What would you do?

[landonjensen]

I am currently selling my drumset, as well as my BCD396T.... Between both, I should be getting around $900-$1,000.. Since drumming was my hobby before, I figured I am going to spend the money from it on scanning, since its my other hobby.

Right now I have some 5 Motorola Portables (2 HT1000s, Visar, Astro Saber, XTS5000) as well as a Uniden BC340CRS. I am going for desktop scanners, and something that can work on the ICIS radio system. I currently have my XTS5000 for ICIS, but would like something else. I also would like a few scanners for scanning LAFD and LACOFD.

Idea #1 (Non ICIS)

Getting 6-7 of these
Uniden Bearcat BC350C Police Scanner Radio

and mounting them in two of these
Desk Mount for Four Base Scanners

and mounting one of top of each box:
Scan-Force Mobile Antenna

with all the scanners in each stand hooked to one each. So 4 scanners per 1 antenna.

Idea #2 (ICIS)

Buy a BC796D, BC785D, BCD996T, or a BCD996XT.

As well as 2 BC350's. Both on the same antenna setup on a rack.

Those are just my ideas but I am open for others.. Nothing is limiting me as far as roof antennas or anything.... What are your guys ideas for a LA area setup, under $900? I am in the San Gabriel Valley of CA to give a idea what I would be monitoring... Only ICIS and UHF/VHF Conventional stuff. Some P25. I want to stay with mobile stuff, and also preferably have alpha tags. I know the BC350C's do not have alpha tags, but I planned to just use side labels and keep them on the same stuff always...

[Eng74]

Are you set on Uniden or would you go with a GRE for the non digital? Get the 996XT and a couple of the GRE PSR-400. You would have the PL/DPL with the 400's and also text tags. Radio Shack also puts their version of the 400 the Pro-163 on a good sale every now an then.

[inigo88]

I would keep the drum set and play it a lot.

You seem like a Uniden guy but I highly recommend the GRE PSR series base scanners (or even a used Pro-2096, which would also do ICIS and digital). If you don't need digital I am a huge fan of the Pro-97, which had a base version called the Pro-2055. It would certainly be a cheap alternative to some of the equivalent new scanners on the market if you can find any used.

Good luck.

Inigo

[firephoto20]

You dont have an Astro Saber

[landonjensen]

Yes I do.... You haven't seen it cause you haven't seen me since I got it.

[brandon]

At least with much of LA County you can get by with any old junker scanner (to monitor LACoFD, LAFD, LASD, Long Beach, South Bay, etc.)

As for a single radio to do it all I would go with the BCD996XT. Looks like a SWEET radio and I would be one to buy it if I had the cash. I understand the "XT" models greatly improve on UHF, which I found to be poor on the original 396T/996T scanners.

GRE scanners do perform great on UHF and I am able to hear some LAPD, LASD and ICIS from my post in Riverside County. I find GRE handles weak P25 signals better than Uniden (at least in my situation). The only downside to the GRE scanners is that VHF and 800 MHz are totally worthless in much of SoCal when the radio is connected to an external antenna.

[karldotcom]

Why would you get six of those cheap scanners? How many ears to do you have?