🚔 Police Scanner Guide
Complete guide to Uniden Bearcat scanners, California radio codes, and frequency resources.
My Scanner Recommendations
If you're looking to get into police and public safety scanning, here are my personal recommendations from the Uniden SDS series:
Top Pick: Uniden Bearcat SDS150
Best For: Serious hobbyists
- Better antenna & reception
- Brighter, clearer display
- Longer battery life
- More features than SDS100
Branded as "Bearcat"
Budget: Uniden SDS100 Bearcat
Best For: Beginners
- True I/Q digital reception
- P25 Phase I/II, DMR, NXDN
- Built-in GPS receiver
- 50,000+ channel storage
Branded as "Bearcat"
Base Station: Uniden SDS200
Best For: Home/Vehicle
- 4.3" color LCD touchscreen
- Dual independent receivers
- 100,000+ channel storage
- 12V DC power
No Bearcat branding
California Radio Codes
When listening to your scanner in California, you'll hear officers using specific codes. Here are the most common ones:
Priority Codes
- Code 1: At your convenience (non-urgent)
- Code 2: Urgent - proceed immediately (no lights/siren)
- Code 3: EMERGENCY - Lights and Siren
- Code 4: No further assistance needed
- Code 5: Stakeout / Remain clear of area
- Code 6: Out for investigation
- Code 7: Meal break
- Code 33: Emergency traffic only - Clear the channel
Common 10-Codes
| 10-1 | Poor reception | 10-2 | Good reception |
| 10-4 | Roger / Acknowledged | 10-7 | Out of service |
| 10-8 | In service | 10-20 | Location |
| 10-21 | Telephone | 10-22 | Disregard |
| 10-29 | Check for warrants | 10-31 | Crime in progress |
| 10-33 | Alarm sounding | 10-97 | Arrived at scene |
California 11-Codes
| 11-10 | Take a report | 11-44 | Deceased person |
| 11-80 | Serious injury accident | 11-81 | Minor injury accident |
| 11-82 | Non-injury accident | 11-85 | Request tow truck |
| 11-99 | OFFICER NEEDS HELP (emergency) | ||
Common Abbreviations
| ETOH | Intoxicated (Alcohol) | H&S | Health & Safety Code (Drugs) |
| BM / BF | Black Male / Female | HM / HF | Hispanic Male / Female |
| WM / WF | White Male / Female | AM / AF | Asian Male / Female |
| RP | Reporting Party | GOA | Gone on Arrival |
| UTL | Unable to Locate | BOL/BOLO | Be on the lookout |
Common Penal Codes (PC)
| 187 | Homicide | 211 | Robbery |
| 242 | Battery | 245 | Assault with deadly weapon |
| 415 | Disturbing the peace | 459 | Burglary |
| 487 | Grand theft | 488 | Petty theft |
| 594 | Vandalism | 5150 | Mental health hold |
Quick Comparison
| Feature | SDS100 | SDS150 | SDS200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Handheld | Handheld | Base/Mobile |
| Branding | Bearcat | Bearcat | Uniden |
| Screen | 2.8" LCD | Improved LCD | 4.3" LCD |
| Best For | Budget | Best Portable | Home/Vehicle |
Finding Frequencies
The gold standard for scanner frequencies. I highly recommend the Premium Subscription - you can directly download frequency databases to your scanner without manual entry.
Many agencies will provide frequency lists if you make a formal request. In California, use a CPRA (California Public Records Act) request to get official frequency lists and encryption status.
Custom Startup Image Guide
Want to personalize your scanner with a custom startup image? Here's how:
Windows Instructions
- Open your image in Microsoft Paint
- Click Resize > Pixels, uncheck "Maintain aspect ratio"
- Enter size: SDS100: 240x320 | SDS200: 480x320
- Save As > BMP picture, name it exactly:
opening.bmp - Connect scanner via USB, choose Mass Storage Mode
- Copy
opening.bmpto the BCDx36HP folder - Safely eject and restart scanner
Mac Instructions
- Open image in Preview, go to Tools > Adjust Size
- Set dimensions (uncheck "Scale proportionally")
- Export as BMP format, name it
opening.bmp - Connect scanner, copy file to BCDx36HP folder
- Eject and restart