The SCMA is the only professional scanner group in Southern California!

Information found here depends upon the input of our members and friends. If there is anything you would like to see posted on this site, please let us know. Feel free to submit your frequencies, scanner information, photos, and general radio news.

The Southern California Monitoring Association began in September of 1996 as a local “scanner enthusiast” group after the demise of the nationwide scanner organization, the Radio Communications Monitoring Association (RCMA). Click on this link to learn the history of the SCMA.

The SCMA is a friendly organization of people who like to share their information, knowledge, and experiences in all aspects of radio monitoring. For some, that means listening to local police or fire calls on a simple radio scanner. For others, it means digging a little deeper into how radio systems work and are organized. Everyone, regardless of their level of expertise or their particular area of interest, is welcome to participate so long as they are willing to share information and help others.

Meetings

The Southern California Monitoring Association holds online Zoom meetings on the first and third Wednesday of each month.  In-person meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month but are currently on hold until a new location can be found. SCMA members and non-members alike are invited to attend. Meetings always include a free exchange of information among the attendees. There may also be handouts, updates of local frequencies, special programs, or guest speakers.

Click on this link for information on the location and time of the meetings.

Activities

In addition to meetings, the SCMA periodically publishes a newsletter for its members with articles and information related to radio monitoring and scanning in Southern California. The latest frequencies, news, rumors, and happenings are published in the newsletter.

The SCMA uses its contacts to set up and conduct member-only tours of sites of interest to radio monitors. Past tours have visited the new LAPD Police Dispatch Center, the LACoFD Dispatch Center, the FAA Air Traffic Control Center, the U. S. Coast Guard Air Rescue Squadron, and several broadcast radio and television stations. Tours are conducted by people working at the facility and usually tell us the real inside story.

As you can see, the SCMA maintains an active home page on the World Wide Web.

SCMA Email List

SCMA Members stay in touch through a Yahoo Group email list. If you are an SCMA Member and wish to be on this list, apply HERE.

Membership

Our members include people from a wide variety of fields and interests, but they all have one thing in common – the love of listening to radio communications. One founding member was the late Gene Costin, better known to scanner enthusiasts as Gene Hughes, author of the famous Southern California Police Call. Click on this link for a tribute to Gene Hughes.

Anyone interested in radio communication monitoring is encouraged to apply for membership in the SCMA. We are well-known to professional and public safety organizations, and the government, police, fire, and news organizations employ some of our members. Click on THIS LINK to learn about membership guidelines.