Newbie!

[Metertech424]

Hello guys, I’m new to the scanning hobby. Not to knowledgeable on the chart on how to chose the right scanner for my area. I live in North Carolina and Wake County. My zip is 27592 . I wanna listen to all that’s available I guess. Fire, ems, etc. Any help would be appreciated!! I like the sds 100 scanner but you guys input would help me tremendously! Thank you!

 

[RaleighGuy]

I would strongly recommend the SDS100 or 200 for you, I live in Wake County and the county system is simulcast, so depending on your location you may have moderate to heavy simulcast distortion, however the SDS scanners are the only scanners designed for simulcast environment and can handle it fine.

I will mention, Fuquay PD is encrypted and you will not hear them (as are several others in the area - Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Rolesville, Zebulon and at least one other), but Wake County, Raleigh (except OPS & TAC channels) and all of fire and EMS are in the clear. You will also be able to hear VIPER, the statewide system, most of which is in the clear.

Let us know if you have other questions, and welcome to the hobby.

 

[Metertech424]

Thank you very much Raleigh Guy for the help! I was also considering the whistler ws 1040 as a price point. What would be the difference between the two (sds100). But I can swing the sds 100 if need be also. Thanks!

Also Raleigh Guy I live in the country near Willow Spring. I picked up the whistler 1010 just to get started but will return it and purchase the sds 100 or whistler 1040. Thanks!

 

[KJ4LZM]

I would strongly recommend the SDS100 or 200 for you, I live in Wake County and the county system is simulcast, so depending on your location you may have moderate to heavy simulcast distortion, however the SDS scanners are the only scanners designed for simulcast environment and can handle it fine.

I will mention, Fuquay PD is encrypted and you will not hear them (as are several others in the area - Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Rolesville, Zebulon and at least one other), but Wake County, Raleigh (except OPS & TAC channels) and all of fire and EMS are in the clear. You will also be able to hear VIPER, the statewide system, most of which is in the clear.

Let us know if you have other questions, and welcome to the hobby.

Wow! When did FV and Apex PD encrypt? I knew Cary was.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Wow! When did FV and Apex PD encrypt? I knew Cary was.

Apex and Morrisville did when they joined the Cary system, FV and the Wake Events 1-5 when the new P25 Wake system became active, all the LE East departments along with RPD TAC and OPS channels in Nov 2023.

 

[KJ4LZM]

Apex and Morrisville did when they joined the Cary system, FV and the Wake Events 1-5 when the new P25 Wake system became active, all the LE East departments along with RPD TAC and OPS channels in Nov 2023.

Not much left in the clear. I am in the Sandhills. The only thing encrypted (so far) is Southern Pines PD.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Not much left in the clear. I am in the Sandhills. The only thing encrypted (so far) is Southern Pines PD.

RPD Dispatch, all of Wake SO, Fire, RDU, NCSU, VIPER, there is still a lot to monitor.

 

[Metertech424]

Will a uniden bcd325p2 be ok for my area?

 

[RaleighGuy]

Will a uniden bcd325p2 be ok for my area?

The Wake County system is simulcast, the only scanners designed to deal with that and give you the best results is the UNIDEN SDS100 or SDS200 scanners (or SDRs or Unicaton pagers, but right now we are talking scanners).

A BCD325P2 may work in some areas and in other areas you won't be able to hear anything because of simulcast distortion, there is no way to know when or where it may work and where it won't. I would not recommend that scanner, or any others except for the SDS scanners.