Scanning WA police in Bunbury

[Matsky]

Hey guys, here's my first post.

I'm in Bunbury and have been wanting to buy a scanner for a while now, but this news has put me off a bit. I think I've been fed a bit of misinformation though, with what is an analog scanner and what is a digital scanner. I don't really know alot about it, but people have been telling me the new scanners are digital and that the old ones are analog.

A guy I know just bought a new one and might be getting rid of his old one, but if this is the case then both scanners, at the moment, are picking up analog traffic and are as good as each other then? I know I could still hear alot of Bunbury Police activity on it last time I borrowed it, but he claims he can hear more police activity in Bunbury with his new one.

So should I try and get this old one, and is it picking up exactly the same as the new ones? I was about to go and buy one for my dad for christmas from Dick Smiths (for around $190) but if it's true that the Police are going digital in Feb, it means it will be a pretty redundant purchase.

Any help?

Cheers, sorry for the n00b post.

[WPXZBP]

Analogue or digital won't help if the police in your area go digital. The reason is that they will be using encryption which a scanner cannot decipher.

I use analogue scanners in the country and it seems to work a treat for what I listen to.

[Matsky]

Ok cheers. I just picked up this old analogue scanner for $50, so I'll give it a go. It should pick up everything then until they go digital.

Sounds encouraging that the plan seems confined to the metro police in the near future, but I guess we will get it down here one day. I think I'll stick with this old cheap scanner then.

I'm going to try and work out if I can set up a live stream. Not sure if it's going to need too many resources though from my comp and net. I'll see how it goes.

[Ludacris]

Live Stream should be exciting.... LOL not much happens on the radio in Bunbury.

[Matsky]

I find it amusing, moreso because I live here. Just listening to them decide whether to take a suspect to the station or the hospital as he's bashing his head against the cage. Haha.