Will Scanners Ever Become Obsolete?

[x635 4,066]

I was thinking.

10,20, maybe not even 30 years from now, do you think that scanners will become obsolete?

If so, how will the buff community, the media, professionals, and others who use scanners monitor?

Radioshack has basically killed most of its scanner line, as have many other companies. The only real dominant consumer-level scanner out there nowadays is Uniden- what happens if something happens to them? Does that mean the scanner industry is done as we know it, or will other companies step up?

Or do you think that there will always be some type of scanner on the market?

[CPAGE 2]

I would think with the way they make computers with tv and fm/am and now sattalite radio's on the web. You will be able to plug into the pc with a receiver card for scanning.

Just a pipe dream I'm sure but it sounds good.

Chris

[Scottyk107 9]

I think some day we will get blocked out by some type of encryption codes.

[FDNYDCHI 38]

you also have at least now Breaking New Network or other pay subscriptions pagers services.

[JetPhoto 626]

you also have at least now Breaking New Network or other pay subscriptions pagers services.

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BNN & 1st Responder Wireless News all rely on people with scanners to be able to put jobs out.

I think encryption is what will do scanners in or new laws.

Look at the SWN network NY is having put in place, thankfully most counties are not switching over to that for everyday operations. Most will use it as a inter county communications where they can patch channels together. but the object is these channels is they can not be monitored on any scanner and may never be able too since it's a proprietary system.

Only time will tell.

[Guest]

I'm kind of a moron when it comes to radio stuff, but just looking on the state site about the SWN it appears to me that this would be something utilized for a state-wide disaster and by state-wide agencies like the State Police, DOT, Thruway Authority, etc. Like i said, i don't know much about this, but from reading the FAQs on the site, it doesn't seem like this network is for local/county dispatch.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Scanners and other radio equipment will never become obsolete. The problem with scanners, whether it is Uniden, Radio Shack (GRE), ICOM, Relm, or AOR, have to realize what is enough!!!!. I miss the days where a simple 10 or 16 channel was all you needed, but now with trunk systems, APCO 25 digital systems and such, you still can make a simple scanner that can monitor everything!

Total encryption will never take hold and it is different than the APCO 25 digital transmission standard (digital is not encryption it can be monitored with the proper equipment, to hear encryption, listen to the Military Bands to hear the difference).

Paging services will never take the place of scanners either, why? Mainly because people's natural curiosity to listen into what is happening LIVE. Why do you think live webcasts of scanners took off so rapidly (The Bravest, ScanCT, Scan Mass) Plus to what started the paging trend? The old Radio Buff clubs like Citywide, AlarmBell, Box 51 and other buff groups that began using two-ways to call out alarms for their members to buff and photograph.

Heck I remember the day when Waterbury CT switched over to a LTR Multinet business radio system and people purchased two-way radios just to monitor that city since they had no re-broadcast capabilities off their old VHF-High system (that's another story for the rumor-ville section).

Yes there are systems out there that are being installed as the next best thing but in reality are they????? Look when the first Motorola, EADCS and LTR systems came out, Problems, same with Apco 25 digial truck standard.

The problem lies with the technology available to scanning and how manufacturers will meet that demand. though a smaller market, scanners are still here to stay. No need to worry. The problem is when will scanner manufacturers make it simple again.

[Billy 68]

It seems to me that scanner makers always come up with a way to keep up with new radio systems. Remember when trunking first came about? That was the end of scanning. That was overcome. Then it was digital encryption. That was overcome too. Whatever agencies do to block out scanner listeners are usually defeated. I don't believe new laws wil have any affect either. Who's going to enforce them and how?

[firecapt32 282]

As P.T. Barmun said " thers a a## for every seat" so as long as there are people willing to listen to scanners, there will be scanners.

I remember many yrs ago way too many- there were scanners that only had a channel or two. I remember my aunt listening to NT fire and NT police. she was the only one that had a scanner and she called us to tell us where the alarm was. god I miss those simple days.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Just so everyone doesn't get confused, Digital transmissions and encryption are two totally separate things.

Encryption have been around with the Fed Gov't and Police departments for several years and its intent is to block all tactical radio transmissions. It is not a standard or necessary to be utilized. To unscramble encrypted radio transmission is illegal.

Digital Radio Transmission (aka APCO-25) is a communications standards by which voice and sound is converted into ascii (aka computer 1's & 0's) and re-converted back into voice and sound with the intent of lessening the interference cause with analog (normal transmissions like two-ways run now). The draw back for digital comms is that there is a significant delay time in is converting the voice data when transmitting a receiving, usually 3 to 5 seconds total. Digital transmissions also free up more frequencies since there is relatively / minimal "bleed over" to other radio frequencies.

A lot of people confuse APCO-25 digital and encryption all the time but they area two separate things. APCO--25 was in no way created to block people from hearing what was being on a scanner, that was a misnomer.

[Guest]

I would think with the way they make computers with tv and fm/am and now sattalite radio's on the web. You will be able to plug into the pc with a receiver card for scanning.

Just a pipe dream I'm sure but it sounds good.

Chris

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Not a dream.

While it may not be a scanner as we know it, it does attach to your PC.

[attachmentid=1838]

PC controlled dual band, dualwatch, digital mode receiver

ICOM America

[Billy 68]

Just so everyone doesn't get confused, Digital transmissions and encryption are two totally separate things.

Encryption have been around with the Fed Gov't and Police departments for several years and its intent is to block all tactical radio transmissions.  It is not a standard or necessary to be utilized.  To unscramble encrypted radio transmission is illegal.

Digital Radio Transmission (aka APCO-25) is a communications standards by which voice and sound is converted into ascii (aka computer 1's & 0's) and re-converted back into voice and sound with the intent of lessening the interference cause with analog (normal transmissions like two-ways run now).  The draw back for digital comms is that there is a significant delay time in is converting the voice data when transmitting a receiving, usually 3 to 5 seconds total.  Digital transmissions also free up more frequencies since there is relatively / minimal "bleed over" to other radio frequencies.

A lot of people confuse APCO-25 digital and encryption all the time but they area two separate things.  APCO--25 was in no way created to block people from hearing what was being on a scanner, that was a misnomer.

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Thanks for that Izzy. I never thought of it that way. But that makes sense! They say you learn something new everyday......