Live Police Scanner App - Radio Scanner for Android

Staying Informed with Live Police Scanners

Do you often find yourself learning about events after they've already happened? A significant number of individuals purchase police and emergency scanner radios to gain immediate awareness of incidents like accidents, fires, or disturbances within their communities.

In many regions, the broadcasts received on these scanners prove to be more captivating than conventional television programming.

Scanner Radio: An Android Application

I've long held an interest in owning a scanner, but never pursued the purchase. Therefore, I was particularly pleased to discover Scanner Radio, a widely-used and free live police scanner application available on the Android Market, developed by Gordon Edwards.

Alternative Sources of Local Information

Numerous resources are utilized to stay abreast of local happenings. These include local news websites, newspaper publications, and event discovery platforms.

However, for those seeking real-time updates and immediate notification of breaking local news, Scanner Radio delivers live audio streams from police, emergency services, and weather stations globally.

How Scanner Radio Works

The application allows users to browse scanners based on popularity or proximity to their location.

The audio streams are generously provided by volunteers who transmit their scanner audio through computers to platforms such as RadioReference.com, Wunderground.com, or LiveFireFeeds.com.

Any feeds uploaded to these websites are automatically incorporated into the extensive list of scanners available within the Scanner Radio application.

Scanner Radio offers a comprehensive way to access real-time information, ensuring you're always among the first to know what's happening in your area.

Discovering Engaging Live Police Scanners

A cautionary note is warranted: this application possesses a remarkably addictive quality, standing out within the Android marketplace. Its unique appeal lies in the ability to access local scanner radio broadcasts from virtually any global location, provided a dedicated volunteer is streaming the audio online. If you operate a scanner in your area, contributing to this network is highly encouraged!

Following installation, the application’s primary interface facilitates the search for compelling scanners through categorization by region, “genre” – encompassing areas like rail, marine, and weather – or by directly selecting from the listed source websites.

A particularly useful feature is the ability to establish alerts for specific scanners. These alerts trigger a notification on your device when the listener count surpasses a predefined threshold. Typically, a surge in listeners indicates a significant unfolding event.

To begin listening, simply select a scanner from the available list, and the audio player will launch in a separate window. Importantly, the player will continue to operate in the background even after the application is closed, ensuring uninterrupted audio updates through your phone’s speaker.

For those seeking particularly dramatic content, exceeding the excitement found in most television reality programs, the "Top 50 Scanners" option, accessible from the main menu, is recommended. This list showcases the scanners currently attracting the largest number of listeners, often correlating with heightened radio activity.

Upon selecting the NYPD scanner, I found myself captivated for over an hour, listening to reports of a drunk driving arrest, the intervention in a serious altercation between rival groups, and the investigation of a domestic disturbance.

Switching to the Chicago PD scanner proved even more compelling – reports of gang-related conflicts, explosions, and the apprehension of various criminals. This level of real-time action is unparalleled and entirely live!

Selecting the "Details" button, located at the bottom of a scanner’s listing, reveals any supplementary information provided by the volunteer maintaining the stream. For instance, the NYPD details included the specific precincts covered by the scanner and a glossary of commonly used police 10 codes.

Obtain Radio Scanner using the following code:

Enhance Your Scanner Experience with Signals

Having converted your Android device into a portable live police scanner, you will likely encounter numerous conversations containing unfamiliar codes. To facilitate comprehension, consider downloading the Signals application.

Signals provides an exceptionally detailed compilation of symbols, signals, and codes encompassing marine communication, law enforcement terminology, sign language, braille, and even computer symbols. The police codes section is particularly thorough and will prove invaluable when monitoring scanner transmissions.

Beyond standard radio communication protocols, Signals also aids in deciphering electronic communications, such as text messaging abbreviations. You may be surprised by the extensive and unconventional acronyms cataloged within this section.

The application further includes an engaging reference section dedicated to emoticons, showcasing a comprehensive collection.

Therefore, upon learning of a significant breaking news event through your Android radio scanner, you can promptly share the information with a friend via a concise text message, complemented by a fitting emoticon.

Signals can be downloaded from here:

Do you regularly listen to a radio scanner? Are you focused on local radio broadcasts, or do you prefer monitoring live police scanners from different regions? What online resources do you utilize for accessing live police scanner feeds? Please share your experiences and insights in the comments below.