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If available, see below for a list of known police frequencies for Clearlake, California. Or, navigate to another city or town within Lake County, to view the local police frequencies.

While listening to radio bands on police scanners is legal in the U.S., there are 2 types of restrictions. These are not federal laws, but restrictions differ from state to state. These restrictions key in on:While there is nuance appended to these laws, and some states such as Minnesota and Florida authorize use with a permit or a HAM radio license, they all have the same bottom line:

Airwaves in the U.S. are public property and information sent over them does not presume privacy, which was established in the 1934 Communications Act.Some radio bands are blocked on scanners; such as cell phones, military and government bands, and all other private agencies (where privacy is presumed), but all other frequencies are public until considered otherwise. While these laws are well-intentioned, they contain obvious oddities. An individual robbing a bank (a crime with the penalty of 5-25 years in federal prison) most likely will not be hindered by additional penalties. As in the case of many laws, penalties are elaborately layered. Please note that police scanner apps are also covered by most of these statues. However, because scanner apps have fairly recently entered the public sphere, and there is pending litigation in several states, these laws will change as precedent case law is constituted.Beyond the basics, this is well designed. It offers police codes within a given stream and shows the popularity of each radio feed within your county. Users can also customize their skin to increase readability or visual appeal. Plus, it comes with Material Design and equalizer.

Police feeds can also be browsed by the frequencies nearest you any time. For instance, you can detect frequencies based on location, greatest 50, and the source (i.e. Broadcastify, RailroadRadio, Scan BC).Police Scanner X has a custom stream player for better battery savings and faster playback. When searching for signals, you have access to the top 50 local signals. If you choose to do so, you can save your favorite ones for later.Broadcastify has a huge collection of channels that are sorted based on the user’s county and metro locale. The channels are stable, especially the ones that focus on EMS and fire services. Based on our tests, this is among the most decent EMS scanners today.But no matter what scanning app you choose, you’ll find it easier to pick up signals when traveling on the road. This makes scanning easier too, unlike going through all the hassle of programming a police scanner radio yourself.Scanner Radio also offers a multitude of features, including the ability to receive a notification when users tune in to a particular station. You will see nearby scanners as well, making this a versatile app for Android users.

When it comes to reliable performance, Scanner 911 comes out on the prime ranks. It launches quickly and smoothly to show you a menu offering feeds, recording capabilities, popular channels, and other features you’d want from the best police scanners.

One of the best things about the app is that the developers keep it updated. As such, improvements and updates are always added to keep it compatible with most Android and iPhone devices.The user interface is easy to use, thanks to the app’s design. It allows you to hear additional feeds in Canada, Australia, Ireland, and Chile – making it a great support if you want to be limited to feeds.

What makes this scanner app unique is you can listen to police channels even when the app is minimized. Other applications usually need to be open at all times for you to hear signals, but this one lets you do other stuff on your phone as you listen to news or communications.You should consider getting the Police Scanner X if you need quick signals in your home. Android users will benefit from this app because the viewing of signals takes just under 3 minutes. So if you want fast signals from a responsive system, Police Scanner X is a great choice.

With this app, you can discover over 6,000 streams. This includes local feeds from police radios, aircraft, public safety, rail, and marine live audio. Like most apps on this list, Broadcastify gives you many signal options available for listening.

For most people, it can be hard to notice the police codes at first. The Police Scanner X, unlike other apps, includes the 10 police radio codes you can use as reference. With this guide, it will be easier for you to hear the chatter on the police radio.Now, what police stations are spotted on this app? Users can connect to Madison, Newark, and Cleveland police, and more. As such,, users can stay connected to police broadcasts and networks.

Broadcastify also has a website, meaning that you can listen to police scans on your desktop computer. You can also download it on your iPad if you want to free your smartphone for more tasks.

Police scanner apps are a great alternative for police scanner devices, but not all of them are made equal. In the numerous apps we’ve tested, some proved to be reliable while others were completely useless.However, our favorite feature is the Scanner 911’s map integration. Once you open up a stream, your iPhone reveals a map that shows the feed’s coverage area. In our tests, this feature is one that’s easy to use.William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.

If you want an app for iPhone/iOS, go with Broadcastify. It’s the most reliable police scanner app for Apple iPhone. For our Android fans, Scanner Radio is a better choice.

Aside from these apps, you can also do radio scanning using your PC. See our article about online police scanners to learn how. But if you want a physical police scanner for your vehicle, remember to purchase good antennas so you maximize your scanner.

Out of many radio scanner apps on Playstore and Appstore, Scanner 911 ranks as the best police scanner app of 2020. That’s an obvious edge, and it’s mainly because of the value and user experience it provides.

While you can’t listen to every scanner frequency out there, Scanner Radio gives users access to over 6,000 channels. You can also use the emergency guide to listen to EMS, fire, police, aviation, and rescue dispatch channels. Police Scanner by Logicord is a great police scanner application for Android phones. In fact, it’s one of our favorites on this list. With the app, you can connect to EMS and the police feed. However, the standout feature of this app is the capability to listen to frequencies around the world. If there’s a reason to complain, the only issue about it is the appearance. It has oversized buttons that are a bit overdone. And while its fonts and coloring are fine, the upgrades and ads on the free version of the app can be off-putting.When it comes to the price, this app has free and pro version options, where the latter offers no ads and feed archives. We do recommend starting with the free version of Broadcastify first and upgrade once you think the perks are worth paying extra.

There is a myriad of police scanner apps that are on the market all over the world. So yes, police scanner apps work and it is legal to listen to different channels with these devices.One thing that sets Scanner Radio apart from its competitors is that you can create mobile alerts to notify you when people are listening to a nearby feed. This indicates scanner activity and can alert you if police are within the vicinity.

If available, see below for a list of known police frequencies for Clear Lake, Iowa. Or, navigate to another city or town within Cerro Gordo County, to view the local police frequencies. VASCAR stands for Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder and is a timing device that times your vehicle from one predetermined point to another. It is like a stop watch and puts out no signal. No radar detector can warn you of VASCAR. VASCAR is commonly used in Pennsylvania as local law enforcement departments can not use radar guns by state law. Drivers have tried everything to foil radar gun from fish depth finders, to neon lights, to tin foil on hubcaps. None of these home remedies work. There is only one way to fool a radar gun and that is by disrupting the “Doppler Shift” of the return signal.

The radar detector-detector is called the VG-2 and it looks for a common IF emission of radar detectors at 11.55 GHz. Many of the detector makers have changed their common IF and can’t be detected. The industry calls this “undetectable”. Detectability is of little use for cars in the New Zealand as detectors are legal.

Find a supermarket with an automatic door opener and drive toward it with your detector on. The automatic door opener should make your radar detector alert.

Officers, by law, must establish a “visual tracking history” of your car. This means they must be able to identify the make and model of the vehicle before assessing speed with a radar or laser gun. This is usually 600 metres or less. In most instances, officers rarely use a radar or laser gun past 1 kilometre. The maximum range of the Prolaser 2 is 610metres.Laser guns compute speed by transmitting “Pulsed Wave”, PW, infrared emissions at a predetermined rate, usually from 100-238 pulses per second. These pulses bounce back to the laser gun and the gun’s computer remembers each pulse, i.e. when it left and when it returned. This is called “flight time”. If the laser gun knows time and distance, it rapidly computes speed of the target vehicle, usually in less than 1/3 of a second. Consequently, the gun must accurately compute distance. Prior to using a laser gun for speed enforcement, the officer should perform a “Delta Test” for distance accuracy using constant distance reflectors at a fixed location. The gun should read the same distance each time prior to use. The admissibility of laser enforcement has been upheld in New Zealand Courts.

The US courts have consistently ruled, i.e. Connecticut v. Tomanelli (1966), Wisconsin v. Hansen (1978) that tuning fork verification is adequate to insure the accuracy of the radar gun. Officers before starting a shift, should strike the tuning fork to verify the correct speed stamped on the fork appears on the speed readout of the radar gun. Further, N.Z. radars and tuning forks need to be verified annually by a certified technician and that notarized certifications pertaining to radar gun and tuning fork accuracy be made available to the public.For radar, the claims are valid. The letters in RADAR stand for RAdio Detection And Ranging meaning a radar transmission is very similar to your favorite radio station. Radio waves bounce off metal signs, the truck in front of you, buildings, and other reflective objects. Although radar detectors have only a front facing radar antenna (with the exception of the dash mounted Valentine One which has a front and rear facing antenna), a radar transmission from behind you will most likely bounce into your radar detector’s front facing antenna. Laser is another issue by it’s very directional and highly collimated, monochromatic nature. If the detector were outside of the vehicle, most detectors will alert to laser from the front or rear. Rear alerts are hampered by the attenuation of the glass in the rear window. Side laser alerts are rare , and laser can’t aquire your speed to the side.

Laser travels at the speed of light which is 186,000 miles per second. In one second, the time it takes to blink your eyes, light travels seven times (7.44 times to be exact) around the world. Your speed reading on the laser gun takes under 2 seconds to display and is difficult to detect.This came from a court case brought by two Connecticut state troopers claiming radar guns contributed to testicular cancer. The courts found no medical evidence to substantiate the claim. The answer is no!

The US courts have consistently ruled it is not necessary for an officer to have a comprehensive knowledge of Doppler radar but receive adequate training and certification, Honeycutt v. Kentucky (1966), Ohio v. Wilcox (1974). If the officer is certified, you will have little luck! Ditto for N.Z.

Radar Jammers do not exist and are unlikely outside of the Military. There are several laser jammers like the AL Priority Solution that are very effective in Jamming All current laser guns used by the Police however.Different radar guns transmit at different output powers usually from 5-50 mW. If you are standing 30 metres away from a friend and they whisper, you can’t hear them. If they shout, you can. In other words, your friend is transmitting at two different output powers. Radar range is adversely effected by humidity, elevation, particulate matter in the air, rain, and snow. Frontal performance of dash and remote detectors is almost identical. However, rear reception with a dash model is superior to that of a remote. Some remotes offer a rear receiver. Remotes can’t be seen. Yearly, 1 in 5 dash models are stolen. Remotes are always a good option although inevitably are more expensive to buy and require a professional installation. They are legal to use in New Zealand have been for over 40 years. Many Police involved in traffic work believe that radar & laser detectors slow drivers down.

This is a method of momentarily triggering the radar gun “on” and then triggering the gun “off”. The normally occurs is less than a couple of seconds. Instant on triggers were developed, in part, to thwart radar detector use. Some radar detectors don’t report “instant on” at distances greater than 300 metres.

The FCC in the USA and ITU in NZ allows other uses on radar bands used by police. Most commonly this is found on X band (10.525 GHz) and it is called a false alert. Some common false alerts are caused by automatic door openers, burglar alarms, terrestrial microwave towers. Poorly made radar detectors in other cars can also cause your detector to false alert. No radar detector is completely “false alert” proof.If you’re looking for an all-in-one listening solution for broadcasts, Police Scanner + has you covered. Not only do you get access to emergency services like police and fire, but regular radio stations are available to tune into whenever you’d like. It’s available for free on iOS.One of the best ways to follow police activity is to use scanners and listen to the radio chatter. This may sound legally questionable, but the Communications Act of 1934 established that radio airwaves are public property. It’s well within your rights to listen. Tap or click to see why some disagree and want to change this.

Broadcastify is the primary platform Police Scanner Radio & Fire uses to source its content, but the full-fledged app is also worth a look. For $2.99, you get an ad-free listening experience with even more channels and aviation, weather and amateur broadcasters.5-0 Radio Police Scanner may not look as attractive as the other apps we’ve listed, but what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in brains. The free app is available for iOS and Android and includes detailed information on police codes you might hear, which can add more context to any situations you encounter.Get my Daily Tech Update and the Digital Life Hack. Just one minute each and arm you with the tech knowledge you need to impress your boss and friends with how smart you are.You can use the app to tune into local police chatter or, if you want to, listen in on discussions in another precinct. You have access to channels from around the world. You can also subscribe to breaking news alerts. The app is free to download for iOS and Android but be prepared for ads while you listen.

Scanner 911 contains over 5,000 police, fire, rescue and other radio feeds you can listen to for free on Android. There is also an option to upgrade the app for $4.99 to remove ads. Premium users can also listen to the app in the background, meaning you can do other things while you tune in.Police Scanner Radio & Fire is one of the most popular free scanners you can download, and for good reason. It piggybacks off the acclaimed Broadcastify app, which includes police, fire, EMS and other audio feeds.

A police scanner (formally known as a radio scanner) can pick up radio communication transmissions from local law enforcement authorities as well as fire departments, ambulances, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), aircrafts and watercrafts (both civil and military) and more.

These pre-programmed scanners generally feature location-based scanning. Just enter your zip code, and it’ll tune into everything that’s nearby. Some models also have GPS capability so the scanner can detect changes in location and update the frequencies as you move.

What’s more, you can set custom alarms to notify you whenever a frequency becomes active. For example, the LED can display a flash of red and blue light (much like a police strobe light) whenever the scanner picks up police transmissions. With the alarm clock function, the unit will turn on and starts scanning at a specific time each day.It’s worth noting that some of these devices have a steep learning curve. Even seasoned users sometimes face complications, especially when they purchase a new model. If you’ve never used one before, it may take some trial and error to program and maximize its detection capabilities in your area.

The WS1025 has enough memory to store up to 200 channels. You can input frequencies manually or with a computer and categorize them into separate banks or lists based on signal type (fire, police, marine, aircraft and weather). You can also set a priority channel to be scanned every two seconds, even when you’re searching for other available frequencies.The apps only transmit the audio communications that agencies decide to make publicly available. So, if your local fire department doesn’t offer a live feed, you won’t be able to hear their communications.

Basically, a police scanner app is a decent option for anyone who wants to get a hint of what radio scanning is all about without spending hundreds of dollars. However, anyone interested in radio scanning as a serious hobby will probably need to invest in an actual scanner.

The BCD996P2 has enough memory to store up to 25,000 channels, along with number tags that allow you to quickly switch between frequencies without going through them one by one (or dialing them manually each time). You can assign number tags to service searches (police, fire and EMS signals) or custom search ranges you’ve created as well.This model is pre-programmed with access to a nationwide database of frequencies, and it’s possible to store up to 200 lists or groups of preferred frequencies. It also features an additional list specifically dedicated to transmissions from Skywarn, a network of over 350,000 volunteers that track weather conditions. Whistler offers database (and firmware) updates through its website, and you can manually input frequencies as needed. It can pick up both analog and digital signals but, unlike the BCD536HP, it’s not pre-programmed so you’ll need to input frequencies manually. This may seem complex for a beginner, but scanner enthusiasts say this process can actually prove enjoyable for people who are truly interested in mastering their new hobby. (If it ends up proving too difficult, look for a scanner programming service online. With these services, you send over your scanner, and an expert will do the programming for you.) The Whistler WS1025 is an analog scanner, so your access to police, fire and medical emergency departments may be limited (frequencies used by services in larger metropolitan areas nowadays are usually digital). But if you live in a smaller town, and the signals you’re interested in are analog, look no further.Handheld scanners are more compact and run on batteries for complete portability. In the past, they were usually cheaper (around $200), but that meant a weaker antenna and less frequency storage. Nowadays, many handheld models’ power and frequencies are on par with the capabilities of their base counterparts. However, this hikes up their price tags as well.

With a police scanner, you can eavesdrop on all nearby frequencies — basically, everything transmitted by radio except for phone calls and encrypted signals.

Apps sometimes also transmit feeds from volunteers who share what their personal scanners pick up. However, with a full-featured police scanner, you can manually input the frequencies of all nearby agencies, so you don’t miss out on any news. Some models can automatically locate nearby frequencies too.Are you interested in keeping tabs on the activities of police, fire departments and other public safety agencies in your community? Despite the advent of smartphones, services like these still use two-way radio communication, and you can listen in and hear about all the latest emergencies, storm alerts, traffic accidents and other local chatter if you have a police scanner. Also, you should know that most of the programming software for scanners is made for Windows. So, if you don’t own a computer with a Windows operating system (alert: Mac users!), programming or updating the police scanner might prove to be difficult. To figure out if your area’s signals are analog or digital, look up your city or county at RadioReference.com. This site provides a detailed list of all available frequencies in your area, what agency or service they belong to and their mode — that is, whether they’re analog or digital. Analog signals will be labeled as AM or FM and digital signals have labels such as P25 or DMR.Tracking local events with police scanners has been a popular hobby for many years. Beyond the entertainment and gossip you can get out of such a device, a police scanner can be an invaluable security tool. By tuning into the frequencies of your local emergency services, you can keep one step ahead of crime incidents, traffic accidents, fires and severe weather events even before news outlets report them.The Uniden BCD996P2 is ideal for anyone interested in taking up radio scanning as a serious hobby. Priced at around $400, it offers pretty much everything top-of-the-line models do at a lower price.• Analog or digital format. Figuring out whether you need a digital or analog scanner is perhaps the most important factor when choosing a police scanner. If you buy one that’s only capable of detecting analog signals, and agencies in your area use digital signals, the scanner simply won’t pick up any transmissions.

However, there are professionals who can program the scanner for you (for a price, of course), based on your location. In addition to independent scanner radio programming services, the scanner manufacturer Uniden offers programming services for around $40 to $100.

Other useful features include National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) alerts, a list of priority channels that you want to scan continuously while listening to other transmissions, a key lock to prevent unwanted modifications, 100 quick keys for your customized scanning parameters and alerts for specific channels with different tone and volume patterns.Most frequencies are now digital, or will eventually be, so you might be better off purchasing a digital model from the start. But not every digital scanner can pick up all known digital signals. Before buying a scanner, make sure the label explicitly states it detects the signals you need.

Ideal for novice and veteran enthusiasts alike, the BCD536HP is pre-programmed to access frequencies nationwide — and you can listen to transmissions on your phone.

Its scanning and customization capabilities alone make it a top-of-the-line scanner. But one feature that makes the BCD536HP stand out from others in its price range (about $500) is its Wi-Fi capability. Connect the scanner to your smartphone or tablet using Uniden’s Siren app — available for both Android and iOS — and then you’re able to control the scanner remotely while listening to the transmission directly on your mobile device.Police scanners and CB radios look fairly similar but don’t share the same capabilities. Police scanners let you tune in and listen to radio transmissions sometimes up to 50 miles away. CB radios — the kind of devices truck drivers often use — only detect transmission from other CB radios at a shorter distance (20 miles or less), while also letting you talk to other users.The Uniden BCD996P2 is compatible with all the latest digital signals and has most of the capabilities of top-of-the-line scanners, only for a lower price of around $400.It comes with a 4GB microSD memory card (that may be upgraded to 32GB) to let you record and replay transmissions. This model also gives you the power to store lists of your favorite frequencies, create custom searches (with specific ranges and transmissions you’d like the scanner to avoid), set up custom alerts for when the scanner detects activity, and scan based on service type (police, fire, medical emergencies, to name a few examples).