The old thing is still working like a champ. My dad and I picked it out around 1985 and it still works like a champ. Fully programmable 10 channel Uniden Bearcat. Then went on the intraweb for frequencies. Got it set up and started to check it out. Then I realized that the codes that the '50' were throwing me were not familiar. Instead of the 10 codes they were using 21 and 22 codes. (example 21-35, 22-44, etc..)
I don't recognize these codes and cannot find them on the net. I was wondering if any one knew what they were. Not these here but in general. I did see somewhere that the FCC is stepping in and going to control what the public can listen to on scanners on Thursday, but I don't believe some of the things I see on this thing. (but who knows any more about the way things are going)
For a small town of Frankfort there's is some busy shlit going on but would like to get some offence info. I hate being so nosy but it will be in the paper in a few days, so what the hell. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />
Plus I have a lot of customers here in town so it will be nice to let the office if someone is hurt or in trouble (not arrested though). <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />
Any one else into scanners here and anybodies town or county into the 21 or 22 codes?

never heard of them our county uses 10-codes, Seattle uses their own incident codes...not sure about the smaller towns...

It wouldn't surprise me if local jurisdictions had their own codes. 10 codes are not universal. Our fire department covers a portion of two states/counties. Neither county has the same 10 codes. For example, 10-17 in Macon county NC means "en route", while in Rabun county GA it means "armed robbery". You will probably have to work locally to find out what the 21 and 22 codes mean.

Can you go to the department and ask? I don't know if they frown on that or not? I wouldn't think so but....????

I really think you should expand on this statement.

They'd frown on it because of the fact that someone can desert or hid their illegal activity.

There's pretty much 2 types of folks up here who listen to scanners- the tow truck drivers and the drug dealers.

I'm not sure what the FCC is going to do, but it would likely have to do with affecting future scanner design. There's not much they can do to current recievers. They might have a law, but it's not practical to enforce. Sort of like when they made it illegal to listen to the old analog cell phone calls.

I'm sure they could figure out ways to scramble things on the transmit side though, although it would be less than cost effective. Many larger departments are doing a lot of dispatching over computers even from car to car, so radio chatter is way down except for emergencies.

As far as codes, as everyone said, they can vary widely, but the feds are trying to convince departments, police and fire and any other emergency responder and even private companies that may have emergency responsders to go to a plain language system. The idea being that all responders will not revert to a code system that other responders can't understand during a wide area event or emergency.

I will go to the Ky St PD and see if I can give me any info on the codes. I don't know how it will go but I have a foot in the door considering I take care of their HVAC/R. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />
As far as the FCC thing, I was all over the net looking for frequencies and codes. It was something I saw and didn't bug me till after the fact. I just thought air waves/FCC, they patrol it. But that is what it mentioned, that they were changing something Thursday. just seeing if anyone knew any thing about it. Hell it might be old news as it did give an exact date, just Thursday. I cannot find it any again.

Many if not most cities or states have their own variants of the 10 codes..

This is a good forum to find out the deal in your state.. http://www.radioreference.com/forums/ There is a section for each state.

Some states have laws prohibiting the use of scanners in vehicles, but those laws must include an exception for licensed radio amateurs as that operation is regulated solely by federal law enforced by the FCC. That legal mechanism is known as federal pre-emption (of cities, states, rights to regulate) in areas that it is decided will be regulated solely by federal law. My mobile amateur radio will essentially pick up from DC to Daylight (well almost, 30mhz to 1ghz) excepting analog cellular frequencies which is restricted by separate federal law.

This capability has been used for public service by hams being asked to Foxhunt (or locate) transmitters interfering with licensed commercial, public safety or amateur frequencies. Our club has done training on this and has used it on one instance to find leaking cable TV service (which usually results from illegal taps). Since cable TV services can be hit with serious fines,since for example some channels on cable are in the aviation band which could cause havoc, they were very cooperative in repairing the problem when reported.

The FCC does impose legal limitations and can prosecute with federal charges on what you can DO WITH information heard on scanners and other equipment. Obviously using that information to aid and abeit illegal activity is one.

Thats kinda what I was thinking. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />