Welcome to Scanner School, a podcast dedicated to the Scanner Radio Hobby.
Each week we cover another topic related to scanning and will be answering all of your questions to take you from Scanner Radio Student to Scanner Radio Scholar.
Site
RSS
Apple
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to Scanner School - Everything you wanted to know about the Scanner Radio Hobby, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
327 - SRU106: Rebanding - How Nextel complicated the scanner hobby
Episode 327
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 • Duration 14:10
The Nextel Conundrum:
Originally established as a convenient communication solution for small businesses, Nextel swiftly expanded its services to include cellular telephony.
However, the positioning of Nextel within the RF spectrum, sandwiched besides public safety frequencies, combined with its network built for capacity, led to unprecedented challenges.
The dense clustering of Nextel sites interfered with public safety radios, prompting the necessity for rebanding.
Rebanding entailed a complex realignment of frequencies to mitigate interference issues. This intricate shuffle involved relocating Nextel closer to cellular carriers while carving out exclusive bands for public safety entities. This relocation of the 800Mhz public safety spectrum, known as rebanding, posed a significant problem for scanner enthusiasts who monitored many Motorola trunking systems in the 800Mhz band.
The impact of rebanding reverberated through the scanner radio community, rendering many radios obsolete overnight.
Today, we still need to be aware of systems that are operating in the rebanded spectrum and ensure our radios are programmed correctly to monitor these systems.
====================================
🛒 Check out our new Merch!
====================================
Squelchy opened his own store selling Scanner School merchandise!
Show your love for the Scanner Radio Hobby and Scanner School.
Pick up a hat, shirt, bag, or mug and help support Scanner School.
🔗
323 - SRU103 - Trunked Radio Basics
Episode 323
Tuesday, February 27, 2024 • Duration 18:43
Did you know that trunked radio systems are just like an orchestra?
There are several parts in each that work in harmony.
In our latest podcast, we compare the two to make it easier for you to understand exactly how a trunked system works.
We also dive into why trunked systems are an excellent way of utilizing the limited radio frequency resources.
YOUTUBE LINK TBD
=========
===========================
🛒 Check out our new Merch!
====================================
Squelchy opened his own store selling Scanner School merchandise!
Show your love for the Scanner Radio Hobby and Scanner School.
Pick up a hat, shirt, bag, or mug and help support Scanner School.
232 - Scanning San Francisco, San Mateo, and Alameda Counties
Episode 232
Tuesday, May 31, 2022 • Duration 01:26:24
Garrett Farwell returns to the podcast today to talk about scanning in California, where he lives.
He will break down the systems that he monitors, including a couple of counties like San Francisco, San Mateo, and Alameda counties in California and what he has learned about each County's trunk system using a scanner.
What You Need To Know
Garrett will talk about three simulcast systems in the San Francisco Bay Area that he has been scannin.
The San Francisco city and county system went through a sizable transition last year.
This system recently changed from an analog simulcast system but has changed to a P25 system in recent years.
On this sytem, the 800 megahertz simulcast site is where all of the voice traffic is available, like police, fire, emergency services.
The 700 megahertz simulcast site for the San Francisco TRS seems to be mostly for data packets and information.
This does not align with the notes for this trunk system in the Radio Reference Database that states that all TDMA talk groups (P-II) are on the 800-megahertz system, and then all the FDMA talk groups (P-I) are on the 700
Garrett explained how did he conclude that there is not much on the 700 layers by listening to this system and keeping a close ear and eye on the traffic he is monitoring.
Another interesting tidbit about the San Francisco TRS is there is a difference between the mobiles and the portables from an encryption perspective.
Garrett optimizes his scan lists by avoiding all the full encryption stuff because there is no point in monitoring that.
Garrett tends to listen to law enforcement primarily in San Mateo County as well as some of the local law enforcement in the County.
The way Mateo County works geographically is we have a mountain range that splits it almost in half, and on the east side of the County, there are a lot of little valleys and areas where I'm sure transmission and reception are difficult.
Garrett has concluded that didn't need to scan all the different simulcast systems to hear what he needed. This has helped him to further optimize his scan lists.
In Mateo County, the fire response and fire resources are not on the simulcast system.
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
231 - What Happens When Trunk Systems Fail?
Episode 231
Tuesday, May 24, 2022 • Duration 30:22
What happens when a trunk system fails?
Where do the radio users go?
How do they communicate?
In this session, we'll go over how trunk systems are supposed to work, what happens when they fail, and what can happen if an administrator plans for failure.
What You Need To Know
I was able to watch our new P25 system fail several months after it was populated with radios and users
These users were part of the county police system and they needed to fall back to cell phone communications while the system was offline
Trunk systems are a pool of frequencies with group of users called Talk Groups
All radios on the system listen to the control channel, which acts as a director, and tells all users what frequencies to go to and when to go.
What happens when that controller fails?
If the radio fails, we would have the alternative control channels kick in and resume control of the system.
The entire site could go offline or become an island site
Or we can have full loss of all trunking, and this is called Failsoft in a Motorola systems
When we are in fail soft mode, a system acts as a conventional repeater system
Radios are assigned a home frequency based on the talk group they are currently using.
The trunk system will send out a beacon to alert the radios they are supposed to fall into Failsoft mode, and all radios will beep to notify the end user they are in Failsoft.
As a scanner radio user, we would need to program the trunk system's voice channels in our radios as conventioal frequencies in order to continue to hear the system once it is in Failsoft.
A good System Administrator would have thought of a backup plan and would have programmed a backup zone into all the radios on the system.
You might be able to find your local county's radio guides by doing some google searching for the trunk system.
====================================
🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community
230 - Business Band Hidden Treasures
Episode 230
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 • Duration 31:35
Business band frequencies.... what can we find when we search these ranges?
These frequencies are used in places like department stores, home centers, nurseries or garden centers, schools, etc.
Building a scan list of these frequencies will strange results that may surprise you.
What You Need To Know
"Business Band" is an unofficial name to common frequencies used by businesses
In the past, businesses and other organizations could obtain a GMRS license, and some radios were sold with color-coded GMRS channels for business use.
In 2017, the FCC rules were changed, and FRS frequencies were combined with GMRS. As a result, the businesses can operate in lower power and lower bandwidth FRS radios on these same frequencies shared with GMRS.
MURS is a multi-use radio service, and these are VHF narrowband frequencies with a power limit of two watts.
The FCC formerly defines MURS as a private two-way short-distance voice or data communication service for personal or business activities of the public.
While FRS was primarily set up for use by personal use, it got grabbed up and became a part of business use.
Family Radio Service frequencies should be in your business band scan lists.
CB can be used for businesses
There is no need to get a license for CB, which makes it attractive again for businesses, and there is CB all over the world, which is another crazy thing.
We can find forestry services on "low band" vhf frequencies in the neighborhood of 27MHz.
We have already heard that some companies like Walmart are now switching over to their own IP-based radio systems.
Some business have begun using Spread Spectrum Radios which are not scannable.
For the most part, most businesses are going to buy the bubble pack radios or the radios they get from their local radio dealers, and they're going to be put on some of the business band channels that are free to use.
Simply scanning these business band frequencies will find plenty of results you only need to program in your scanners.
We can find national radio services offering business solutions
==================================== Frequency bands used (US) (In MHz)
229 - GMRS - General Mobile Radio Service
Episode 229
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 • Duration 40:49
GMRS is a personal radio service that you and your family can use or you. It's a great time to get your license if you haven't gotten one already because the FCC last month has dropped the price to $35 for a 10-year license.
What You Need To Know
GMRS is a family Radio service
The license covers you and your family, and you can use a single license to talk to each other.
General Mobile Radio service sits in the UHF spectrum in the United States
These frequencies are intertwined or even the same as FRS.
On most frequencies, you can use higher power than FRS users if you are licensed to use GMRS
You can use your GMRS license to communicate with anyone on FRS.
GMRS allows you to use Repeaters to extend your range
Some repeaters are open to all users, others are closed to an organization, while others may be for private use.
In 2017, the FCC expanded GMRS to allow short data messaging applications, including text messaging and GPS location information, to be sent over GMRS frequencies.
GMRS is analog and never encrypted give you something you can monitor with any scanner radio on the market
There are versions of GMRS in many countries so GMRS is not limited to just the US.
Every month I answer your questions on the podcast.
If you have a question you would like me to answer, please leave me a voicemail at 516-308-2885 or by visiting www.scannerschool.com/ask
Don't forget to join us on YouTube on the first Tuesday of every month for our live Q&A session. Click here to Subscribe!
Questions answered on this week's podcast
Wayne has a few questions about CTCSS and PL Tones
Dennis is looking for tips about setting up a scanner at a remote location
Gary would like to know when to use the "Force Write Database to Scanner" option when programming his scanner in Sentinel
Roger is looking for information about filters in the SDS series scanners
====================================
🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community
====================================
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
227 - Is this the end of the scanner radio hobby?
Episode 227
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 • Duration 45:03
Have we reached the end of the scanner radio hobby?
I know many feel this way due to encryption and a lack of new scanner radio models being released.
However, this hobby has been around for decades and there is no reason why we can't enjoy this hobby in some form or another for decades to come.
Some Feel / Think:
Live feeds are killing the hobby
Many agencies will be going encrypted to keep people from listening
Scanners are becoming too much money due to simulcast
Other agencies are going off radio and onto IP solutions
Manufacturers won't invest in scanners due to widespread encryption
UK laws and going fully encrypted is the future in the US
Current chip shortages hurt hobby
Lack of interest from whistler
How is might be wrong
There will always be skeptics
Some aren't happy unless they are making noise and being negative
There will always be something to listen to
Secrets are in the searches – what else is out there to hear?
What can we listen to now that should always be there?
Aviation
Rails
Ham
CB
GMRS
Businesses
DMR / NXDN Systems
Utilities
Security Firms
My Thoughts
Resurrection of the hobby due to new hardware and interest
Software Defined Radios are introducing more people to the hobby
They get into it because it's something to do with a computer
Learn about NOAA weather satellite reception
Opens them to more projects and learning opportunities
Manufacturers will continue to make low end analog only scanners as they have for years
226 - Social Media and Scanning
Episode 226
Tuesday, April 19, 2022 • Duration 01:17:45
In today's podcast, we are going to talk with our special guest Esteban Reyes. Esteban is a Tik Tok creator who helps people with scanner radio hobby, and he is here today to talk about how social media and scanning go together.
You can find Eteban on TikTok under the username 626HawkEye
What You Need To Know
Social media is an important tool when it comes to bringing people together online.
It gives people access to others who share the same interests, beliefs, and thoughts.
Tik Tok was used to be for kids, but now you can find a ton of short educational form content over on Tik Tok.
Many radio operators on social media share their thoughts and ideas about scanner radio hobby and what they love to do with their radios.
Esteban has been creating TikTok videos for some time to teach others about the scanner radio hobby.
Esteban came to scanner radio hobby back in 2005 or 2006 as an interest in security in Los Angeles.
Tik Tok is more personal social platform because you get to see the person talking or doing something.
You can easilty interact between audience and creater
Tik Tok is very personal because it's very raw. When you go over to YouTube, you expect a steady camera, a little bit of editing, and a good microphone, but when you are on Tik Tok, simple expectation is handheld phone in your face, which makes it easy to get into.
Esteban sees scanner programming questions more on social platforms, and there are people that will walk you through the comments or private messages until you get it.
There are people in the social media groups already that are familiar with scanners, and these groups can help you, either get into the hobby or help you with your scanner if you have problems.
There are a lot of different layers in the scanners, and it's not as simple as turning switches off and on anymore, and we can see how a lot of people get very frustrated with it.
One of the things Esteban enjoy is seeing other people's radio shacks and even antenna ideas. There are several ways you can set up your radios, from having a custom-built rack to getting scanner master cell racks for radios.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2024 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
The East Bay regional communication system is primarily located within the East Bay and the San Francisco Bay region. It covers Contra Costa County, Alameda County, and some small parts of Solano County.
Garret has been trying to understand how the fire dispatch talk groups are geographically dispatched.
So far, Garret has only been primarily using a scanner to monitor and outline each trunk system he monitors.
Eventually, Garret would like to start logging the systems with computer software to see more information about how each system is used.
==================================== 🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community
====================================
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
All session notes with links to the items we talked about can be found on our website at
https://www.scannerschool.com/session229
#podcast
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
Top of the line scanners today will become mainstream designs and hardware, dropping the overall costs as time goes on.
Pandemic had people dusting off old hobbies and picking up new ones
Conclusion:
Scanning is following the same course as other hobbies
As technology changes, we see changes in scanning.
No More crystals
Evolution of Motorola Trunking
Inclusion of EDACS and LTR
Eventual support of P25 phase 1
Support for phase 2
NXDN and DMR
Simulcast
Will Tetra come to the next evolution of scanners?
Scanning will continue to be here for years and decades to come, as long as there is something out there to listen to.
====================================
🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community
====================================
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
Join our FREE Discord server and connect with other Scanner Radio Users!
By using Discord, a free, multi-platform community portal, you can now be part of the Scanner Radio Discussion!
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
====================================
🎓 Check out our online courses
====================================
Our free Software Defined Radio course will have you up and running with a SDR in a weekend.
Upgrade to our Advanced Course, and learn how to setup SDR Software like a pro.
🔗 https://www.courses.scannerschool.com
====================================
⚠️ I want to answer your questions
====================================
I am always looking to answer your scanner radio question.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please leave me a voicemail with your question:
📞 516-308-2885
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/ask
====================================
🏆 Thank you Patreon Supporters
====================================
Thank you to all monthly Patreon Supporters.
Supporting the podcast can be done for as little as $1 per month.
Supporters at the $3 and $5 level will receive the podcast without the middle commercial break.
Supporters at the $5 level not only receive the podcast early, but they also get access to discount codes, monthly zoom meetings, and Squelchy sticker packs.
🔗 Join our Patreon program at https://www.scannerschool.com/patreon
====================================
🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
====================================
We are live once a month on YouTube to answer your questions. 2022 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
