I recently (day after the Ferguson shit jummped off) picked up an Uniden BC125AT scanner off Amazon...



You can store 500 Channels in 10 banks of 50, plus set it to scan for various things...



For the most part its pretty simple to use...  



I went to http://www.radioreference.com and looked up the freqs for agencies around my house and my G/Fs house in Fredericktown, downloaded the windows app and plugged them in...  I hit the "Write to Scanner" button and it was programed;  in less than 10 mins I was able to pick up local radio traffic from various agencies...



It can be interesting, yet freaky to hear some of the shit that goes on around you and even on your own street...  I've heard calls as close as 3 houses away on my street and directly across the street from my parents house..





I'm off today, sitting at the g/fs house down in Fredericktown and I've been playing with some of the other function, like scanning various programmed banks and I'm finding frequencies that are not listed...  



So far, I've Found 1 up by my house and several down here...Anyway to find out what they are so I can AlphaTag them in my Software with the correct name?



You guys have any good ones not published???

I just downloaded the scanner app to my phone. Works well & is free. You can listen in on pretty much anywhere in the country. For as little as I use it it's just fine for me. Almost everything I do is through my phone, and I can close the app & it will still run in the background until I turn it off so I can listen while I'm on Facebook or here or whatever I'm doing. I like it.

I've got a really simple one that a buddy gave me years ago.  I live in a small town where it's a busy month if you hear sirens on two occassions.  I only turn it on once in a great while when it's obvious something is going on.

iPhone or Android? Name of the app please?

Android for me- I prefer Scanner Radio, but also use Scanner 5-0. I think I only prefer the first, because I've used it longer and have more settings saved.
As far as the OP, I too have been considering getting a scanner, have been for years, but Ferguson made me wish I'd already bought and set one up. Every time I do some research on them, I'm overwhelmed on info and can't make decision, so it's the phone for now.

I've got them, but don't normally have them on when I'm not working.  



However, I have something even better.  I have people that will blow my phones up in the middle of the night when the interesting stuff is going on

Mine is iPhone. It's Police Scanner+ free.

Thank you!

I like 5-0 Radio for my phone scanner.  Although I don't need a scanner for my area ;)

Smullen do you have any agencies programmed out my direction?

I've got a cheapie Uniden that I keep in my truck, mainly so when I'm backed up behind 2 miles of halted traffic on the interstate I know what I'm cussin' at.

No, I just have the ones Up North County, Some right across the river (Granite City, Alton) then ones down by my G/Fs in Fredericktown, Farmington, etc...



 

<-------- former newspaper photographer, have owned/used scanners for years. Currently have one running at my pawn shop and keep a handheld at home for times when I want to know what the sirens are all about.

Problem these days is that most departments have gone to encrypted/digital radios. My old scanners don't pick up shit anymore. Fortunately, my local PD ran out of money before they could buy new radios so they're still on the air.

And yes, I have used the phone apps. During Fergustan, I had the computer-based scanner running.





RE: the radioreference listings: Be sure to check by jurisdiction. Some of your local frequencies will be licensed to local agencies, some county, some state, etc. Don't just look up your town or your county. Also check the state listings for frequencies in operation in your area (i.e. Highway Patrol). The federal frequencies are usually a waste of time, in my experience.