Difference between revisions of "Scanner"

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(updated with new information on scanners)
(updated page to reflect the current SDR-based scanner system)
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The Bloominglabs radio desk has two radio scanners running: a Uniden BCD996T digital P25 scanner and a Uniden BCT15X analog scanner. The digital scanner monitors the Indiana SAFE-T P25 Bloomington site while the analog scanner monitors local conventional VHF channels. We have an Icecast server to stream a feed from these scanners so members can listen in remotely:
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In 2015, Bloominglabs received a donation of a Uniden P25 digital police scanner, and we shared that audio online via an Icecast feed for many years. However, technology evolved, and while we still have the Uniden scanner at the space we now have a more modern and feature-rich scanner feed built from Software Defined Radios (SDRs). It's now possible to listen to live scanner audio as well as archived audio, without missing any radio traffic.
http://radio.bloominglabs.org:8000/policescanner
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== Listening Hints ==
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=== Listening Links ===
  
* The feed is stereo
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https://openmhz.com/system/bmgsafet - this is probably the easiest site to use
** Left channel: Indiana SAFE-T P25 Bloomington site
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** Right channel: Conventional VHF
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* The feed can be played multiple ways
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** using a web browser
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** using a media player
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** using a scanner app as a "custom" feed (you will need to add the URL; it won't be pre-populated in the app's feed directory)
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== Troubleshooting ==
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https://radio.bloominglabs.org - this site has some advanced features and more closely resembles a traditional scanner interface
  
If for some reason the scanner Icecast feed goes down this is how to troubleshoot it.  
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Both feeds contain radio traffic from in and around Monroe County, Indiana including many agencies in Bloomington as well as some state agencies and the occasional federal agency.
  
* First, verify the scanner is turned on. It should start scanning immediately after it's powered on, if not then make that happen.
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=== Technical Details ===
* Once it's scanning it should periodically output some audio out the speaker.
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** If there's no audio, make sure the volume knob hasn't been turned down.
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At Bloominglabs:
** The feed volume in independent from the scanner's volume control.
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* The recording output on the scanner feeds into an Intel NUC running darkice that in turn feeds to the Icecast server.
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* 3x RTL-SDRs with indoor antennas
** The IP of the NUC is labeled on it for easy access.
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* Intel NUC running Debian GNU/Linux
** Services on the NUC are set to start automatically upon boot.
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* [https://github.com/robotastic/trunk-recorder Trunk Recorder] software (sends recorded audio to both OpenMHz and radio.bloominglabs.org)
* Contact kevinr or dosman if you need further assistance.
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In the cloud at radio.bloominglabs.org
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* VPS running Debian GNU/Linux
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* [https://github.com/chuot/rdio-scanner Rdio Scanner] software

Revision as of 19:01, 7 September 2022

In 2015, Bloominglabs received a donation of a Uniden P25 digital police scanner, and we shared that audio online via an Icecast feed for many years. However, technology evolved, and while we still have the Uniden scanner at the space we now have a more modern and feature-rich scanner feed built from Software Defined Radios (SDRs). It's now possible to listen to live scanner audio as well as archived audio, without missing any radio traffic.

Listening Links

https://openmhz.com/system/bmgsafet - this is probably the easiest site to use

https://radio.bloominglabs.org - this site has some advanced features and more closely resembles a traditional scanner interface

Both feeds contain radio traffic from in and around Monroe County, Indiana including many agencies in Bloomington as well as some state agencies and the occasional federal agency.

Technical Details

At Bloominglabs:

  • 3x RTL-SDRs with indoor antennas
  • Intel NUC running Debian GNU/Linux
  • Trunk Recorder software (sends recorded audio to both OpenMHz and radio.bloominglabs.org)

In the cloud at radio.bloominglabs.org

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