Tutorial: How to Use the SMNEWSNET Live Southern Maryland Interactive Scanner

The SMNEWSNET Live Southern Maryland Scanner is an interactive tool that lets you listen to local emergency communications. You can choose what channels (called talk groups) to monitor, whether by county, system, or individual group.

This guide walks you through all the main features so you can get the most out of the scanner.

1. Understanding the Main Screen

When you open the scanner, you’ll see several pieces of information:

• Current Time – Displays the live time.

• Listeners – Shows how many people are tuned in at the same time.

• Queue (Q) – Indicates how many transmissions are waiting to play.

  • If you select too many talk groups, the queue may back up (30–50 calls), causing delayed playback.

• System – Shows which county or statewide system you’re listening to (e.g., Maryland State, St. Mary’s County).

• Talk Group – The short name for the channel.

• Long Channel Name – A descriptive title (e.g., Fire Ops, Police TAC).

• Frequency – Displays the frequency being used (not essential for most listeners).

• Talk Group ID – Numerical ID for the channel.

• Unit ID (UID) – Identifies which unit is transmitting (for example, Ambulance 69 or Chief 6 Mobile).

• Recent Transmissions – A log of the last six or seven transmissions.

2. Basic Controls

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll find the main buttons:

• Live Feed – Turns the scanner audio on or off.

  • A red light means off.

  • Click it to turn on live listening.

• Hold System – Locks the scanner onto a single system (e.g., Maryland State Police).

• Hold Talk Group – Locks onto the exact channel you’re on, just like a manual scanner.

• Replay Last – Replays the most recent transmission.

• Skip Next – Skips over the next queued call.

• Avoid – Blocks unwanted channels.

  • Press 1x = permanently locked out.

  • Press 2x = locked out for 30 minutes.

  • Press 3x = locked out for 60 minutes.

  • Press 4x = locked out for 120 minutes.

  • Press 5x = unlocks the channel.

• Pause – Freezes the scanner. Calls will keep queuing until you unpause.

3. Search and Playback Features

The Search Call button allows you to go back and review transmissions:

• Recent Calls Playback – Shows a list of the last transmissions. You can replay one or play all in sequence.

• Playback Mode Colors –

  • Yellow: playback in progress.

  • Green: back to live audio.

• Historical Playback – You can review up to 7 days of past transmissions.

  • Select a county (e.g., Charles County).

  • Pick a channel (e.g., Alpha 3).

  • Choose a date and time to hear activity from that incident (such as a fire or car accident).

4. Best Practices

• Don’t Select All Channels – This can cause delays due to a backed-up queue. Instead, pick only the groups you’re interested in.

• Use Avoid Wisely – Quickly block out channels you don’t need.

• Replay for Missed Details – Handy when you miss something important.

• Search for Incidents – Great for reviewing major events like large fires or accidents.

5. Getting Help

If you run into problems, click the question mark (?) in the bottom-right corner of the scanner. It will provide an email address for support.

Final Notes

The most important step to start listening is:

1. Click Live Feed to turn it on.

2. Select the talk groups or systems you want.

With these steps, you’ll be able to monitor Southern Maryland’s emergency communications in real time or review past incidents within a 7-day window.