Hobbies

Law Enforcement Encrypting Scanner Transmissions

May 2, 2015

police scanner

Police scanners are a part of every media outlet newsroom. They provide real-time audio access to police, fire and paramedic emergency calls as they come in. It’s how news crews get to the scene of an accident or an emergency situation quickly — in some cases before the first responders. But the news crews aren’t the only ones listening. Police scanners have been around about as long as the police radios. Enthusiasts have been listening just as intently as the policemen, firemen and paramedics who use the radios to communicate…
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Hobbies, Scanner

2015 BMW 800GS Adventurer Review

April 19, 2015 0 Comments

I’m back in the saddle again! After a 5-year hiatus (mostly due to events out of my control), I purchased a new 2015 BMW 800 GS Adventurer to quench my desire to hit the open road and fire-trails of the great Rocky Mountains. My last motorcycle was a 2005 BMW 650 GS Dakar, and while I was pleased with the bike, I had to sell it to buy a pop-up tent trailer. This was the only way my wife would go camping with me and the kids! Just so you…
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Hobbies, Motorcycle

Police Scanner Codes

September 7, 2012 0 Comments

Police dispatchers will use the codes listed below to substitute an action with a “code” rather than speaking the literal translation of said action. It’s much easier and more clear on a police radio to say “Code 4” rather than ‘No further assistance required’, especially when radio transmissions can be garbled or hard to understand. I’m pretty sure most police departments still use these codes. I know they do state-wide in Colorado, however, I have yet to hear a Code 9, 10 or 11. Police Codes Code 1: Attention all…
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Hobbies, Scanner

Police Scanner 10 Codes

September 7, 2012 0 Comments

Police use the 10 codes to simplify an event into a number. It’s much easier and more clear on a police radio to say 10-7 rather than ‘out of service’, especially when radio transmissions can be garbled or hard to understand. I’m not sure if all police departments still use these codes, due in part to digital radio transmissions making conversations far more clear. In any case, if you’re listening to a police scanner in an area where the police still use the 10 codes, the universal list is shown…
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Hobbies, Scanner

Digital Trunking Police Scanner

August 6, 2012 0 Comments

When I was a kid, I used to spend hours listening to my 20-channel Radio Shack police scanner, often times waking up to an alert or static that broke the squelch. Over the course of five or so years, all the police and fire departments started moving to the 800 Mhz band for which my scanner could not receive and I slowly lost interest. Not having the money to buy a new scanner, I found other fun things to do with my spare time. Flash forward 30 years and once…
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Scanner

Battery Maintenance – BMW 650 GS and Dakar

May 30, 2008 0 Comments

Battery maintenance is important and fortunately it’s easy. The original battery that comes with the GS and Dakar is unsealed, meaning you periodically need to add water. How often varies but it’s best to check it every few thousand miles or so. If you do a lot of off road riding, it’s best to check it more frequently. If the water is low, damage to the battery can occur and it won’t hold it’s charge as long. If you find that the battery is consistently low on water, there could…
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Motorcycle

Changing The Oil in a BMW 650 GS Motorcycle

May 27, 2008 0 Comments

Update: See the BMW 800GS oil change page for an updates version of this posting. Changing the oil in the BMW 650 GS and the Dakar is very simple. The BMW shop in my neck of the woods wants $150 to do the job, which is why I took it upon my self to learn how to do this. While you don’t have to get the oil change kit from BMW, it’s probably best because they provide the copper ring for the sump plug, the o-ring for the oil filter,…
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Motorcycle