mmiller7
Member
Now that RadioShack is closing their last store in my area, and the county my parents' live is talking about "going digital" (Spotsylvania, VA) but I can't find official answers about what that means (I've read claims of ProVoice, P25 phase I, P25 phase II...the most official looking budget documents just mention "P25" unspecified version)...I'm faced with a dilemma.
I got myself a Pro-651 last month, it will do P25 phase I. My parents' will want to continue scanning the country fire/rescue. I'd obviously prefer another Pro-651 since I already have Win500 to program it (clone mine) but don't want to recommend a new scanner that won't work on the new system (which isn't out yet).
Option 1 is recommend they get a Pro-651 and hope it works. I think there might be ONE left in the last RadioShack that's going out.
Option 2 is try to find a P25 Phase II scanner at a reasonable price ($200-ish max cap)
Option 3 is try to find a SDR ($15) and try to set them up with an x86 tablet ($60) that can act as a scanner and support whatever they migrate to
Option 4 is giving them an old Android phone with the scanner app -- but then they can't toggle groups on and off which I think they'll want...plus it's not as "real time" as they're used to (you hear the firetruck pull out of the firehouse just behind them and flick on the radio in time to catch the tones going out)
Suggestions?
I got myself a Pro-651 last month, it will do P25 phase I. My parents' will want to continue scanning the country fire/rescue. I'd obviously prefer another Pro-651 since I already have Win500 to program it (clone mine) but don't want to recommend a new scanner that won't work on the new system (which isn't out yet).
Option 1 is recommend they get a Pro-651 and hope it works. I think there might be ONE left in the last RadioShack that's going out.
Option 2 is try to find a P25 Phase II scanner at a reasonable price ($200-ish max cap)
Option 3 is try to find a SDR ($15) and try to set them up with an x86 tablet ($60) that can act as a scanner and support whatever they migrate to
Option 4 is giving them an old Android phone with the scanner app -- but then they can't toggle groups on and off which I think they'll want...plus it's not as "real time" as they're used to (you hear the firetruck pull out of the firehouse just behind them and flick on the radio in time to catch the tones going out)
Suggestions?
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