Setting up a police scanner in your car can significantly enhance your situational awareness, whether you’re a public safety enthusiast, a journalist, or simply someone who likes to stay informed about local events. This article delves into creating an optimal car scanner setup, drawing from real-world experiences and offering actionable advice for improved performance.
My Car Police Scanner Setup: Hardware and Software
The foundation of any effective car scanner system lies in its hardware and software components. For mobile scanning, a robust and reliable setup is crucial to capture clear signals while on the move.
Antenna
The antenna is arguably the most critical part of your scanner setup. A high-quality, properly mounted antenna can make a world of difference in signal reception. For my setup, I chose the Larsen NMO150/450/758 trunk-mounted antenna. This multi-band antenna is designed to cover a broad range of frequencies, making it versatile for scanning various services. The trunk mount provides a solid ground plane, which is essential for antenna performance.
Trunk mounted antenna for car police scanner
The antenna is connected via RG85U coaxial cable, chosen for its low signal loss, especially important for longer cable runs in a vehicle. The cable runs discreetly to the passenger side, terminating at the scanner unit.
Scanner Unit & Software
For the scanner itself, I use the Uniden SDS-100. This handheld scanner is known for its digital decoding capabilities and excellent performance in trunked radio systems, which are common for public safety communications.
The SDS-100 is connected to a Panasonic CF-19 Laptop running ProScan software. ProScan is a powerful tool for scanner logging, recording, and data management. It allows for detailed tracking of channels, tone-outs, and other relevant information. While other logging methods exist, ProScan offers a user-friendly interface and comprehensive features that suit my needs.
In addition to ProScan, Sentinel Software is used for the primary programming and setup of the SDS-100. Sentinel is invaluable for managing frequencies, importing databases, customizing the display, and updating scanner firmware. However, for daily use and detailed adjustments to favorites lists, visual and audio settings, ProScan offers a more intuitive experience.
Audio Enhancement
Clear audio is paramount for effectively monitoring scanner traffic, especially in a noisy car environment. An external speaker can significantly improve audio clarity and volume.
External Speaker
To boost audio output, I incorporated a Bearcat BC23A amplified external speaker. This speaker is well-regarded in the scanner community for its sound quality and amplification. One key feature that attracted me to the BC23A was its automatic power-off function, which helps conserve power.
Considering modifications to enhance the speaker further, I discovered online discussions about disabling the auto-off and increasing the speaker’s gain. I opted for professional modification services from NightFire Electronics, LLC to apply both modifications. This proved to be a worthwhile investment, as the modified speaker delivers exceptional audio performance in the car.
Volume and Clarity
The modified Bearcat BC23A speaker provides audio that easily cuts through typical vehicle noise, including conversations and music. The speaker’s volume is controlled via the SDS-100’s knob, offering convenient adjustment. Typically, a volume setting of around 10 (out of 15 on the SDS-100) is more than sufficient, demonstrating the speaker’s powerful output.
Area Scanning and Frequency Selection
Effective scanning requires a strategic approach to frequency selection, focusing on relevant transmissions within your desired monitoring area.
Researching Local Frequencies
To determine which frequencies to scan, I conducted thorough research into the communications landscape of Okaloosa County, Florida. Using a radius finder tool overlaid on a map, I visualized a 50-mile radius around my location, understanding that a more realistic scanning range is typically 20-30 miles, with 50 miles being the maximum under ideal conditions.
Resources like RadioReference.com and online forums are invaluable for identifying active frequencies and systems within a specific area. I consulted these databases to compile a list of frequencies for public safety, fire departments, EMS, and other services of interest in Okaloosa County.
System Configuration
With a frequency list compiled, I organized them into systems within the scanner. For each system, I configured a 5-second hold time and 0ms digital waiting time. This configuration, as recommended by experienced scanner users, aims to prevent missed transmissions and avoid clipping the beginning of broadcasts. A 5-second channel hold is also applied, based on observation of typical response times during incidents. This ensures that replies are captured without unnecessary channel hopping.
Currently, my setup scans approximately 90 frequencies across three systems, covering a range of departments and services in the Okaloosa County area.
User Interface and Display Preferences
The scanner’s display and user interface play a crucial role in ease of use and information accessibility, especially in a mobile environment.
Visual Setup
The SDS-100’s display offers customizable graph displays for RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) and noise levels. While these graphs are visually appealing, focusing on the numeric noise level is often more informative for signal analysis. The display also provides real-time indicators for recording (REC) and active CTCSS tones. Lower battery and noise indicators are displayed in white for quick visual recognition.
Information Displayed
My display layout is customized to prioritize the information most relevant to my scanning activities. This includes:
- TGID (Talkgroup ID) / Frequency: Identifies the source of the transmission.
- Volume / Squelch (SQL): Indicates audio levels and squelch settings.
- CTCSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System): Shows active tones.
- RSSI / Noise: Provides signal strength and noise level readings.
This customized display arrangement enhances situational awareness and allows for quick assessment of signal quality and activity.
Optimizing Scanner Filters
Filter settings can significantly impact scanner performance, particularly in noisy RF environments. Experimenting with different filter settings is essential to find the optimal configuration for your location.
Filter Settings Experimentation
The SDS-100 offers global filter settings that apply to all frequencies. Initially, the global auto filter was set to “Normal.” However, based on recommendations from online forums, I experimented with different settings. “Wide Normal” provided a slight improvement over “Normal.”
Impact on Reception
Surprisingly, disabling the global filters entirely (“Off” setting) yielded the most noticeable improvement in reception and signal quality. With filters off, signal clipping and dropped transmissions were significantly reduced. Currently, the global filter setting remains “Off” as the primary configuration, with “Wide-Normal” as a secondary option for specific situations.
Future optimization plans include experimenting with individual frequency-specific filter settings to fine-tune reception for particular channels. Monitoring noise levels and RSSI will continue to guide filter adjustments.
Addressing Common Questions & Seeking Further Improvement
Even with a well-configured setup, there’s always room for refinement. Common questions among scanner enthusiasts often revolve around signal amplification and antenna selection.
Signal Amplifiers
A frequent question is whether signal amplifiers can improve scanner reception. While amplifiers can boost signal strength, they can also amplify noise, potentially negating any benefits, especially with sensitive scanners like the SDS series. In many cases, optimizing antenna placement and using high-quality coaxial cable are more effective strategies than relying on signal amplifiers.
Antenna Types and Signal Quality
Antenna selection is a critical factor in scanner performance. The Larsen NMO150/450/758 triple-band antenna is a good all-around choice. However, for focused scanning within specific frequency bands (like VHF/UHF, which are common for public safety), a dedicated dual-band or even single-band antenna might offer improved performance.
The original post inquired about the impact of switching to a dual-band, high-gain antenna. While a higher gain antenna can increase signal strength, it may also narrow the reception pattern. Experimenting with different antenna types and lengths is recommended to find the optimal balance between gain, coverage, and practicality for a car setup. Antenna height is also a significant factor – a higher antenna generally provides better range and a clearer line of sight.
In conclusion, setting up a police scanner in your car involves careful consideration of hardware, software, audio, frequency selection, and filter optimization. Experimentation and continuous refinement are key to achieving the best possible scanning experience. Sharing experiences and seeking advice from the scanner community are invaluable resources for ongoing improvement and optimization.
