> Hello There,   
      
    > How popular is the use of scanning radios these days?   
       
      
   It depends on you area. A lot of areas have went to digital formats like P25,   
   thus taking a very expensive radio to listen.    
      
   Some areas have went to encrypted when they went to P25, thus making it   
   unmonitorable, period.   
      
   Some systems use things like ProVocie which is MONITORABLE via things like   
   dsd.libimbe etc.. and could be used in the newer scanners BUT the details of   
   the data for the voice and stuff is not released to the public. Its creators   
   are very anti scanner.   
      
   GRE now Whistler is even cracking the digital LMR market by  offering to   
   breakdown a lot of the digital LMR systems like MotoTRBO etc. that took a good   
   portion of the radio shops system digital.   
      
   Some areas are still using plain analog V|UHF and thus can be monitored easily.   
      
   And there is a lot of people who have no radios and listen via table, cell   
   phone via applications like Scanner Radio.   
   --- SBBSecho 3.00-Win32   
    * Origin: Stepping Stone BBS - telnet://vintagebbsing.com (1:298/25)