PVR-like Software for Audio Streams?

JonToycrafter asks: "I'm a dispatcher for a volunteer ambulance corps. We often get our calls by listening to the police scanner. Unfortunately, it's sometimes difficult to understand the street address that the police dispatcher is saying, or sometimes s/he mentions the address before giving an indication that EMS is needed. Does anyone know of a (preferably Free) Windows (or Linux) program that would allow me to connect my scanner to the mic jack on my PC and be able to pause/rewind the stream, a la Tivo?"

Comments

Other solutions

[linuxwrangler]

Don't limit yourself to computer-based solutions. There are devices like this for the aviation industry that allow you to replay clearances and instructions. One failing of this particular one is that it stops recording when you are replaying but it's only one of many similar products. Check Google.

I suspect a clever bit of scripting along with the "record" and "play" programs on linux would do what you want as well.

run the audio into a pvr...

[mcmonkey]

When push comes to shove, you could use a TiVo or any of the PVR software for linux or windows. Just run your audio into the PVR and ignore the video.

You'll probably still need a video display for control purposes, but since you won't need a lot of processing power the whole setup shouldn't cost much.

If they want you there, they'll call you...

[ivi]

I find it odd that you guys have to "intercept"
police radio calls to get your taskings...

It's standard procedure - in most places - for
emergency services to ring (a.k.a. "respond")
EMS or ambulance(s) as required.

They wouldn't, as a rule, expect the EMS or ambo's
to spend all their time monitoring other services'
radio frequencies.

For one thing, it can increase your levels of
fatigue (although - admit - it can feel exciting
to follow incident progress along by radio...
a bit like armchair quarterbacking, eh? ;-)

If your service is well & truly needed & respected
you should be able to get call-outs, just like
police & firefighters.

If not, well... raise your game. ;-)

Re:If they want you there, they'll call you...

[niko9]

In some states it's called ambulance chasing, even if you are really an ambulance. Medics and EMT's call it "buffing jobs".

There are many people in (here in NYC) this service that carry their own portable radios that have select frequencies programmed in.

They listen to both --the EMS dispatcher because they have to-- and NYPD citywide for all the "hot jobs".

They take it upon themselves to rush to these hot jobs without being dispatched (usually there is another ambulance dispacthed, the closest one as per the EMS dispatch computer), and then tell the dispatcher they were "flagged down" by a bystander. Then they have to cancel the other ambulance, because technically you made patitent contact at that point.

It's happens daily here in NYC, and you can get into alot of trouble. If your flying lights and sirens to that "hot job" lights and sirens, without being officialy on that assignment --and say-- you hit a bystander, or god forbid a child crossing the street, you can pretty much count on never ever touching another patient in any healthcare field ever again. That doesn't include criminal charges as well.

You realy should be dispatched by M.A.R.S, mutal aid radio system. The municipal agency overseeing EMS in your county will give your volunteer squad a radio, or maybe just give your dispatcher a ring on the landline phone when they need you. This way everything is documented and copasetic.

Can your crew still listen to the police frequencies? Sure, if you know how to go about it without anybody getting screwed:

If you hear some call that you might think is "hot", you can always drive over in non emergency mode and get flagged for the job.

If you think you have a better ETA than the unit that was assingned, then tell the dispatcher that you are closer. They usually have to give you the call for the benefit of the patient.

In the end though, you need to change they way your unit(s) get dispatched. Get the chief of the vollie squad to negotiate a M.A.R.S. arrangement. Some vollied even sign out a police radio for the precinct. You'll have to speak to the captain about that arrangement.

Good Luck, and for God's sake, be careful.

NYC EMS Paramedic since 1996

Re:If they want you there, they'll call you...

[The Munger]

So the story underwent a bit of editing. Here's the original: I'm a seller for a group of drug dealers. We often get our tip-offs by listening to the police scanner. Unfortunately, it's sometimes difficult to understand the street address that the police dispatcher is saying, or sometimes s/he mentions the address before giving an indication that a bust is going to happen. Does anyone know of an alternative early warning system (cheaper than bribing cops) that will help?

LoopRecorder

[Figaro]

Check out http://www.looprecorder.de/

I haven't used it in a while, but it should allow what you're looking for.

Explaining the need

[Doco]

If you follow the link to this guys homepage and do a little digging you come across:

http://mlcastle.net/tech/1.html

Which state "... active street medic, meaning that during major protests I travel in a squad of medics providing support in the "hot zone", where EMS will not go"

So - no the cops will probably not help these guys out and they are most definetly not authorized to talk on the police bands.

Denon PVR server

[mallocme]

The denon PVR server will do that
Denon PVR server

Get the right equipment: Minitor IV

[neilsly]

Why on earth they wouldn't (or wont) give you an actual radio or a pager - is beyond me. There was some mention of an underground sort of medic service earlier, but I can't find mention of that on the homepage he has listed so I won't comment on that.

You need to get a pager, a Montorola Minitor IV to be exact. These have a dynamic solid state 2 minute memory to replay calls. I would venture to say that nearly every ambulance service and fire department service that is dispatched (or toned, as we say) via radio uses these type of tone pagers.

Information on the motorola site at http://www.motorola.com/cgiss/minitor_iv.shtml#key