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Good Scanner (Radio) recommendations?
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autotecha
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Nov 11, 2011, 11:06 PM
Post #1 of 16
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Good Scanner (Radio) recommendations?
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I carry a scanner in one of my service vehicles to monitor police and fire activities. I want to get one for each vehicle and was wondering if anybody here has any good recommendations. The State Patrol and EMS will announce over the air that there is a vehicle broken down at whereever and this is a way to get business for me and local towing companies. Currently I carry a handheld but want a vehicle mounted one. My cheap, Uniden works ok I guess for basics but want one with more banks and options.
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 12, 2011, 3:59 AM
Post #2 of 16
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I guess it's not just the lawyers that are ambulance chasers. That's a bit too much for me.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Sidom
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Nov 12, 2011, 10:00 AM
Post #4 of 16
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I use to live & work in WA so was aware of that.....
So they don't call a certain company anymore and just put out an announcement?
How does that work, is it a race to the car or do you have put in a call that you are going so 3 wreckers don't show up at the same time for 1 car?
If seems if it was the case, that could get pretty darn cutthroat, especially in these times....
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Nov 12, 2011, 10:24 AM
Post #5 of 16
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I find that very hard to believe too that they would intentionally create chaos like that with no idea of the credentials of the people showing up. Any state I lived in was very selective of who go on their approved tow list.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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autotecha
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Nov 12, 2011, 10:24 AM
Post #6 of 16
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I use to live & work in WA so was aware of that.....
So they don't call a certain company anymore and just put out an announcement?
How does that work, is it a race to the car or do you have put in a call that you are going so 3 wreckers don't show up at the same time for 1 car?
If seems if it was the case, that could get pretty darn cutthroat, especially in these times.... In my area, its not too cut throat. Its not a big area here anyways. There is very little competition. Certain officers will call the major towing companies. What they do is call dispatch and say something to the effect we have a broken down vehicle at wherever and can someone provide assistance. Most around here stay with the motorist until someone shows up then callls dispatch and tells them assistance is no longer needed.
I have an agreement with two of the three tow and most of the repair shops, if its within a certain area I will respond and if I cant I'll call them and they do the same. Most of the time the tow companies wont respond unlessed called anyway.
Soon, from what I heard but dont believe it, the Sp will not do this and just have the motorist call on their own. The SP still has a contract with one of the tow companies here for inpounding vehicles leave after a certain amount of time.
They stopped calling on just one or two companies for motorist assist because there were alligations of kick backs etc... but as I said above, some officers still just call their favorites and thats fine with me.
Hammer I see no problem with this. The motorist needs help, I or another shop comes. They do NOT have to take my service and if they want to I can give them numbers of others. This is no different then advertizing in the phone book/paper except they dont have to call and usually I get there before they can even find a phone number (usually). And like I said, its not required that they use me and thats one of the first things I tell them.
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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Sidom
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Nov 12, 2011, 10:36 AM
Post #8 of 16
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Actually I think I was confusing a wreck with a breakdown......Wrecks they would call a tow company and remove the vehicles.
If I remember right, you had 72 hrs on a breakdown to get the disabled vehicle towed off the road or they would impound it.....
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autotecha
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Nov 12, 2011, 10:44 AM
Post #9 of 16
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Actually I think I was confusing a wreck with a breakdown......Wrecks they would call a tow company and remove the vehicles.
If I remember right, you had 72 hrs on a breakdown to get the disabled vehicle towed off the road or they would impound it..... Sorry if I implied I did wrecks, I meant break downs.. Wrecks they have certain companies they deal with. I couldnt do wrecks anyways, I'm only set up to tow using trailers or dollies.
Not sure about the time limit on break downs but believe you are right about 72 hours but thinking it might be a little shorter, never really checked lol.
So to clear my post up, I ONLY respond to break downs not wrecks. There was a controversy last winter from a couple of the shops that the SP and Locals were only calling one shop to do repair business, they started doing what they are now.
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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autotecha
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Nov 12, 2011, 10:51 AM
Post #10 of 16
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So I guess no recommendations....
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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Sidom
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Nov 12, 2011, 1:31 PM
Post #12 of 16
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I've never owned a that type of scanner so can't really comment. I did a quick search & came up with this..
Online scanner
If you have a wireless connection, it maybe the way to go....
I've been listening to the live feed in my town....Pretty interesting......
I picked up a call that apparently my ole lady is beating the snot outta someone at the bingo hall.....so I gotta run...
(This post was edited by Sidom on Nov 12, 2011, 1:32 PM)
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autotecha
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Nov 12, 2011, 3:59 PM
Post #13 of 16
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I've never owned a that type of scanner so can't really comment. I did a quick search & came up with this.. Online scanner If you have a wireless connection, it maybe the way to go.... I've been listening to the live feed in my town....Pretty interesting...... I picked up a call that apparently my ole lady is beating the snot outta someone at the bingo hall.....so I gotta run...
I've used that link before. Its cool.
I've researched a lot of scanners but like to hear from actual users prior to putting down a few grand.
I got a lot of recommendations from Hams who use them at home though.
Thanks to all who have emailed me on this.
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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re-tired
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Nov 12, 2011, 4:20 PM
Post #14 of 16
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In my region you would have pretty stiff competion from cellphones and AAA. They (highway Patrol) calls tow company from a preapproved list on a rotation schedule and will let the car owner chose to go to the tow co. shop if he has one ..Or to the nearest repair shop,or the customer can have it towed anywhere they wish but the car owner pays for anything over a certain mileage. If your on the interstate , repairs other than a flat tire is not allowed. WE have a LOT of gated communities and they prohibit home repairs.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
(This post was edited by re-tired on Nov 12, 2011, 4:41 PM)
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autotecha
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Nov 15, 2011, 6:15 PM
Post #16 of 16
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In my region you would have pretty stiff competion from cellphones and AAA. They (highway Patrol) calls tow company from a preapproved list on a rotation schedule and will let the car owner chose to go to the tow co. shop if he has one ..Or to the nearest repair shop,or the customer can have it towed anywhere they wish but the car owner pays for anything over a certain mileage. If your on the interstate , repairs other than a flat tire is not allowed. WE have a LOT of gated communities and they prohibit home repairs. Its like that here to a point (repairs on an interstate). Usually the SP will allow you to get someone started and moved, IF and its a big IF, the vehicle is not impeding traffic and can safely be worked on (i.e. all the way over on the should furthest away from the road, not on a blind curve or hill) and not an all day thing. I've talked with many of the Sp's and locals and they usually dont care as long as the mentioned is observed. I hate doing it there anyways (safety issues and other things) and usually move the vehicle off 101 and onto a better area or even to my home base.
AAA is very slow in responding to calls in our area. I've told a few potential customers to call them if they werent sure about me and my crews and they waited for a long time before calling me back and canceling AAA contracted companies. Its mainly the calls in the mountains/rural areas that AAA takes forever getting someone out there.
BTW, found 4 new scanners on ebay and ordered them last night. Couldnt pass up the price and they are one of the ones recommended by a few HAMs. They should be good for the last year or two before I close this business up. Found an Ind.shop that I might buy into and just manage (not sure yet but seriously considering it, getting tired of turning wrenches full time....).
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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