If that's the case, they're using one of the digital trunking methods available.
Yeah, welcome to Radio Shack. Would you like to buy a cell phone? :glare:
There are other ways to switch frequencies, but local police/fire/etc. don't use them. They were talking about trunking. One other thing you need to be aware of is that some police agencies are using encrypted digital systems so you'll never be able to listen in on those. Many are using unencrypted systems however, to save costs.
Digital communications is rapidly expanding. Hams are starting to use digital stuff in the VHF/UHF range, but it's different than what police/fire/etc. use. Hams also are starting to use digital modes on HF for sending and receiving files, pictures, etc. over the airwaves. Of course, now broadcast TV is switching over to digital. Unfortunately a lot of the standards are still evolving, i.e. even ham digital VHF/UHF doesn't have one standard yet. This makes it difficult to purchase a scanner than can receive all of it.
NO. I looked at the specs and I don't see anything about it being able to handle trunking systems. It's also not digital, and it won't handle SW, either.
All of the local police/fire is going to be well above 30mhz. There aren't very many scanners that will receive SW as well as VHF/UHF. There are even less that also will do trunking, digital, and digital trunking.
I doubt it. Maybe someone else will know if there is a receiver that can do all that, but I've never heard of one. I think you're better off trying to have a separate SW listening radio and police/fire/etc. scanner. I think you're also going to have to budget quite a bit more than $180 to get a digital trunking scanner right now. Hate to break the news to you...
Make sure that your area is using digital communications before buying a digital scanner. It would be a waste to invest in that only to learn that they're using plain old analog. What's your city? It shouldn't be too hard to find out what they're using.
