Looking for advice on new scanner purchase

[kevbentz]

I started out with a BC200XLT back in 1989 and then moved on to a PRO-2042 and installed the OS-535 board. I also picked up an IC-R1 (full range) along the way.

Now, with the trunking and digital systems becoming more and more, I think it's time to look for another scanner.

I'm looking at the BCD396T or the BCD996T, but I'm open to any suggestions. I like to monitor pretty much anything that my present 3 scanners can pick up. I've been away from the hobby for a little bit the past few years so I've kind of lost touch with the latest technology but have fired up my scanners again and am getting back into it.

Looking for any advice/opinons that anyone has.

Thanks!

 

[mikeydcg2003]

Depends on how mobile your looking. I have had good luck with the 396t. It seems to perform very well granted you have an antenna other than the stock one. It seems to outperform my 898t analog one in a side by side comparison. Haven't really dealt much with the 996t. All i all i am really happy with the 396. Makes it very portable, even when your away from your car. Good example, tonight we had some bad storms come in, i have the local skywarn and Weather service comm channels in . Let us know what was comming that we could not see.

 

[hoser147]

You can give us a state or city you live near and want to monitor and check the database to see what systems are used in your area. If you want digital Uniden , Radio Shack have good Digital scanners. GRE is coming out with their own line of digital scanners this Fall. You started in the right place and Im sure you will have plenty of help. The scanners of yesterday are nothing compared to the digital. Regards Hoser147

 

[kevbentz]

I'm in the Downriver area of Southeast Michigan (South of Detroit). There's a lot of trunked stuff in the area compared to years past and I'm not really up on all the terminology but from what I can gather I'd need something that will do LTR, P25, EDACS, Motorola, and Opensky. I'd like analog and digital capabilities. Also, computer controlled would be a huge plus since I do most of my scanning at home with the PC (using Probe and the 2042 right now).

Basically, I want something that will receive everything (or almost) yet stay around the $500 mark.

Appreciate any help!

 

[ibagli]

Opensky isn't scannable.

 

[N4JNW]

Choosing the correct scanner really lies in what you want to hear, and what kind of performance you want.

If you don't plan to monitor anything digital, you cant go wrong with a good Triple Trunker, such as the Pro-528, or Uniden 246T. I'd try to steer clear of the Pro-97 at this point however, as it is a good scanner, with good features, keep in mind it is NOT rebanding supported. Meaning on a Motorola Trunked system that's been affected by rebanding, it will be useless, as it can't track it properly.

As far as Digital Scanners, if you want features, get the 396T or the 996. If you want performance, grab a Pro-96, or the new GRE PSR-500 or PSR-600 base/mobile. I own a 396T, and have owned a Pro-96. The 396T is nice, it has lots of features and massive memory, but it recieves nothing like the Pro-96 did. Man that thing had a hot recieve.. When the new GRE's appear, I suspect the price of the Pro-96 and it's brother the 2096 will fall..

As far as computer controllability, the 396T and the 996 are able to do this. You can also program these scanners with the same software.

The RadioShack/GRE scanners (Pro-96 & 2096) are computer programmable, but cannot be computer controlled. I don't know if the GRE PSR 500 and 600 are able to be controlled or not.

 

[kevbentz]

Opensky isn't scannable.

See, I didn't know that. It's new to me.

What are people using for frequencies over 3GHz?

 

[N4JNW]

See, I didn't know that. It's new to me.

What are people using for frequencies over 3GHz?

I don't think there's any publicly available scanner that will go to 3 Ghz. Isn't that radar band?

 

[kevbentz]

Choosing the correct scanner really lies in what you want to hear, and what kind of performance you want.

Good tips, thanks!

I hear what appears to be a lot of digital traffic, but I haven't delved into the trunking systems yet so it may just be the control channels I'm picking up.

I've also noticed that there is one city by me that uses a 4GHz frequency and a 10GHz frequency. Is this for real? It's the only city in the county that lists frequencies this high.

 

[BuiltonAsus]

For P25 and EDACS, Radio Shack has the PRO-96 up for grabs, but doesn't trunk LTR. Uniden has the BCD396T can do it all, except OpenSky. (Nothing can do OpenSky) The Uniden usually is more expensive, and from other comments around these forums the PRO-96 picks up signals better.

Like mentioned earlier though, GRE is coming out with their own line of digital scanners, not rebranded for Radio Shack which is exciting. Hopefully the prices will stay pretty competitive. Many places have already begun taking pre-orders. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanners/4956.html Shipments should arrive in mid-Oct. If you can afford it, I would wait it out.

 

[kevbentz]

I don't think there's any publicly available scanner that will go to 3 Ghz. Isn't that radar band?

You're asking me?!?

I have no idea, maybe it's a Typo, but it's in there (not once, but twice)...

 

[kevbentz]

For P25 and EDACS, Radio Shack has the PRO-96 up for grabs, but doesn't trunk LTR. Uniden has the BCD396T can do it all, except OpenSky. (Nothing can do OpenSky) The Uniden usually is more expensive, and from other comments around these forums the PRO-96 picks up signals better.

Like mentioned earlier though, GRE is coming out with their own line of digital scanners, not rebranded for Radio Shack which is exciting. Hopefully the prices will stay pretty competitive. Many places have already begun taking pre-orders. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanners/4956.html Shipments should arrive in mid-Oct. If you can afford it, I would wait it out.

Being that GRE made the radios for Radio Shack, what is really going to be different about them? Or are they going to be cheaper than the RS versions?

 

[BuiltonAsus]

They won't be too much different, but the newer models are offering more options than what was released by Radio Shack, such as with the PRO-96. Perhaps GRE is now offering their supreme products themselves and lower end stuff to Radio Shack, or else GRE will just stop making rebranded stuff for Radio Shack and just sell their branded scanners in Radio Shack stores.

 

[SkipSanders]

License listings for 1 GHz+ are usually microwave links (point to point), not broadcast type operations.

 

[W4KRR]

The Icom IC-R20 will go up to a little over 3 GHz, but I personally have never monitored any voice traffic higher than about 940 MHz.

 

[contractor]

ken,
just purchased a ic-r20, problems programing, any suggestions or know where i can get programing software. Dan

 

[W4KRR]

ken,
just purchased a ic-r20, problems programing, any suggestions or know where i can get programing software. Dan

I purchased the Icom CS-R20 programming software from Universal Radio. Here is the link:
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/0020.html

It comes with a CD with the programming software on it, and a USB cable to connect the radio to your computer.

I've read lots of complaints about the software being too basic and lacking features, but it does just fine for what I want it to do, which is to just program the radio.