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!