BCT15 vs BC996D

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NodrogCop

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Hi All --

I am in the market to put a scanner in the new vehicle. I have a 05 Tahoe. My previous truck had two kenwoods to monitor VHF and UHF. I want just a scanner this time out, and mounted in the cubby hole in the console, as other posts have shown.

My decision is which scanner to purchase. The vast majority of my listening is Lancaster County, VHF analog and will be for sometime to come. I work in the county, and like to keep up when I'm out and about. I also listen to Dauphin Co, Derry Township PD and some UHF channels locally - security, ems business, etc.

I wouldn't mind listening to some other places when I travel -- I hit Baltimore and Richmond frequently, although never listened to Balt's or Henrico/Richmond/Chesterfield system. New work developments may mean traveling to new places.

Anyone have some two cents to offer? The big issue is $...I'd like to get the 996, but do I really need the digital?

All thoughts gratefully accepted.

Gordon
 

andrewccm

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The 15 is basically the 996 without digital...(you probably already know this). I am not familiar with PA area, but just wanted to chime in that I am more than happy with my BCT15. Heck of a scanner for $200ish.

I like my 396T (portable 996), but other than getting 2 digital systems local to me, I would choose the 15 over it personally. Price to performance ratio being the determining factor.
 

ctrabs74

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NodrogCop said:
My decision is which scanner to purchase. The vast majority of my listening is Lancaster County, VHF analog and will be for sometime to come. I work in the county, and like to keep up when I'm out and about. I also listen to Dauphin Co, Derry Township PD and some UHF channels locally - security, ems business, etc.

I wouldn't mind listening to some other places when I travel -- I hit Baltimore and Richmond frequently, although never listened to Balt's or Henrico/Richmond/Chesterfield system. New work developments may mean traveling to new places.

Anyone have some two cents to offer? The big issue is $...I'd like to get the 996, but do I really need the digital?

Yes. Dauphin and York Counties are about to switch over to a P25 digital system; Baltimore City also opearates on a digital system. Lancaster County is about to switch to a digital system (thankfully, not OpenScam); supposedly, it will be a P25 system, but that hasn't been officially confirmed.
 

NodrogCop

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Jan 19, 2003
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Thanks for the input so far. I should clarify a bit...

I know that Dauphin is soon going digital - I saw the poor guy at the radio ship who was sitting at a folding table with a computer, a power supply, and a cable programming the XTL5000's for police...and there were about a dozen skids worth of radios. Not to mention all of EMS and fire to come...and the portables. Anyway, LE will be encrypted, and I won't be able to listen.

While I get down to Richmond and Baltimore frequently (and they're both digital) I don't know if I'd listen enough for digital.

York I'd listen to, although I don't now all that much.

BTW, the relatively reliable scuttleutt we're getting is that Lancaster won't be on new system until 2010...

I should probably stop being a tightwad and spring for the 996. :)

Anyone else with thoughts?
 
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