Time for a new scanner
By fwidman
@fwidman (11514)
United States
January 5, 2009 12:44am CST
My old desktop scanner has seen much better days. It is about ten years old so I shall not complain about it slowly dying 
So, I thought, what the heck, I should treat myself to a new scanner. Off to Ebay I went. I found, and bought, the scanner in the photo. A Realistic Pro-34 VHF 200 Channel Direct Entry 
I used to have a handheld a long, long time ago, but it walked out of my house thanks to a relative and I didn't replace it. I always meant to replace it but found other things to spend my money on I guess. But now, it's time 
The scanner isn't new, but it was pretty well priced. I got it for forty bucks, including shipping!
How about you? Do you enjoy listening to the local police and fire departments? How about other things that can be heard on a scanner?
So, I thought, what the heck, I should treat myself to a new scanner. Off to Ebay I went. I found, and bought, the scanner in the photo. A Realistic Pro-34 VHF 200 Channel Direct Entry
I used to have a handheld a long, long time ago, but it walked out of my house thanks to a relative and I didn't replace it. I always meant to replace it but found other things to spend my money on I guess. But now, it's time The scanner isn't new, but it was pretty well priced. I got it for forty bucks, including shipping!
How about you? Do you enjoy listening to the local police and fire departments? How about other things that can be heard on a scanner?1 person likes this
12 responses
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
5 Jan 09
Hi fwidman,
I won't what that meant as I am failey new to these computer gadget, my friend littleowl had to do my webcam as I haven't a clue about them so nope, I don't know what is a scanner for listening to local police or fire department.
Tamara
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
5 Jan 09
A scanner for listening to police is a special radio that listens in on certain frequencies that are used by police and fire departments as well as other services. They used to be really popular but have fallen out of style. Maybe people are too busy playing online and not listening to radios of any kind much any more.
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
6 Jan 09
Hi fwidman,
Yes I remember in the old days peaple listening in to them but I thought that is illegal but I have just found out it is not, yes you are right peole these days are to busy ith their computers to listen to radios while they are downloadeing music from therir computers. Thanks.
Tamara
@abhi_destar (764)
• India
5 Jan 09
Hello, fwidman. It's a long time after which I'm back here, though I've constantly kept a check on your varying avatars, lol. Well, coming to your discussion, I really don't like the jarring sound of those police scanners. I have a lot of more soothing things to listen to. And it's not that so many interesting things usually go on in our city. So it'll be a wastage of money here.
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
5 Jan 09
The noise can be bothersome for some. I have been listening to radio noises since I was a kid so I guess they just don't annoy me anymore. Years ago, the scanner was fairly quiet around my city, but as the city has grown so has the crime. Be thankful hardly anything interesting happens where you live
@camomom (7535)
• United States
6 Jan 09
No, I don't enjoy listening because, with my luck, it would be something bad happening to someone close to me, like a family member.
@lorelei1622 (329)
• United States
7 Jan 09
I've never owned one myself, but when I was about 15 my dad had one and it caused us kids so much trouble! My brothers (ages 18-26) and my older sister (16 at the time) were caught so many times it was actually funny, usually just silly stuff, but there was the night my sister decided to "borrow" the letters from a semi-local hotel sign and, being drunk at 16, standing on the roof of her car at midnight, taking the letters from the sign was not the smartest move she ever made. My dad was dressed and ready when the police department called for him to come down and get her. Great tool for parents of teens, but definitely not a teen's best friend!
1 person likes this
@hildas (3031)
•
7 Jan 09
I would love one of these. I really must seem stupid but I have never heard of them before and after reading the discussions from others before this, tuning into police and private things outside would be very entertaining.
I am going to go on ebay and buy one for the hubby. He would love something like this also.
I hope it arrives safely and quickly for you. Enjoy your new Scanner. I though at first it was a computer scanner thing until I read on.
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
7 Jan 09
Nope, not stupid at all Just from reading the comments left on this discussion you can easily see which ones of us have our mind wrapped around computers, as several people talked about computer scanners.
Police scanners can be lots of fun to listen to, as are the fire departments. It's amazing just how busy these people are, compared to how they might be perceived since most people just see them driving around town seemingly doing nothing. They really do earn their salaries
Just from reading the comments left on this discussion you can easily see which ones of us have our mind wrapped around computers, as several people talked about computer scanners.
Police scanners can be lots of fun to listen to, as are the fire departments. It's amazing just how busy these people are, compared to how they might be perceived since most people just see them driving around town seemingly doing nothing. They really do earn their salaries 1 person likes this
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
5 Jan 09
I don't have a scanner. Is it like a kind of amateur radio? Once I had a handheld one but I had to sell it. I wanted to obtain an amateur radio license. At that time there was the introduction of the internet in my island and the fervor for the internet phenomena took over the amateur radio passion.
(c) ronaldinu 2009 - the more people I meet-the more I love my dog
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
5 Jan 09
You should have gotten your amateur radio license my friend. I tried to do that a few times but am unable to comprehend morse code so I failed. But I can still listen to these folks talk and that can be interesting as well. The internet can be fun, but I cannot always be online, sometimes my wife and child want to be here and they leave me no choice but to leave the chair
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
5 Jan 09
Wow you did well at that price. I also bought a police scanner on Ebay but I paid over one hundred dollars which is still cheaper than I'd have to pay out here.
@littleowl (7157)
•
6 Jan 09
Hi fwidman, I don't have a scanner as yet but do have a printer which is about 10yrs old so am thinking of treating myself to a new one this year, they are actually going rather cheap here in the UK included with a scanner so may well get one of those it is my birthday at the end of the month so hopefully will get it then...but the main reason I wanted a scanner is because I thought you could scan photos of your computer...is that right?...littleowl
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
6 Jan 09
The scanner you are talking about, that goes to the computer, can be used for scanning pictures so that you can save them on the computer or on a disc, yes
The scanner that I bought is a radio, solely for listening to the police and fire people and anyone else that uses higher frequencies, like businesses
The scanner that I bought is a radio, solely for listening to the police and fire people and anyone else that uses higher frequencies, like businesses 1 person likes this
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
5 Jan 09
Never really listened to one. I remember having a CB when I was a kid but that's about as far as I went.
@suzzy3 (8341)
•
5 Jan 09
We used to have a CB craze in England and so many people used to go on these things listening in to the police and emergency services they blocked the air waves and ruined the tv signal so nobody bothers anymore,I think you have to have a license in this country now for one of those.I have no interest in listening to the airwaves myself but if you do fair play.Glad to see you have got a scanner and at a good price as well.We have had a scanner for twelve years and shows no sign of packing up{touch wood}famous last words.
