Need scanner recommendation

[unixdude]

Greetings, all.

A long time ago, I had a Radio Shack PRO-32 scanner. In college, I had some Icom radios and some other fun stuff, but got totally out of the radio hobby during college. Last November, after many years of wishing I was back in the scanning hobby, and after a long while of lusting after a PRO-96, the purchase of said object of my desire facilitated my re-entry into this hobby, and I'm glad I bought it - I love the scanner, and even my wife gets into listening to it with me - what an awesome wife! The PRO-96 functions just like my old PRO-32, but with lots of enhancements (e.g., digital, trunking, PC interface).

I'm wanting a second scanner now, and since I already have digital, I don't have need to spend the hundreds of dollars on another digital scanner. But, I still want something that trunks. I don't mind used, but I would prefer something that would survive rebanding.

My potential purchase list includes:
- PRO-92
- PRO-93
- PRO-95
- PRO-97
- Uniden BR330T
- Uniden BC246T

I'm thinking that the 330 might be the way to go since it supports PC control (in addition to PC channel loading a la Win96) and is also a wideband receiver - I would love to have a shortwave receiver as well. Now, of course I know that a dinky handheld shortwave receiver won't work that great, but it will work a lot better than what I have now, which is nothing!

I've read a couple reviews on the 330, and some comparisons of it vs the 246 and PRO-97, and it seems that the 330 is the way to go.

Any thoughts on that? Is it worth the ~$200 entry fee, vs ~$75 for a PRO-95? Sure, it's a lot more scanner, and that really might be the thing for me, but I thought I'd post to solicit others' feedback.

Thanks for your help.

 

[fredclausen]

I think you can't go wrong with either a 246T or the 330T.

 

[N2KMB]

add a bc245xlt

 

[ka3jjz]

The 245? you must be joking. It doesn't do digital, and sad to say, many areas are moving in that direction. It's a pretty good Moto analog/EDACS scanner, but it does have a major deficiency in the conventional department - it doesn't do PL or DCS. That's something else many bigger cities use. And of course, no rebanding support.

There are much better choices - some of which have already been mentioned.

73s Mike

 

[trainman111]

I second the BR330t. It's the best little scanner I could have bought. Since Uniden has discontinued them though, you might have to buy one new through ebay or some place like that.

 

[kojak5150]

I just got my 330T yesterday in the mail. $255 shipped from National Electronics. I have been playing with it most of the day. I love this little thing. Its a great scanner and I have not even got into all the features that it can do. You cant go wrong with the 330T.

 

[MarkWestin]

The BR330T is my favorite scanner. I have had it just over a year. After getting the BR330T, most of my other scanners, including my BC246T and my AR8200 Mk3 are mostly ignored.
If you can afford to, the BR330T is the scanner to buy.

Mark

 

[Lodis]

I have only just received my BR330T today and although I have not even used it for an hour yet, so far I love it. I like the wide coverage it gives you, I have my favourite AM news and Radio stations programmed in one system and the rest are conventional and trunking.

I got my BR330T for $239.99 and even though it was an international order I still got it in less than 5 days (considering there were Bank holidays). I highly recommend you get your BR330T from here http://xtremedeal4u.zoovy.com/product/BR330T

If you already have digital or don't need digital, I think the BR330T is the most feature packed analogue (Trunk Tracking scanner) you can get and surprisingly I found I don't mind the Nascar logo either. Don't forget to upgrade the firmware and put a screen protector on when you get it.

 

[DaveIN]

Too bad Uniden is discontinuing the 330. Sounds like it was too soon after the 246 and 396.