Looking to buy 3 identical cheap desktop scanners. (recommendations please)

Danny37 · Jan 17, 2018

So i'm looking to buy 3 identical analog conventional scanners for my desk.

They need to be the following:

-cheap (I'm looking to spend $30-50 per unit)
-supports alphanumeric tags
-at-least support 100 channels
-supports 12.5 & 6.25 channel step

preferences
-black in color

no handhelds, desktop only.

thanks in advance.

W8RMH · Jan 17, 2018

Try to find a used BCT15 or BCT15X, but it may be hard to find any in the $50 range, great scanners though.

buddrousa · Jan 17, 2018

The last few 15 and 15X I bought were around $100.00 used and $150.00 new good luck these are great scanners plus you run PROSCAN and log and record each scanner.

dlwtrunked · Jan 17, 2018

Danny37 said:
So i'm looking to buy 3 identical analog conventional scanners for my desk.

They need to be the following:
-cheap (I'm looking to spend $30-50 per unit)
-supports alphanumeric tags
-at-least support 100 channels
-supports 12.5 & 6.25 channel step
preferences
-black in color
no handhelds, desktop only.
thanks in advance.

Your total budget is likely to only get you 1 scanner with your other requirements.

mule1075 · Jan 17, 2018

Good luck on the 30-50 per unit with alpha tags.You might get lucky on ebay but it could take awhile to get one let alone three in your target price range.

Danny37 · Jan 17, 2018

Yea I realized I lowballed the price tag, $200 range sounds about right.

Also the 6.25 channel step and alphanumeric display is a preference at this time to hit my budget.

pinballwiz86 · Jan 18, 2018

I see you are a volunteer EMT. If you are trying to get some scanners for the fire house, tell the chief your budget is $500. Then, get three Uniden BCT15X scanners to do the job right, and wow him by coming in at just $300 on the budget. My recommendation for you.

$30 is laughable to be honest with you. If these scanners are just for your personal use, save up a little cash and then get the 15X. If you want to be able listen to all the traffic in your county, you will probably need a digital scanner as well as one of the scanner choices..

PrivatelyJeff · Jan 18, 2018

If you don’t actually need alpha tags, whistler has a bunch of desktop scanners for $35 on their scratch and dent page

https://whistlergroup.com/collections/scratch-dent

Radiocar · Jan 18, 2018

I agree with Jeff. The lack of numerics will really bring you into your price range. I recommend looking for old whistlers, radio shacks, or even old regencys at thrift stores and old electronic/pawn shops. You can usually find a bunch of 100 channel models there if you look hard enough and usually under for 50 bucks for each or sometimes if there is a pair, for both. If those are too old for you then try some of the Uniden Discontinued Archived radios on eBay.

You can create a timetable if you have to.

byndhlptom · Jan 18, 2018

cheap scanner

The RS 2067 supported alpha tags, pc programmable....not sure of the smaller channel spacing tho.....

most of the analog trunking scanners supported alpha tags, look though the list of analog scanners in Wiki

$.02

Danny37 · Jan 18, 2018

Since I only need it for the UHF t band, I was thinking some cheap mobile radios. Obviously outdated ones from the 90s or early 2000s. Icoms, vertex, kenwood. I don't need trunking or digital capabilities, just good old analog.

Also I think I'm spoiled because I remember the clearance awhile back when the RadioShack pro-163 was selling for $60 a pop a couple years back, and I bought myself one. Should've bought more.

Danny37 · Jan 18, 2018

pinballwiz86 said:
I see you are a volunteer EMT. If you are trying to get some scanners for the fire house, tell the chief your budget is $500. Then, get three Uniden BCT15X scanners to do the job right, and wow him by coming in at just $300 on the budget. My recommendation for you.

$30 is laughable to be honest with you. If these scanners are just for your personal use, save up a little cash and then get the 15X. If you want to be able listen to all the traffic in your county, you will probably need a digital scanner as well as one of the scanner choices..

Right now we don't need digital or trunking capabilities. I'm looking into thrift/pawn store options but it's hard for me since I don't own a car anymore (I live in NYC/mass transit) I think I'm going to be looking at old mobile radios like kenwood, vertex, icom. Something probably $50-75 a unit, I only need it for the UHF t-band.

jonwienke · Jan 18, 2018

You aren't going to be happy with the scan speed of any mobile radio if you really need 100 channels.

But if you're only scanning a few channels, a Baofeng UV-5R would fit your $30 budget new.

Danny37 · Jan 18, 2018

jonwienke said:
You aren't going to be happy with the scan speed of any mobile radio if you really need 100 channels.

But if you're only scanning a few channels, a Baofeng UV-5R would fit your $30 budget new.

I was actually thinking that, mobile radios just look more asecthically pleasing.

Also the radios would be parked on a channel most of the time so scanning time won't necessarily be an issue

tumegpc · Jan 18, 2018

One of the best analog scanners you can buy today is the BC125AT handheld. Cost about $80.00 new and anywhere from $50-70 used. Alphanumeric with decent audio. Fast scan speeds but no 800mhz .

Not a desktop, but within your budget.

Danny37 · Jan 18, 2018

SpinThatDial said:
If you can tell us what type of project you're working on maybe we can assist you better with a realistic cost effective workable plan. If it's the 6.25khz step plan that concerns you if you're looking to monitor FDNY or FDNY-EMS or another agency whose frequency maybe something like 482.00625 or some such frequency there are other scanners that display 482.XXXX that will still receive those services without actually displaying the full 5 numbers after the decimal point frequency as they'll round off the display frequency without any degradation in reception. Feel free to PM me.

A monitoring station for our dispatch.

1 for the local PD
1 for Ems
1 for FD

Yea for NYC monitoring, however we want to program the full database into them in cases where mutual aid is required and we go out of area etc.

Danny37 · Jan 18, 2018

I was thinking about getting 3 baofengs and putting them on this Desk Mount for Three Portable Scanners | Scanner Master but I can't get myself to throw down $60 for a piece of metal. Anybody else have any stands that would work to hold 3 radios on the cheap?

kb3isq · Jan 18, 2018

Try to find a old style metal book end. There were many sizes I use a 7 inch and it just holds three pro-96 HHs

I_am_Alpha1 · Jan 23, 2018

Danny37 said:
I was thinking about getting 3 baofengs and putting them on this Desk Mount for Three Portable Scanners | Scanner Master but I can't get myself to throw down $60 for a piece of metal. Anybody else have any stands that would work to hold 3 radios on the cheap?

The BaoFeng UV-5R comes with a drop-in charger so you don't need anything else...otherwise, how are you going to power them long term. Get a cable and use Chirp to program them...and disable transmit to keep it legal. If you still require some type of stand, a piece of wooden shelf and dowel legs from Lowe's/Home Depot is cheap.

737mech · Jan 23, 2018

Desktop holder

Real easy to make one cheap. Take a piece of plexiglass, use a hairdryer to heat up along the middle and slowly bend it to desired angle. Use the edge of a table to help keep it straight.

Looking to buy 3 identical cheap desktop scanners. (recommendations please)

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