police radio frequencies Archives - Page 2 of 2

Who would tune in to a police scanner? Surprisingly, a lot of people dial that frequency all over the world. It’s simply a matter of finding a scanner website that you enjoy. Then it’s a simple matter of searching for the state, county or even the country you want to tune into. So if you want to tune in to the Baltimore police scanner, you can do it absolutely free.

Many different people use scanners to keep track of crime, traffic, loved ones and even current events. While awareness of their usefulness jumped up during the Boston Manhunt, around the world many people have been listening to scanners for years. Enough so that countries like Australia actually have rules banning people from listening in.

If you’re curious, it’s easy to begin listening in. The first thing you should do is make sure you have a high-speed Internet connection and a working computer with the ability to run the latest software. Many of the websites below require the latest plug-ins to run properly and to make your user experience as bug-free as possible. Most of these sites run well on Macs or PCs.

You may want to site with sites like Broadcastify.com or Radio Reference will help you find live feeds all over the US. These sites specialize in radio feeds that include Internet radio, news and even encourage users to self-broadcast.

Public safety feeds are easy to find just by typing keywords in the search bar. Press enter and you have access not just to Baltimore’s police scanner, but emergency services, firefighters and even air traffic. You can refine your search so you can listen in to specific precincts or even specific stations. There are times that a little knowledge comes in handy and can save you a lot of time.

Another free avenue you might want to consider is downloading scanner apps into your smartphone. Both Android and Apple offer scanner apps for free. Applications like 5-0 Police Scanner Lite are free and offer extra features if you choose to go with the paid version. Police Scanner + Free is another similarly designed application. Both of these apps are available from the App Store. Android offers Police Scanner from Google Play, which consistently has the highest reviews of all the free apps. Just don’t be tempted to use this in the car, as most states frown on using one while you drive. (You have to avoid that speeding ticket somehow).

Amateur radio hobbyists may also enjoy sites like the DXZone and ScannerMaster.com. They’ll help you take your radio hobby a step further. ScannerMaster, for example, lists where you can acquire actual police scanners or radios. Before you take that step, make sure you know if your local laws frown on having an physical scanner in your possession.

Listening to a police scanner can give you a new appreciation of what goes on in law enforcement. Not only that, it can even help you keep track of what’s going on right in your backyard.

Are you looking for follow breaking news in Boston as it happens? It could be that you simply want to know what goes on in your neighborhood, keep track of traffic or even updated weather forecasts. It makes it easy to keep tabs on loved ones who work in law enforcement. Other people use police scanners to keep track of firefighters, EMT and even mundane traffic reports. Police scanners aren’t limited to cops — most sites also have access to EMS, railroad and even aircraft databases.

It’s so easy, you don’t even need to download the software to tune into a Boston police scanner. All you need is a reasonable Internet connection and updated browsers. Make sure your software is up-to-date as this will affect your streaming experience.

Before you start listening, make sure possessing police scanners or scanner software isn’t a legal issue in your state. In many states, the only time a police scanner borders on illegal is if you possess one in your car. The laws are not clear about mobile applications. In Boston, for example, using a police scanner isn’t illegal nor do you need a license to operate or own one.

However, citizens tuning into scanner sites and live-tweeting events as the Boston marathon unfolded have complicated matters. Boston police temporarily took the frequencies offline to avoid misinformation. While this has not currently led to any changes in legislation, Boston citizens may want to keep a look out. The incident also brought public police scanners into the public eye.

Meanwhile, you can easily tune in to free sites like RadioReference.com when you feel an urge to listen to public safety feeds. Simply search for Boston in the handy custom search and listen in. Radio Reference is one of the oldest scanner sites around. It’s also generally considered to be one of the most complete. It also lets you tune in to frequencies worldwide. It offers plenty of information for the casual hobbyist or the hardcore enthusiast, including user forums and plenty of tech information.

Broadcastify is a site that allows you not only to listen in to audio feeds, but broadcast them too. The user interface is extremely easy to use. All you have to do is search for Boston or select it from their handy map. The site’s streamlined design is easy on the eyes and you can continually switch from one feed to another. The only downside of the site is that too much traffic can slow it down.

UStream is another handy site to bookmark on your browser. While UStream mostly caters to live video streams and broadcasts, you can listen to Boston police scanners on this site. It’s not as user-friendly as Radio Reference and you may have to experiment with search terms and go deeper into the site to find what you want. The upside is that UStream offers more than just scanners and you can chat with like-minded people while finding out what’s going down in the fine city of Boston.

These are just a few of the sites that offer free access to Boston police scanners. You’re sure to find a go-to site that you enjoy. Happy listening!