How to Use a Police Scanner
Police scanners are designed to listen to emergency signals from not only police frequencies but ambulance and fire stations as well. Some people believe that only criminals would need to listen to police scanners, but in fact scanners are a convenient way to keep up with the day to day goings on in a city. They are also the perfect tool for journalists who want to be first on the scene when a crime or accident occurs.
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Things You'll Need
- Police scanner
- Municipality codes (the specific codes for your local emergency frequencies)
Instructions
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Find the scanner codes for your locality by using an Internet search engine.
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Program the codes into your scanner per the manufacturer's instructions.
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Set the scanner to scan.
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Adjust the squelch knob for the greatest clarity. The squelch knob is designed so that when turned up, only the strongest and closest signals can be heard.
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Listen to your scanner. It will provide you with information about incidents in your area. Having a knowledge of local police codes can be helpful in order to figure out what is actually happening.
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Tips & Warnings
There are normally two settings on police scanners. One is a set channel and the other is scan. Scan is used more often and usually contains more information.
If you do choose to go to a crime scene, do not interfere with the officers on the scene unless you are authorized to do so.
