Tips For Selecting A Handheld Radio Scanner

There are many types of scanners available that have different options and features. When a person is searching for a handheld radio scanner they will want to select the scanner based on the type of use it will receive the majority of the time.

When choosing a scanner a person will first want to determine what the main purpose will be for the scanner and the location that it will be used. Scanners are available with up to two thousand channels. The receiving range can be from 0. 1-1300Mhz to 0. 5-1300Mhz. Some scanners have a receiving range of 0. 1-2150Mhz. These receiving ranges will be important based on the location that a person will be using the scanner.

The number of channels that are needed for the scanner will be dependent on the intended use of the scanner. If a person will be using the scanner to listen to one type of frequency, such as the fire department, and they live in a small town, they will not need a massive number of channels. However, in larger cities, most departments have a minimum of five channels that are used on a regular basis. So, an individual living in a large town or city will need more channels for listening to the police department transmissions.

There are several different search modes on most of the handheld scanners. One mode, the service scan, is pre-set by the manufacturer. This scan mode contains the channels that are listened to by the majority of scan users. The bank that stores these channels contains major departments such as marine, police, aircraft, and fire department. One may find that they need to create a separate bank to store the channels and frequencies for these departments in their own area since the channels and frequencies may differ from those in the location of the manufacturer.

Most scanner have ten banks. A bank is an organizational tool that makes listening to certain departments or topics easier. A person can put channels that are related to the same topic in one bank and with the push of a button access only the channels in that bank.

Some scanner contain trunk tracking. If a person wants to listen to police and fire frequencies, they will want to get a handheld radio scanner that has this feature. Most police and fire departments have trunk systems. All of their transmissions are emitted from on a trunk frequency. The trunk tracking can make the adjustment to receive independent transmissions made from the "trunk."

When one is considering a handheld radio scanner, they will want to talk to a professional who has knowledge and expertise in the many types of scanners that are available and their different options and features. This individual will be familiar with the scanner needs of different areas and will be able to provide a person with the assistance they need to make the selection that will fit their needs.