Travel Reference (IA)

Iowa Scanning Laws

There are no laws restricting the use of scanners in Iowa aside from the rules and regulations previously set by the Federal Communications Commission.

Important Notes

Iowa travel maps are provided free of charge at Interstate rest-areas and primary welcome centers.

Interstates

Interstates are patrolled by the Iowa State Patrol (A division of the Department of Public Safety) and the local authorities.

Interstate 29

• I-29 runs along the Western edge of Iowa once it enters Iowa from Union County, South Dakota. I-29 Exits Iowa to Atchison County, Missouri.
• I-29 travels through the following counties of Iowa in North to South order:

• Fremont County
  • Fremont County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Mills County
  • Mills County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Pottawattamie County
  • Pottawattamie County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses Omaha Regional Interoperability Network (ORION). Some analog VHF assets remain for paging.
• Harrison County
  • Harrison County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Monona County
  • Monona County DB Entry
  • Most Public Safety uses analog VHF with the exception of Onawa and UTE Ambulance, who use analog UHF.
• Woodbury County
  • Woodbury County DB Entry
  • Sioux City Police & Fire, Sergeant Bluff Police and the Sheriffs Office use Siouxland Tri-State Area Radio Communications (STARCOMM).
  • The remainder of Public Safety users are on analog VHF.

Interstate 35

I-35 enters Iowa from Harrison County, Missouri

• Decatur County
  • Decatur County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Clarke County
  • Clarke County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Madison County
  • Madison County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Polk County
  • Polk County DB Entry
  • County Fire and West Des Moines Fire & EMS use analog VHF.
  • Ankeny Fire & Des Moines Police & Fire use analog UHF.
  • Westcom is used by Clive, Urbandale & West Des Moines Public Safety.
  • Multiple Law Enforcement agencies and some EMS users use RACOM.
• Story County
  • Story County DB Entry
  • County Fire & Law Enforcement use Story County.
  • Ames Public Safety uses Electronic Engineering SMR.
• Hamilton County
  • Hamilton County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Wright County
  • Wright County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Franklin County
  • Franklin County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Cerro Gordo County
  • Cerro Gordo County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses Electronic Engineering with the exception of Clear Lake, who remain on analog VHF.
• Worth County
  • Worth County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.

I-35 Leaves Iowa for Freeborn County, Minnesota

Interstate 80

• I-80 travels through the following counties of Iowa in West to East order:
• Pottawattamie County
  • Pottawattamie County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses Omaha Regional Interoperability Network (ORION). Some analog VHF assets remain for paging.
• Shelby County
  • Shelby County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Audubon County
  • Audubon County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Cass County
  • Cass County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Guthrie County
  • Guthrie County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF except Stuart, who uses analog UHF with Cross Band Repeaters to VHF.
• Adair County
  • Adair County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Madison County
  • Madison County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Dallas County
  • Dallas County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Polk County
  • Polk County DB Entry
  • County Fire and West Des Moines Fire & EMS use analog VHF.
  • Ankeny Fire & Des Moines Police & Fire use analog UHF.
  • Westcom is used by Clive, Urbandale & West Des Moines Public Safety.
  • Multiple Law Enforcement agencies and some EMS users use RACOM.
• Jasper County
  • Jasper County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Poweshiek County
  • Powshiek County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Iowa County
  • Iowa County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Johnson County
  • Johnson County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses [Johnson County Public Safety (Project 25) System]]. Some analog VHF assets remain for paging.
  • University of Iowa Air Care uses analog UHF and RACOM.
• Cedar County
  • Cedar County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Scott County
  • Scott County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses RACOM with the exception of rural Fire departments who remain on analog VHF.

Interstate 380

• Black Hawk County
  • Black Hawk County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses RACOM with analog VHF assets remaining for paging.
• Buchanan County
  • Buchanan County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF. Multiple talkgroups are crosspatched on RACOM
• Benton County
  • Benton County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses analog VHF.
• Linn County
  • Linn County DB Entry
  • Most Public Safety uses analog VHF.
  • Marion Police use analog UHF.
  • Cedar Rapids maintains it's own trunked system, Cedar Rapids.
• Johnson County
  • Johnson County DB Entry
  • All Public Safety uses [Johnson County Public Safety (Project 25) System]]. Some analog VHF assets remain for paging.
  • University of Iowa Air Care uses analog UHF and RACOM.

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