Helpful Tips For Choosing A Handheld Radio Scanner

By Andy Zain

An individual searching for the handheld radio scanner that is perfect for the area that they live will find unlimited choices available. Scanners are available in an assortment of styles and contain features that can be specific for the needs of the person that will be using them.

The price of scanners can vary depending on the features that the scanners have. A person can get a scanner with anywhere from six hundred to two thousand channels. The receiving range on the scanners can differ as well. So, a person will want to take some simple steps to determine what kind of handheld radio scanner they want before shopping for one.

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.

Manufacturer of handheld scanners normally pre-program channels and frequencies for fire, police, aircraft, and marine departments. These channels are contained within one of the banks that are in the handheld radio scanner. In some cases an individual will need to create a separate bank to contain these channels and frequencies if they differ from the programmed ones from the manufacturer.

All scanners contain banks. The number of banks on a handheld radio scanner may differ. The bank is a way to categorize and store channels that are listened to frequently. This makes it much easier to scan frequencies that are related to a specific topic, such as the fire department or police channels. A person can turn a bank on or off manually so that the channels are used only when desired.

In large cities most fire and police departments use a trunk system for their radios. Some scanners contain a trunk tracking mode that allows one to pick up transmissions from the trunk independently. If a person is going to be using their handheld radio scanner primarily for listening to transmission from police and fire departments, they will want to make sure that trunk tracking is included in the scanner options.

Talking to a professional who has expertise in the different types of scanners available will be very helpful. This individual will be able to explain in detail the different options and features of any handheld radio scanner that is being considered. - 30538

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