Did a scanner lead me to a crazy rescue mission?

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A user recently shared their experience with a Uniden Bearcat BCT8 scanner, highlighting its use for monitoring local emergency frequencies, including the Maine Warden Service and various police departments. They described the scanner as an entertaining tool that could lead to interesting photo opportunities. An incident involving a severe mowing accident illustrated the chaotic communication among emergency responders, showcasing the challenges in coordinating a helicopter evacuation. The discussion also touched on nostalgia for older multi-band radios, with participants reminiscing about their childhood experiences in fixing and listening to vintage equipment. The conversation revealed a shared appreciation for both modern scanning technology and the classic radios of the past, emphasizing the blend of entertainment and education that these devices provide.
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I'm officially a "geezer"

Today I took delivery of a Uniden Bearcat BCT8 scanner and programmed in the relevant frequencies for the Maine Warden Service, State Police, and regional sheriff's departments, municipal cops, emergency agencies, etc.

It's cheap entertainment, and it might lead me to photo-ops. Jump in the truck with Duke and take a ride. Today, a guy in the next town cut off his lower arm in a mowing accident, and the rescue squad requested a "life-flight" helicopter evacuation. The resultant communications gave a "Keystone Cops" air to the whole situation, since the town cops and rescue wanted to set up a landing zone in Madison, and the were overridden by other powers who wanted the victim transported to the nearest hospital with a helicopter pad. Nobody seemed to be able to coordinate ETAs or figure out whether the patient should be taken right to the ER or be held at the pad for a flight to a more advanced treatment unit.
 
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turbo-1 said:
Today I took delivery of a Uniden Bearcat BCT8 scanner and programmed in the relevant frequencies for the Maine Warden Service, State Police, and regional sheriff's departments, municipal cops, emergency agencies, etc.

It's cheap entertainment, ...

10-4 Good Buddy.

As a kid, I would fix up and listen to those old multi-band, tube type, AM radios. With a good antenna, you could get broadcast from all over the world. Not only entertainment, but education...sort of.

Edit: I guess as a geezer, you're reliving your childhood?
 


dlgoff said:
10-4 Good Buddy.

As a kid, I would fix up and listen to those old multi-band, tube type, AM radios. With a good antenna, you could get broadcast from all over the world. Not only entertainment, but education...sort of.

Edit: I guess as a geezer, you're reliving your childhood?
In a way, I guess. At least modern scanners allow you to monitor a bunch of frequencies. The old multi-band radios were nice, but you had to dial them into a single frequency and monitor just that one.

Last year, I sold an old Zenith multi-band console radio that I had fixed up. It was one of these.

http://www.oldradiozone.com/Z_9S262.html

Troubleshooting and repairing tube amps is pretty easy. That radio posed a few problems for me, but I got through them.
 


dlgoff said:
Very Nice. I want it.
Shipping might have been a bit $$$$.
 


I use to listen to the scanner with my Grandpa, he was fairly addicted to it. He rigged the back side of a cupboard, so that a panel would move and the radio would be hidden, just in case they were outlawed.
 

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