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Live Scanner Feed
sets Records
Wide Area Feed Stats / Max
Number of Listeners per hour courtesy of RadioReference.com
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Time
Date
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0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
|
2009-12-21
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
9
|
14
|
16
|
14
|
15
|
14
|
13
|
9
|
6
|
9
|
10
|
13
|
12
|
8
|
7
|
2
|
|
2009-12-20
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
8
|
16
|
22
|
25
|
18
|
17
|
16
|
13
|
8
|
11
|
8
|
13
|
15
|
16
|
11
|
7
|
4
|
|
2009-12-19
|
37
|
31
|
25
|
21
|
22
|
28
|
26
|
26
|
37
|
37
|
44
|
41
|
33
|
32
|
37
|
19
|
17
|
22
|
23
|
19
|
15
|
17
|
17
|
8
|
|
2009-12-18
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
14
|
18
|
29
|
26
|
31
|
47
|
56
|
75
|
69
|
68
|
40
|
During the recent winter storm
our live feeds were up and running and quite popular! With a max of 75
listeners during the worst of the storm listeners were assured they had real-time
information when all other means were off the air. For awhile this feed was
the number one feed in the world with more listeners than the long standing
LAPD feed at radiorreference.com. We’ve received lots of feedback and
thank-yous, in response we say a very big
“You’re Welcome!” We’re not bragging we have the best
feeds but the more widely known they are the more useful they become as well.
Among many of our listeners were power utility coordinators and emergency
services personnel, as well as news media. A good majority of the listeners
were those using blackberries and mobile phones, when the power went out or
when people became stranded this was the only way to get information. Cell
phone service was jammed, and trees had played havoc on the local landlines
as well.
Winter Power Survival Kit
Are
you ready for power outages? Having the right equipment can be the difference
in having a dead scanner in the dark and knowing exactly what’s
happening outside and what to expect in the days, hours, and weeks to come.
If your
scanner has the option of operating on 12VDC operate it directly from a
battery, never use an inverter unless you have to. Inverters emit RFI (Radio
Frequency Interference) and their non-true sine wave form of alternating
current can be harmful to the charging circuitry in rechargeable scanners if
used over time.
Batteries:
Sealed lead-acid batteries like those in UPS battery backups, the
larger variety are used in electric wheelchairs. These are maintenance free and
safe to bring inside, they typically have a rating of 5-50 Amp/Hr’s.
The smaller ones need to be charged with a low amperage trickle charger or
they may be damaged, using older technology car battery chargers can charge
the batteries too quickly and in term change the battery’s chemistry.
These batteries are relatively safe for use indoors. With any battery of
large capacity care must be exercised to not short circuit the terminals.
Spillable Marine /
Automotive batteries are more widely available and inherit some
potentially dangerous risks for indoor use. First off they may spill acid if
tipped over as well as buildup and seepage around the terminals; this can
permanently damage a wide variety of materials (carpet, flooring, clothes,
etc) and may cause minor burns if contacted with damp skin. The sulfuric acid
they contain is typically vented and extremely flammable, in the even of a
power outage you’ll most likely have a candle or inverter near-by which
either could cause a fire. Car batteries are typically only rated for short
term capacity (cranking amps) and fall off over time providing little long
term capacity.
Large Capacity Batteries like larger deep cycle marine/trolling
batteries are the best capacity and usually very heavy, Some of the commonly
called “Yuke” batteries are in excess
of a hundred pounds but may yield as much as 500+ Amp/ Hrs. These can run an
inverter for days. They require monitoring of the battery chemistry and must
be carefully maintained. Luckily the disposal fee for these is so high they
can sometimes be obtained for little to nothing, be wary though nothing is
free without a reason. A used battery may not have the capacity it did new
but a dead battery with a short in one the plates will not supply the needed
voltage (if any) regardless of how long it’s charged.
Power Kits like those that augment a set of jumper cables and
cigarette lighter jack are just a simple sealed battery with a handle and
add-ons. They may be convenient but are usually more costly than just a stand-alone
battery. Check on the back for their Amp/ Hr rating.
Inverters:
Small 50-200 Watt Inverters are great for small AC
chargers such as cell phones and small electronics, don’t count on
these to do much more however. They are inexpensive and typically have a
cigarette-lighter style plug permanently affixed to one end. Small and weak in the inverter family these
gadgets are not useless, when paired with the new LED style lights they offer
expandable, and efficient lighting. Compact fluorescent light blubs (CF) work
great with the 100 watt and up models. Since CF bulbs require an initial
surge to start up you should test before needed. Another great use of these tiny inverters
is Christmas LED lights; you can run them through the house and rest assured
knowing their extremely minimal power consumption will allow them to be
powered for a long time. While the LED style lights are more expensive they
pay for themselves whether used in emergencies or up on the house or tree
when the powers on. Some of the LED Christmas variety are also similar to a
black light and make a super companion to nighttime fishing, making fishing
line very visible and less cumbersome than mantle type gas lights.
Medium 250-700 Watt Inverters are good for small electronics such as TV,s and very small appliances,
they usually will work with fans but are not designed to run motors. The
lesser expensive versions emit AC power whose quality when measured with an
oscilloscope is referred to as a modified or square sine wave.
Viewed
under the scope the power wave is choppy and not a smooth alternation of 60
Hz. While good for most electronics
since they all operate on DC that is converted by a wall transformer, they
poorly operate devices that require highly regulated energy. The larger end
of the class of inverters can run power tools
and larger
appliances.
Large 1000+ Watt Inverters are the top of the line choice, they are fitted
into RV’s and used aboard airplanes alike. The top end units emit a
pure sine wave that is technically no different that the commercial AC you
get from an outlet. They are very
expensive and require cooling fans to keep the components from overheating.
They require very large cables and can pull anywhere from 50 to 200 Amps DC,
draining all but the largest of batteries very quickly. Most commonly used only when there is a
method to recharge the battery such as an alternator.
Generators:
The best
choice for long term outages, generators come in all shapes and sizes. The
lesser expensive versions may not only just put out less wattage but also
generate RFI as mentioned before. A helpful hint is to also check the
runtime, having to fill up every 3 or 4 hours can be a pain. Take note that
generators emit carbon monoxide and should never be used in an enclosed area.
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