A good hobby is hard to find. Fortunately, residents of Pittsburgh, PA now have the ability to stream police communications online. While television crime shows are exciting, they are edited. You see what the television producers and the police want you to see. But with police scanning in real time, you hear what happens as it happens. There is no editing.
Lots of people are turning to police scanners in record numbers, not only as a hobby, but as a way to keep up with all of the latest information. In addition to police scanning, these services can intercept fire department chatter as well as aviation chatter. This can be a lifeline.
You can hear about things as they happen, and you have as much time as possible to keep your family safe. If you have a loved one that works in the industry, you can keep track of where they’re at on the job. If nothing else, it’s a way to gain appreciation for all of the many things that first responders do.
You don’t need an FCC license to use a police scanner in Pittsburgh, PA. There are some restrictions on mobile police scanners, though, so you need to beware and research the local laws before you start. For example, police might fine you if you try to use a police scanner app.
You also need to avoid listening in to cell phone transmissions. Intercepting police radio chatter is legal, but listening in on cell phone calls is not. You also can’t legally intercept any kind of communication that’s coded.
Broadcastify.com is a great website to start with. It puts a lot of police scanners from the entire United States and even the world in one place, so it’s easy to find Pittsburgh, PA and get started. T
hey made their website easy for ordinary people to understand and use, so you should be able to go to it and find what you’re looking for, no problem. There are also browsing options, and Pittsburgh is usually grouped in by its county. You can also click on top feeds to see what’s most popular at the moment. This is a helpful feature because there might be something big going on.
RadioReference.com is another good site. This site doesn’t give you a lot of fluff, and the makers of the site have a lot of knowledge that they pass onto you by offering a great service. If you want to learn the science behind the streaming, this is a great site to get familiar with, because there are online forums that you can use to chat with others as you listen.
There are also great apps out there that allow you to stream. Apple users give 5-0 Police Scanner Lite high marks. It’s a no-frills design, but it does the job and you can easily find Pittsburgh, PA among the options. Many apps today are free, so exercise caution before you spend for streaming, because it might be unnecessary.
If you have an Android, check out Police Scanner Radio Scanner. This app features worldwide scans, so you can follow current events all over the world. While the app looks simple, it does its job and it’s easy to use. There’s no cost to use this app.