. You only want the dispatchers. State cops are rather unattainable any more, they've gone to starwars transmitters, although I'm sure folks here know how to get them...and its probably not cheap.
Heck I'm using a Cobra SR15 with a rubber duckie on it down in my basement northeast of Rockford and get CSX Wyoming Tower and CSX dispatcher stuff. Police wise I can get city of Wyoming dispatchers up here and its 25 miles away. I get all fire in Kent County, from dispatch to truck to truck, handy at fire scenes. I get Airomed and ambulances too...if your morbid enough. Listen to the ambulance to hospital talk. Usually not good.
Search the web, get some FREQUENCY books and wander around. I use mine at the airport too. Use it at airshows, you can listen to The Blue Angels talk between planes...Thunderbirds....all kinds of stuff.
And remember INDIANA HATES SCANNERS and they'll take em away. You would need a HAM license last I knew.

While I've never heard of anyone getting ticketed for having a scanner, there is a law. Probably one most cops haven't heard of, or they'll only charge you if they need something to hold you on. Otherwise, just be smart, don't trespass, and they probably won't give two hoots.

I don't know about other states, but in Michigan the law was changed about 10 years ago. Now, anyone who hasn't been convicted of a felony may possess a scanner in a vehicle. Previously, you had to get a permit from the Michigan State Police, which just involved a criminal record check, and was free. Now you no longer need anything in Michigan. But I'm unaware of anyone ever being prosecuted for having a scanner. All that said, it is a crime to use a scanner in the commission of a crime.

THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (EXCERPT)
Act 328 of 1931


750.508 Equipping vehicle with radio able to receive signals on frequencies assigned for police or certain other purposes; violation; penalties; radar detectors not applicable.

Sec. 508.

(1) A person who has been convicted of 1 or more felonies during the preceding 5 years shall not carry or have in his or her possession a radio receiving set that will receive signals sent on a frequency assigned by the federal communications commission of the United States for police or other law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency medical, federal, state, or local corrections, or homeland security purposes. This subsection does not apply to a person who is licensed as an amateur radio operator by the federal communications commission. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(2) A person shall not carry or have in his or her possession in the commission or attempted commission of a crime a radio receiving set that will receive signals sent on a frequency assigned by the federal communications commission of the United States for police or other law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency medical, federal, state, or local corrections, or homeland security purposes. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a crime as follows:

(a) If this subsection is violated in the commission or attempted commission of a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 93 days but less than 1 year, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(b) If this subsection is violated in the commission or attempted commission of a misdemeanor or felony punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 1 year or more, the person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a person who carries or has in his or her possession a radio receiving set described in subsection (2) in the commission or attempted commission of a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of less than 93 days.

(4) This section does not apply to the use of radar detectors.


History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- Am. 1939, Act 295, Eff. Sept. 29, 1939 ;-- CL 1948, 750.508 ;-- Am. 1957, Act 242, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 77, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1990 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 672, Eff. Mar. 31, 2003 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 39, Eff. May 31, 2006
Constitutionality: This section, which prohibits equipping or using a vehicle with a radio receiving set capable of receiving frequencies assigned for police purposes, was enacted to facilitate law enforcement activity. This section's restriction of persons permitted to monitor those frequencies involves classifications which are rationally related to the statute's objective, consistent with equal protection and due process guarantees. People v Gilbert, 414 Mich 191; 324 NW2d 834 (1982).
Former Law: See section 5 of Act 152 of 1929, being CL 1929, § 578.