Best scanner for rural Utah?

[K7XRL]

I have several analog amateur radios that will receive wide and narrow FM, FRS, GMRS, and naturally, amateur frequencies, along with public safety frequencies and NOAA weather, etc.

But their scan is extremely slow, and they will not work for the statewide digital stuff.

What is the best value handheld scanner for the types of police and public safety systems in Utah? I don't want to mess with SDRs or things that aren't really portable. I want something that can easily be tossed in a suitcase or toted around from room to room.

I had a top of the line Radio Shack scanner that cost like $500 back when I bought is almost 20 years ago, but it is pretty much obsolete now, and I want something easy to program via USB.

That said, I also don't want to shell out $500 to only add a little more capability than what I can already listen to with the amateur equipment I already own.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[rk911]

Assuming you're in Carbon County the locals appear to be on unencrypted NXDN and the Hiway Patrol on analog. You'll need a scanner capable of receiving NXDN.

Carbon County
Highway Patrol

 

[K7XRL]

Assuming you're in Carbon County the locals appear to be on unencrypted NXDN and the Hiway Patrol on analog. You'll need a scanner capable of receiving NXDN.

Carbon County
Highway Patrol

Yes, Carbon County. The local dispatch channel is broadcast on analog FM, but it's the car-to-car stuff I am missing, along with the Utah Communications Authority that is P25 Phase II and "Motorola Type II Smartzone Omnilink", whatever that means. I think they are both digital trunking, and possibly encrypted. I think the state troopers are on that Communications Authority system. I've never heard them on any analog channel out here. Not to say they aren't, I just haven't heard them.

 

[enosjones]

The ch 3 car to car , which mostly has been on 155.745, is used for UHP on TG 5728 or 5824, city and county seem to not use car to car as much. Price City is on 800 mhz with state uhp, county wants to go on nxdn, thinking the rest of the cities in the county were on board with it , only to find out price city purchased 800 mhz radios, soon going to go on 700mhz

You will want one or some of the following if u want to follow county or ems the best option is either bcd325p2, bcd436hp, bcd536hp, sds100, sds200, or if u just want the statewide system HP-2 from uniden...

If your in price we can meet up and I can show u what my scanners have

The current Motorola system on 800mhz is mostly analog with some digital in the higher talkgroups, there is a transition that is in the works of moving to 700mhz and going digital phase 2, so for right now its analog. But future is all digital. Carbon and emery are also on the nxdn system as well . Right now everything is patched together for interoperability..

 

[K7XRL]

Thanks for the info. I ended up ordering the bcd325p2. I had just been monitoring county dispatch with an amateur HT and that was okay, but I wanted something that would scan faster and be able to follow the trunked stuff. Plus easy programming via PC will be nice too.

 

[enosjones]

The bcd325p2 will be able to be programed once from the pc, its more direct entry programming than the others are that run on sentinel, the scanner u ordered doesn't run on sentinel but can be backed up using butel's arc-xt software and will have access to the radio reference databases however it is easier to program it directly by hand after initial setup... it is a different setup that the other scanners that use sentinel or SD cards for this scanner uses dynamic memory and has a Channel/site/system limit of 1000 systems and sites and 25,000 Channel dynamic memory limit...

The bcd325p2 will do nxdn digital, dmr digital phase one and phase2 digital and provoice digital. The phase 1 and 2 come standard with the scanner at no charge, the nxdn (nexedge), dmr and provoice each come with an upgrade purchase ..

The HP-2 or homepatrol scanner does come with a SD Card and is easily programmed from a computer and would be cheaper than the higher end scanners but it would only work with phase 1 and 2 digital only and not nxdn dmr or provoice, its will do the trunking and its a touchscreen scanner

In reading back on the earlier threads. The Uhp is on the Utah Communications Authority system Motorola for now mostly analog, price city is also now on that system since they've Bought 800mhz radios. Uhp's car to car and UDOT are also on UCA.. The transition to the new system probably will be happening at the first part of next year or very late this year, currently there are 4 new 700mhz sites only with at least one more site to go online soon for the new 700mhz digital system, its mostly just testing phase for now, nothing on it yet...

 

[K7XRL]

So does this mean I'd need a different scanner after the transition? I'm looking to future-proof as best I can, but the latest models are in the $600 range and more than I want to spend.

 

[enosjones]

Bcd325p2 will work fine, I take mine everywhere, its just more direct entry programming than the other newer ones are, uniden added more features after market with that one. The other scanners came with features out of the factory on most cases.

 

[enosjones]

It will download from the database from the butel arcxt software, but make sure u save stuff from the scanner(especially if u add channels or make changes)to the pc before u make changes from the pc back to the scanner of any updates

 

[K7XRL]

Thanks again for the info. I guess I will see how it goes in a few days when bit gets here.

 

[enosjones]

I live in Price and can assist with becoming familiar with the scanner. Arc-xt software has a 30 day demo period, then u will need to buy the license to continue using it.. I don't drive but I am in town.