# Police Scanner app for my phone!



## randyhsv

This may be old news...
I just learned that there are several free police scanner apps available for my Droid phone!
The one I downloaded (Scanner Radio) lets you input your ZIP to select the local agencies to monitor.


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## DKRinAK

Pretty cool.

But wouldn't you rather have a scanner in your hand? That way if the power goes out/internet goes down/etc/etc. you can still find out what is going on...


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## randyhsv

I'm a "belt and suspenders" person!


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## JoKing

DKRinAK said:


> Pretty cool.
> 
> But wouldn't you rather have a scanner in your hand? That way if the power goes out/internet goes down/etc/etc. you can still find out what is going on...


I'm not sure if I'm right but would think that having the app would be better than a hand held because if you have cell reception you have access to the channels whereas, with a hand held, the reception is a lot more conditional. Electricity isn't an issue unless you can't charge your phone. I may be missing something about how the app works, but it seems to me that it would be reliable. As for cons, I have the app for my IPOD with wifi so it's only a luxury. Another con is that the app I have doesn't scan(I don't think) so I can only listen to one channel at a time. But, I can tune into neighboring counties/states/countries with perfect reception.
I may be way behind the times, but I know that a lot of areas prohibit scanners in vehicles(?currently?).


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## JoKing

The app is especially useful to commuters. The message traffic can help you make the decision to detour before you see all of those annoying little red lights on the back end of cars.


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## worldengineer

Scanner radio isn't a scanner in the traditional sense.

It doesn't scan, you have to choose the channel you wish to listen to, but that way its easy to tell exactly where is coming from.
Plus you have access to more channels than any other handheld could dream of. Plus since its on your phone it makes for better OPSEC and people think its cool not really prepper thing.


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## FatTire

This was the first app I downloaded when i got my iPhone


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## k0xxx

worldengineer said:


> Plus you have access to more channels than any other handheld could dream of.


FWIW, I'm sorry, but this is not even close.

OK, I don't own a Droid, but.... the app does not make the Droid into a scanner, but rather it accesses streamed scanner frequencies over the web. As such, it only works if there happens to be streamed frequencies from a certain area.

That being so a simple programmable scanner has the ability to listen to any unencoded or non-scrambled transmissions in it's frequency range. While there may be several thousands of streamed local frequencies available across the country, for each one that is streamed there are probably hundreds that aren't. It may be a convenient way to listen in, if there are streamed frequencies in your area, but once the net or the cell system goes down, a hand held or mobile scanner will still be working.


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## JoKing

I have the 5-0 Radio Pro for Apple. While I couldn't find a feed for my town(I guess that 1 cop don't need a walkie talkie), I was happy to find one for Public Works and the county sherif(which deals with all the towns' emergency traffic). I can upload any stream I find on the net be it FM, HAM, or whatever. My iPod isn't clunky. I can listen to my mp3s and audiobooks, with scanner interruptions, while keeping my place in the song/book. It's a pretty neat gadget and I think the ole hand held is going in a Faraday cage for a rainy day.


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## Ration-AL

JoKing said:


> I have the 5-0 Radio Pro for Apple. While I couldn't find a feed for my town(I guess that 1 cop don't need a walkie talkie), I was happy to find one for Public Works and the county sherif(which deals with all the towns' emergency traffic). I can upload any stream I find on the net be it FM, HAM, or whatever. My iPod isn't clunky. I can listen to my mp3s and audiobooks, with scanner interruptions, while keeping my place in the song/book. It's a pretty neat gadget and I think the ole hand held is going in a Faraday cage for a rainy day.


 read on



k0xxx said:


> FWIW, I'm sorry, but this is not even close.
> 
> OK, I don't own a Droid, but.... the app does not make the Droid into a scanner, but rather it accesses streamed scanner frequencies over the web. As such, it only works if there happens to be streamed frequencies from a certain area.
> 
> That being so a simple programmable scanner has the ability to listen to any unencoded or non-scrambled transmissions in it's frequency range. While there may be several thousands of streamed local frequencies available across the country, for each one that is streamed there are probably hundreds that aren't. It may be a convenient way to listen in, if there are streamed frequencies in your area, but once the net or the cell system goes down, a hand held or mobile scanner will still be working.


^this

you're just streaming from the internet from people who have real scanners and have placed a feed on the web.

if you feel the need for one, get a real one, if not enjoy the the app on your phone and leave it at that, just do not count on the one on your phone to do anything a few hours after the EBS is kicked into effect.

the ipod will still work for music though....


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## LargoMike

k0xxx said:


> FWIW, I'm sorry, but this is not even close.
> 
> OK, I don't own a Droid, but.... the app does not make the Droid into a scanner, but rather it accesses streamed scanner frequencies over the web. As such, it only works if there happens to be streamed frequencies from a certain area.
> 
> That being so a simple programmable scanner has the ability to listen to any unencoded or non-scrambled transmissions in it's frequency range. While there may be several thousands of streamed local frequencies available across the country, for each one that is streamed there are probably hundreds that aren't. It may be a convenient way to listen in, if there are streamed frequencies in your area, but once the net or the cell system goes down, a hand held or mobile scanner will still be working.


oints of Order:

The Phones that have power will have access to the channels without cell service. I have all the FL channels available.

If internet access is down you have bigger problems to worry about.

Degrees is what we are really talking about here.


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## k0xxx

The app is fine, as long as everything is up, AND someone is streaming the local frequencies that you are interested in. What if the power is out and whoever had been streaming the local traffic can no longer do so? 

My point is: As long as the phone can access the internet everything is fine, but with the advent of the government "kill switch" for the internet, I would still want the capability to monitor radio comms should things go south. Use the app, but if someone is serious about monitoring radio traffic during an emergency they should have a real scanner as back-up.


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## JoKing

k0xxx said:


> The app is fine, as long as everything is up, AND someone is streaming the local frequencies that you are interested in. What if the power is out and whoever had been streaming the local traffic can no longer do so?
> 
> My point is: As long as the phone can access the internet everything is fine, but with the advent of the government "kill switch" for the internet, I would still want the capability to monitor radio comms should things go south. Use the app, but if someone is serious about monitoring radio traffic during an emergency they should have a real scanner as back-up.


Your right. It's a convenience. On the same line, don't let the convenience of a GPS make you forget how to use a map and compass.


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