New Digital Scanner Purchase, Whistler or Uniden?

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K2GMZ

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Lakeland Florida
Long time scanner user, been out of the hobby for a few years, but looking to get back into it and buying a good handheld and a desktop/mobile radio. Seems the playing field has changed quite a bit since I was involved last, reading though all the features is a daunting task to say the least, these radios have come QUITE a long way since the Uniden BCD996T, 396T, GRE-PSR 500 radio's I last owned.

Was in the Chandler Arizona area but have very recently relocated to the Lakeland/Polk County Fl area and with being new to the area I like the ability of just popping a zip code and getting the radio programmed for my location.

I'm looking at the new offerings by Whistler & Uniden and trying to find out the pluses and minuses from users experienced with these newer radios. I know which radio is "better" to someone nowadays is more preference that one actually being better than the other, but if there are are real performance differences, I would like to know that too.

I'm in a pretty rural area, about 10 miles north of downtown Lakeland, so a sensitive radio is not a bad thing, no outdoor antenna right now, but will look into that in the future, when in Chandler AZ I had a Discone in the attic (HOA Community) and passive distribution amp with traps for FM and a tunable one for the 152 paging range, ran that to my 4-5 scanners and a couple of UHF/VHF Motorola Spectra radios, killer setup where I could hear portable fireground comms clear from Phx at times, won't be as lucky to work a set up like that in the manufactured home community where I am now, but will eventually have some type of external antenna, even if something hidden in a PVC pipe :)

If it helps, I like to listen to anything and everything, if its there, I want to be able to listen, but my biggest target is the Federal and Public Safety stuff.

Thanks in advance for the help/insight/recommendations you can share!
 

buddrousa

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The answer is have you looked at the RR Database for what is listed in your area you want to hear.
1. What computer OS are you using? Uniden drivers work good Whistler some times takes patience.
2. What is your budget?
3. Do you need a Handheld or Base/Mobile?
4. The Unidens have upgrade fees for Provoice and DMR and we hope NXDN will be added soon no word yet.
5. Whistler WS1080 WS1095 WS 1088 WS1098 P25 phase 1 and 2 free DMR the TRX-1 and TRX-2 P25 phase 1 and 2 DMR and NXDN all included free with the scanner.
 

larry308

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Dec 19, 2002
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Gautier, Ms
T have had both Uniden and Whistler scanners, my vote is for Whistler the programing software is a free download, updates are free, and customer service is great. Uniden requires you to return the radio to them for updates but charges you for them. If you decided on the Whistler please private message me and I will be happy to recommend a company who will give you the best price and free shipping.
 

ChrisABQ

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Murder-Querque, NM
Sentinel for Uniden is a FREE download, with free updates to the software. The Uniden firmware updates are also free. Only upgrades such as DMR and Provoice are extra. You DO NOT need to return your radio for updates. (x36 series)
 

buddrousa

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Nor do you have to return the BCD996P2 to upgrade to DMR. Now I own both but facts are.
You can buy software that allows remote monitoring , audio recording and Traffic logging for the Uniden scanners. The best in my own opinion is PROSCAN.
As for Whistler Scanners no after market software can be bought or downloaded for free. They are good Scanners just do not have any aftermarket options.
 

K2GMZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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119
Location
Lakeland Florida
The answer is have you looked at the RR Database for what is listed in your area you want to hear.
1. What computer OS are you using? Uniden drivers work good Whistler some times takes patience.
2. What is your budget?
3. Do you need a Handheld or Base/Mobile?
4. The Unidens have upgrade fees for Provoice and DMR and we hope NXDN will be added soon no word yet.
5. Whistler WS1080 WS1095 WS 1088 WS1098 P25 phase 1 and 2 free DMR the TRX-1 and TRX-2 P25 phase 1 and 2 DMR and NXDN all included free with the scanner.

Thanks for the reply, see below;

1. Both Mac & PC, no worries there
2. Enough to get the best
3. Said previously Mobile/Base and a handheld
 

kmi8dy

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Feb 24, 2014
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ARIZONA and MICHIGAN
bcd996p2 or its little brother the bcd325p2 (hand held) is my choice. had mine since new. many people think that whisler does not charge you for dmr /mototurbo and provoice, but they do. the price is added into the cost of the new scanner. if you want to download it or not, use it or not, its up to you. uniden charges you if and when you want it. so your not paying for something you don't need or want to use. and uniden overall is less expensive to buy. and much easier to program.
 

K2GMZ

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Aug 29, 2005
Messages
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Location
Lakeland Florida
Thanks for all the input guys! I went with the BCD536HP and found a deal for $499 from it on Amazon, Merry Xmas To Me!
 
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