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.
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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.
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🛒 Check out our new Merch!
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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.
🔗
335 - Ask Scanner School v70
Episode 335
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 • Duration 57:28
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
Questions answered on this week's podcast
SDS100 channel labels & alpha tags
BCD436HP SD card error
Whistler Group & SDS150 release
King County, WA scanner recommendations
Brevard County, FL
P25 scanner options
Sentinel & .NET install concerns
Home Patrol 2 not receiving
Scanner programming hierarchy
996P2 vs 536HP for digital
SDS150 or other scanner?
Detroit PD reception issues
Discone antenna advice
Magnetic antenna for CDM1250
Paid scanner buying help
NYPD trunking/encryption
NXDN multi-site scanning
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🛒 Links
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Here are links to the products we mentioned in the podcast. Some of these links may be affiliate links and Scanner School may earn a small commission if you use these links.
334 - Radio Waves and Rescue Missions: How Scanners and Radios Aid in Disaster Recovery
Episode 334
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 • Duration 57:37
Phil sits down with Justin Kistner, a lifelong radio enthusiast and experienced storm chaser.
Discover Justin's journey from his first analog Bearcat scanner in the mid-90s to navigating the complexities of today's advanced digital systems.
Whether you are curious about the evolution of the hobby or looking for practical advice on monitoring public safety communications, this conversation bridges the gap between the nostalgic days of analog and the cutting-edge reality of modern scanning.
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🛒 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.
Once upon a time, we only had analog trunked radio systems. These systems all had analog voice talk groups.
These systems included Motorola Type I, Motorola Type IIi, Motorola Type II, EDACS, and LTR systems.
Today, we are living in a digital trunked environment, where there are no analog voice channels. All voice is done using a form of digital modulation. These systems include P25, DMR, and NXDN.
But, we had an in between. This is where we had digital talk groups on an analog trunked system. On a Motorola Type II system, we could find P25 talk groups. On EDACS systems, we'd find ProVoice talk groups.
This podcast will discuss analog and digital systems, and explain why our older P25 scanners like a Uniden BC785D will not work on today's P25 Trunked 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.
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.
325 - SRU104 - LCN vs CC Only Trunked Systems
Episode 325
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 • Duration 12:09
There are two distinct flavors of trunked radio systems that we need to be aware of when programming our scanners.
There are systems that require that every frequency for each site be programmed into their pre-determined channel number, and those that do not.
Systems that require every frequency be programmed into our scanners in their designated sequence are Logical Channel Numbered systems and include EDACS, LTR, and all flavors of DMR.
Control channel only systems only require the control channels to be programmed into our scanners, as those systems have a predetermined channel mapping as part of their system protocol. These systems include Motorola Type II systems and P25 Trunked systems.
However, don't let "Control Channel Only" fool you. There is a best practice that you should be aware of that most miss when programming your scanners. We cover that and more in this week's podcast.
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🛒 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.
🔗 https://scannerschool.myspreadshop.com/
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🎙 Join our new Scanner Radio Community
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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!
333 - Ask Scanner School v69
Episode 333
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 • Duration 15:28
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
This month, we are pulling questions that were asked via our Facebook Group.
Questions answered on this week's podcast
1. What height should my antenna be on my tower?
2. How do I stop my scanner from stopping on a weather channel?
3. How can I adjust the contrast and visibility on my SDS100 scanner?
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🛒 Affiliate Links
====================================
Here are affiliate links to the products we mentioned in the podcast. Scanner School may earn a small commission if you use these links.
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
This month, we are pulling questions that were asked via our Facebook Group.
Questions answered on this week's podcast
1. Is this an issue with simulcast? 2. Can You Scan Brandmeister or TGIF Talk Groups? 3. Finding information about Lehigh PA's New TRS 4. What does AI mean for the Scanner Hobby?
====================================
🛒 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.
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.
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.
Chat real time, share photos, ask questions, and give feedback to other's in chat.
🔗 https://www.scannerschool.com/discord
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🎓 Check out our online courses
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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
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⚠️ I want to answer your questions
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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
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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
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🎥 Subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel
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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
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.
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.
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
====================================
2024 will be the year of Video for Scanner School Be ready for the upcoming videos by subscribing now to our YouTube channel
