kellid0508
Newbie
I'm looking into getting a good beginner scanner for police,fire, and ems. I know to listen in my county it would have to be a Digital phase 2. Any suggestions on a good one to buy?
Beginner Scanner
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doctordialtone
Member
If you're talking about ease of use, the SDS scanner only requires you to put in your ZIP CODE.
The programming is all contained in the scanner.
It also depends where you are located and what you want to monitor.
Here is a listing of scanners.
Uniden Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki
If you never leave Pickens County you need a Digital Trunking P25 Phase 1 capable. You have No simulcast issues where you live.
Uniden BCD996P2 - base/mobile
Uniden BCD325P2 - Handheld
Uniden BCD536HP - base/mobile
Uniden BCD436HP - Handheld
All these models can be programmed with FREE software either FreeScan or Sentinel
Uniden BCD996P2 - base/mobile
Uniden BCD325P2 - Handheld
Uniden BCD536HP - base/mobile
Uniden BCD436HP - Handheld
All these models can be programmed with FREE software either FreeScan or Sentinel
kellid0508
Newbie
Yes I would only use in Pickens County, so that's helpful.
If you don't want the hassle of programming, go with Scanner Master and have them do it for you.
marksmith
Member
If your county is phase 1 it could go to phase 2 at any point. I recommend you start with phase 2 capability.
GregOH
Member
If I weren't in a simulcast area I would have purchased a 325P2, but that's just my opinion.
All the scanners I listed above are P25 Phase 2 capable.
goodmore
Member
Most of today's scanners are designed to be used with little effort. Zip code integration as well as being programmed by a computer.
I've had good luck with Uniden / Bearcat.
That's not necessarily true. The most advanced scanners require a bit of a learning curve, time & patience and a lot of button pushing / knob turning to get them to do what you want them to do, especially if you're looking to program them by hand out "in the field"
While Pickens County has digital Phase 1 talkgroups on Palmetto 800 assigned, I do not believe they are currently used for day-to-day dispatch and operations. I believe that with the exception of Clemson FD, all county public safety operations (fire, EMS, sheriff, etc) are still conventional analog. So a very inexpensive analog scanner might be a good choice to start. I hope that someone that routinely monitors public safety agencies in Pickens County can chime in and confirm the minimal use of Palmetto 800 talkgroups by county agencies.
Read this recent thread on the subject: Pickens County Palmetto 800
This could change (or maybe has changed already) for any agency in Pickens County at any time. And, if you have any interest in listening to surrounding counties (Anderson or Greenville, for example), you'll need a P25 phase 1 digital scanner. If you have interest in listening to Oconee County, you'll want a scanner capable of DMR digital radio format. These requirements move you out of a "beginner" scanner both in terms of cost and complexity.
While a scanner with "automatic" programming based on zip code is certainly attractive, and is a fine way to try to get started, I find that using this method often programs much more information into a scanner than I want or need. I wind up with radio information from other states, far out of my listening range, being scanned. Having much more data being scanned slows the scanning process down quite a bit and can adversely impact your ability to hear exactly what you're interested in. Perhaps this is due to my limited experience with using this programming method, but it's not one I would rely on as a permanent solution.
If I was a beginner and wanted to limit my initial investment, I would try a basic analog scanner. A Whistler WS-1010 (handheld) or WS-1025 or a Uniden BC125AT (handheld) or BC365CRS would be choices that are new in the box. There are literally dozens of choices on the used market (eBay, Craigslist, RR classifieds) that will be lower cost. All of these should be relatively easy to program by hand given the relatively small number of frequencies. Pickens County, South Carolina (SC) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Consider if you want a scanner with Alphatags, which are text descriptions of each channel or frequency. That can be handy for a beginner to determine who they're listening to at any particular time. But it can make programming a little more challenging.
If you catch the scanner bug and decide you want to expand your listening interests at a later time, realize that you'll need to step up to a higher level of scanner in terms of price and complexity. Or, if a change occurs among one or more Pickens County agencies and the radio system they use, then you may one day find your beginner scanner silent and it will be necessary to upgrade. Based on the comments in the thread I linked to above, that seems unlikely to happen in the near future.
Good luck.
kellid0508
Newbie
Thank you so much. All of your info was very helpful. I think that's what I will do if Pickens County hasn't went digital, just because I'm not interested in the surrounding counties.
GregOH
Member
I think if you google each one on the list, there will be a Radioreference link for each one and it will contain a complete overview of what capabilities and features it has.
Ooops, already covered in post #2. Disregard.
lu81fitter
Member
If you're not going to carry it around with you, the Uniden BCT15X is one of the best analog scanners around (in my opinion). I've had 2 of them for about 8 years and they perform flawlessly. They can be programmed with free software and can be used as a base or mobile unit.
BCT15X 
then BCD996P2 for conventional as well. I have both. If you have the bucks go with the BCD996P2. I got both of mine from Amazon for less than $280 as Uniden return/repacks.
then BCD996P2 for conventional as well. I have both. If you have the bucks go with the BCD996P2. I got both of mine from Amazon for less than $280 as Uniden return/repacks.kellid0508
Newbie
Thanks!!! Yall are awesome.
lu81fitter
Member
I have the 996P2 as well for digital stuff. It also works just fine on analog. The county I live in just migrated to DMR dispatch channels, so the P2 is getting a little more action these days.
I’m fairly new to scanning as well, and new to the SC area too. I recently picked up a Uniden 996P2 and really happy with it. I’m in York co. Just south of Charlotte in Ft. Mill and seem to be able to pick up tons of stuff. I rigged up an external antenna and most everything comes in strong and clear. I was initially getting some simulcast garbling but moved the antenna a bit and that seemed to do the trick.
Yes, it’s a bit more expensive upfront, but I’d rather pay a little more the first time. I also used freescan to program it and it was pretty easy to be honest. There’s lots of horror stories about programming it, but I didn’t find it that complex. It has way more features that I’m still slowly figuring out to play with, but the meat and potatoes of just getting a database into it and scanning is quick and easy-using software.
Yes, it’s a bit more expensive upfront, but I’d rather pay a little more the first time. I also used freescan to program it and it was pretty easy to be honest. There’s lots of horror stories about programming it, but I didn’t find it that complex. It has way more features that I’m still slowly figuring out to play with, but the meat and potatoes of just getting a database into it and scanning is quick and easy-using software.
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