Have you wanted to learn about how to combine multiple antennas? In this episode, Phil discusses some best practices for using multiple antennas, including how to set them up to avoid interference, how to bring the signal into your house to connect to your radios, and more. What You Need To Know LMR 400 Coax costs around $1 per foot, so running multiple coax lines for many antennas can get very expensive. Diplexers have a low port, high port, and a common port. Triplexers have a low port, mid po...
Nov 10, 2020•30 min•Ep. 151
Ask Scanner School v26 This month I answer: What are some troubleshooting tips to improve audio quality and overall reception on a Uniden scanner? Can Unication G-series pagers support Motorola type 2 systems? What can someone do or what antenna can they buy if the scanner app on their cell phone is picking up more than their actual scanner radio? Is it worth putting a scanner in your car if most of what you scan is digital? What SDR antenna would I recommend? All session notes with links to the...
Nov 03, 2020•39 min•Ep. 150
Have you wondered about the impact a potential T-band giveback would have? In this episode, Phil walks you through the FCC’s plan, the opposition it faces, and what it would mean for public safety and scanner radio hobbyists alike. What You Need To Know The FCC T-band giveback is reallocating the 470-512 MHz spectrum. The T-band spectrum was part of the TV band that ran from Channel 14-20. This spectrum was allocated to certain major urban areas for public safety, broadcast television, transport...
Oct 27, 2020•33 min•Ep. 149
Do you want to discover the radio IDs broadcasting in your area? In this episode, Phil welcomes back guest Kenneth Fowler. They discuss how Kenneth logs and verifies the radio IDs he finds, issues you may run into, and developments in the hobby coming soon. What You Need To Know Everything that transmits on a trunk system documents itself with a radio ID. Kenneth started in the scanner radio hobby because of friends who volunteered with the fire department. Every digital radio and radio on a tru...
Oct 20, 2020•46 min•Ep. 148
Do you want to learn more about getting your Ham radio license? In this episode, Phil welcomes back guest Chuck Gysi from Ham Radio Prep. They discuss the Ham radio licensing exams, the new extra course launching soon, and more. Sign up for Ham Radio Prep using our affiliate link: www.scannerschool.com/hamradioprep What You Need To Know Chuck runs National Communications Magazine, and it has existed since 1988. Chuck got interested in radios because his father was a volunteer fireman and got cal...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 147
Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: How can he improve my current antenna setup? What scanner should I buy if I wanted to listen to my local area and also stream it to my phone? Is there a scanner that can do P25 phase 1 and 2, and NXDN at the same time? Would Phil recommend spending additional money to get a desktop Whistler scanner over a handheld? All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found...
Oct 06, 2020•37 min•Ep. 146
The Uniden MR8100 In this episode, Phil talks about the Uniden MR8100 and its unique features, from its design to rumors about its functionality. What You Need To Know This radio was marketed as a scanner developed for public safety. Rumors say it was created for the LAPD. This radio was analog-only, with 100 memory channels in 10 banks, with no trunking and no P-25. The radio was designed to be mounted on a wall or on the dashboard of a car, so the display is on what would be the top of a deskt...
Sep 29, 2020•23 min•Ep. 145
Are you interested in listening to the International Space Station? In this episode, Phil shares what you need to know to tune into the ISS and other satellites passing overhead. Learn what equipment and software can help you, where to find the frequencies you’ll need, and how to know when the ISS will be passing over your location. What You Need To Know The ISS just launched a new amateur radio cross-band repeater. You’ll need a HAM radio license for your country in order to transmit on the rep...
Sep 22, 2020•26 min•Ep. 144
Are you interested in scanning Federal agency frequencies? In this episode, Phil welcomes Chris Parris, an expert on Federal scanning and writer of the blog The Fed Files . They discuss how Chris found his way into Federal scanning, tips and tricks for people interested in trying it, and so much more! What You Need To Know Guest Chris Parris is known in the community for his work scanning Federal signals. Chris started trying Federal scanning when he was touring a radio tower in the 1970s and wa...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 143
Do you want to know how to improve your scanner’s audio? In this episode, Phil welcomes back Harrison Wilson to discuss sound quality with scanner radio setups. They discuss external speakers, how sound vibrations work, audio mixers, and more. What You Need To Know Guest Harrison Wilson returns for his third guest appearance to talk about improving your scanner’s audio quality. A lot of scanner radios produce a tinny sound. To deliver all the features that customers want and keep manufacturing c...
Sep 08, 2020•56 min•Ep. 142
Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: What does the setting for “Set Hold Time” on a P25 scanner mean? What do you do if every few days, you suddenly can’t pick up signal on your scanner? What is the super dumbed-down version of how to program an SDS-100 scanner? What products would I recommend for an antenna upgrade to reach an area about 20 miles away? Can you monitor P25 trunking by only scanning frequencies? All sess...
Sep 01, 2020•32 min•Ep. 141
In this episode, Phil explains the virtual scanner feature that exists in many Whistler and Radio Shack scanner models. He talks about what they’re best used for, how to set them up and make changes, and more. What You Need To Know: This virtual scanner option is available on most, but not all, Whistler, GRE, and Radio Shack scanners that support object-oriented scanning. V-scanner stands for “virtual scanner”, and they are built into your existing scanner, with different models having between 2...
Aug 25, 2020•21 min•Ep. 140
What’s it like to scan during moments of major unrest? In this episode, Phil is joined by listener Brad, from Minnesota, to talk about scanning during the George Floyd protests. They discuss what Brad found to listen to during the first week of protests in Minneapolis, what surprised him, and how things are now. What You Need To Know Brad did what Phil suggests and thinks outside the box, programming his scanner with more than he ever thought he would need to listen to. Brad has been involved wi...
Aug 18, 2020•50 min•Ep. 139
Are you craving more scanner radio content? In this episode, Phil is joined by Jonathan Higgins and Rich Carlson, hosts of The Scanner Guys, a weekly YouTube show. They discuss some of the common questions and topics that come up, how they’ve grown their audience, and more. What You Need To Know The Scanner Guys met at Scanner Master and started doing Facebook Live in 2018, and it grew into their YouTube show. They always made a point to interact with their audience members. The show has grown o...
Aug 11, 2020•59 min•Ep. 138
Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: When will my SDR series come out? What would I recommend for an SDR dongle to use Unitrunker on a laptop? What outdoor antenna should I use? How do you monitor a P-25 conventional system? Why can’t fire departments use mobile bands? All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session137 You can help support Scanner Sch...
Aug 04, 2020•33 min•Ep. 137
Do you want to better understand object-oriented programming? In this episode, Phil explains how object-oriented programming differs from just using a scanner with hard coded memory and also Uniden’s DMA memory. What You Need To Know Object-oriented scanning allows you to create scan lists as small or as large as you need without wasting memory on your scanner. Memory space on a scanner is based on blocks, and trunking, talk spaces, etc., each take up varying numbers of blocks. Scan lists are th...
Jul 28, 2020•28 min•Ep. 136
Do you believe analyzing trunk systems requires a fancy hardware setup? Jackson from Kentucky joins us on the podcast this week to talk about how he is mapping out trunk systems with a scanner, a pager, pen and paper, and a spreadsheet. You don't need to configure complicated computer programs to understand what is happening on your local trunk systems. All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session135 If you need help with y...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 135
Do you want tips for how to use your scanner to its fullest potential during times of social unrest? In this episode, Phil shares ways to get started at scanning right now if you’re new to the hobby in response to current events, gives suggestions of what to listen for beyond fire and police transmissions, and more. What You Need To Know Due to current events, scanner radio sales are up, whether it’s first-time buyers who are new to the hobby or people returning to the hobby after some time away...
Jul 14, 2020•29 min•Ep. 134
Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: What is Intermediate Frequency Exchange and when would I need to use it? On an SDS-200 Uniden scanner, do you need to set up a quick key for every favorites list? How do you know if you need upgrades to your SDS-200 scanner? What portable scanner would you recommend for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money or have a lot of complicated features? All session notes with link...
Jul 07, 2020•41 min•Ep. 133
Do you want to understand how trunking systems work in your Object Oriented Scanner? In this episode, Phil continues his miniseries about trunking systems. He walks through optimizing your Whistler, GRE, and Radio Shack scanners for trunking using their object-oriented scanning. What You Need To Know Think of a site as a repeater that transmits radio and control channel traffic for its coverage area. Whistler allows you to have more control over your trunk scanning thresholds than Uniden. To opt...
Jun 30, 2020•28 min•Ep. 132
Do you want to understand how trunking systems work? In this episode, Phil continues his miniseries about trunking systems, explaining how to most efficiently set up your Uniden DMA scanner for trunking, including sites, groups, quick keys, and more. What You Need To Know Episodes 129 and 130 are prerequisites for this episode. Trunking systems can have multiple sites that can run on their own or as one large networked site running as simulcast. Hypothetically, you could have sites for different...
Jun 23, 2020•25 min•Ep. 131
Do you want to understand how trunking systems work? In this episode, Phil explains how trunking system networks, sites, channels, and layers all work together and gives some examples both from his local area and more hypothetical use cases. What You Need To Know This episode ties into last week’s episode about programming groups. A Motorola type 2 trunking system is capable of having 28 channels per site. A Smart Zone system is a collection of Smart Net systems Smart Zone networks have dynamic ...
Jun 16, 2020•24 min•Ep. 130
Do you understand the difference between a Group and a System your Uniden programming? In this episode, Phil explains use cases for groups and how to set them up, and how to create quick keys for them. What You Need To Know Groups are important to optimize your scanners for trunking. Systems are the container for your trunking and conventional systems in your DMA Scanner. Groups are where you store your frequencies or Trunk Group and Unit IDs. You can have up to 20 groups within the system. Each...
Jun 09, 2020•19 min•Ep. 129
This month I answer: Is there any place in the US where law enforcement uses analog, unencrypted signals to allow you to use certain equipment like a radio that’s inaccurately being marketed as a scanner? Can you disable certain frequencies in a statewide radio system to make a scan cycle go faster or will you be missing out on something? How do you know which radio and software upgrades will be most useful to you? What suggestions do you have for an HP2 that won’t connect to the computer? All s...
Jun 02, 2020•36 min•Ep. 128
Do you want to understand how a Yagi antenna works? In this episode, Phil explains the elements of a Yagi antenna, what they’re used for, and even how to build your own. What You Need To Know Shintaro Udo and Hidetsugu Yagi created the antenna. A Yagi antenna is a directional antenna with at least two elements, usually three, mounted on a boom. The main element is the boom, where everything else is mounted. A Yagi usually includes a driven element, a reflector element, and a director element, al...
May 26, 2020•21 min•Ep. 127
Do you struggle to understand why antenna designs differ? In this episode, I explain antenna polarization and how the design impacts it. What You Need To Know Your antenna needs to be within the same polarity in order to receive what you’re trying to receive. A vertically polarized antenna will pick up vertically polarized signals better than horizontal. Radio waves are oscillating sine waves, and the frequency at which they oscillate is measured in a hertz. Vertically polarized antennas are per...
May 19, 2020•22 min•Ep. 126
The Spring (or Fall) to take inventory and make a note of how your radio setup is doing. Phil covers, antenna, masts, mounting, coax, and grounding. All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session125 You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support Don't forget to join us for our weekly net on Zello. For info, visit https://www.scannerschool.com/zello...
May 12, 2020•26 min•Ep. 125
Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: Are there any scanners that are commercially available that are capable of Tetra decoding, and if not, what other options are there? What jacks are on the SDS-200? Is it possible to upgrade an HP2 to make it function more like an SDS-100 or SDS-200? How do you cross-reference what’s available on Radio Reference with how it appears in Uniden’s software? And more All session notes with...
May 05, 2020•37 min•Ep. 124
Do you want to find deals on used equipment on eBay? In this episode, Phil shares his do’s and don’t’s of bidding on eBay auctions. Alls session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session123 You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support Don't forget to join us for our weekly net on Zello. For info, visit https://www.scannerschool.com/zello...
Apr 28, 2020•32 min•Ep. 123
Are you wondering what it’s like to participate in a Scanner School Zello net? In this episode, Phil plays a recent Zello net chat for you to hear what it’s like. All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session121 You can help support Scanner School by visiting our support page at www.scannerschool.com/support Don't forget to join us for our weekly net on Zello. For info, visit https://www.scannerschool.com/zello...
Apr 21, 2020•59 min•Ep. 121
