Do you have a scanner app on your phone? You need one.

[PNWguy]

We had one installed on our work phone and I found it very useful, so I downloaded the app to my personal phone.

How it works is it allows you to tune in to nearly any police frequency in the country. What is really handy, however, is that it alerts you when a certain number of people have tuned into a certain police agency's frequency, which means that something major is happening in the area.

For instance, about an hour ago, I was busy cleaning my house when I got an alert that over 13k people were listening to the Virginia Beach PD frequency. I hit a button and I was then listening live to police clearing the municipal building where an active shooter situation was happening.

All locations have a set number before you get alerted. You can go in and customize certain locations to a lower or higher number of listeners.

For instance, I was getting alerts every Friday and Saturday night for Chicago because over 5k people were tuning in pretty much every weekend, so I increased the number of listeners before I got an alert to 10k.

I also tuned my local frequencies to alert me when more than 100 or so people are tuning in due to the much smaller number of folks around here.

Pretty much every major disaster or shooting that has happened the past couple of years, I know about it before it hits the media.

The app I use is Scanner Radio...

Scanner Radio (APK) - Free Download

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[DB is Here]

Interesting, I've seen other apps like this that only cater to larger Metropolitan areas...this one sounds better, I'll check it out.

 

[Rickenbacher39]

We have enough bad news in the area I live in.
I am suppose to tune into the Chicago police band for even more exciting bad news?
Hmmm.
Color me skeptical.

 

[OldTengu]

I've been using the scanner radio app for some time. Great app.

 

[PNWguy]

We have enough bad news in the area I live in.
I am suppose to tune into the Chicago police band for even more exciting bad news?
Hmmm.
Color me skeptical.

The point is that you are notified when a disaster is happening in your area and then allows you to listen to emergency personnel on the ground so you know exactly what is going on.

 

[DuneHopper]

I use scanner radio pro, its pretty good and has settings for areas you pick to be notified.

 

[CountryGent]

Yes, I've got a couple on my phone. I don't use it unless something is going down locally though.

 

[Kruel J]

@PNWguy thanks for the recommendation! I downloaded it and listened to my local sheriff on the way home from work. Pretty cool!

 

[No_Regerts]

Curious if it picks up the digital encrypted stuff like what WSP uses.

 

[Kruel J]

Curious if it picks up the digital encrypted stuff like what WSP uses.

Meh, listening to speeding tickets being given out is boring.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I just go by smoke signals.

 

[Alexx1401]

Curious if it picks up the digital encrypted stuff like what WSP uses.

No, I have one of the "better" scanners that I bought when the locals went Digital. I also use the app Broadcastify so I can listen with just the phone. NOTHING encrypted can be heard. To even try to make receiver to read the "key" is illegal. There is a lot of digital that is not encrypted though. Tacoma went first digital here, then the county. The dispatch is still free to listen too. WSP dispatch is still open. Seldom listen to them unless they start helping with a chase that gets close.
I listen in the car as it often helps me avoid an area where there has been a wreck.

 

[BWH]

you all need to get scanner app and listen to pdx PD in the mornings, 5am to 6:30 ish...they dont take pursuit, they deal mostly with "slumpers" in cars and doorways. lots of homeless and tweaker issues, tons of mental stuff. very entertaining at times.

 

[gryghin]

Thanks for sharing. I think it's a great idea to set the threshold for when things are going sideways.

I've been saving up Google rewards for different apps and games.

 

[Alexx1401]

Thanks for sharing. I think it's a great idea to set the threshold for when things are going sideways.

I've been saving up Google rewards for different apps and games.

For a scanner you don't have to pay anything. They have some that are a paid version, not sure what they do any better as all I use is the free and works great. I do pay the Radio Reference Forum, which is part of the Broadcastify thing. I pay them for access to some help I needed a few times. The newer scanners are far and beyond me. First time I bought one I could not make it work trying to follow their directions. Almost sent it back then discovered the RR forum. They got me going. Then I found they also archive all the traffic for I think a year. Now that has come in handy for showing someone later the recording of some calls. That I tend to let expire until I need something. Then when I do I will throw them the $15 to up my membership again.