Best place to buy a BC246T in the Local Area

[JLHDU]

Best place to buy a BC246T in the Local Area? Can anyone help.

-JLHDU
Odenton, MD

 

[ka3jjz]

There are, as far as I know, no local Uniden dealers here that sell it (maybe, just maybe, Best Buy, as I've seen some Uniden scanners - lo end types - on sale there. But don't hold your breath). Probably the closest to us would be Ham Radio Outlet in Virginia or Delaware. There used to be a ham shop in Baltimore city, but I think it's long gone and closed.

Besides, if you read my earlier postings, if you buy a 246, you're going to miss out on a great deal of stuff. It's not digital capable.

73s Mike

 

[JLHDU]

Thanks Mike.

My father-in-law is buying it for me and is keeping it to $220 or less and I really don't have any cash to contribute...I think with that much money I should atleast be able to start with something.

-J

 

[ka3jjz]

If you can go for a desktop model, and don't care about the rebanding issues, you can find a BC780 for right around that price range. Hot receiver, well respected as a milair machine, tons of software for it...all you need is a good antenna (and I think a standard DB9 cable to connect to your computer), and you'll be off and running. Still not digital, but a heckuva scanner nonetheless.
73s Mike

 

[troymail]

You're better off doing mail order. My usual place is scannerworld.com - in New York. I've been buying from them for many, many years without any problems.

I think they currently have a 246 package for $219 + shipping - but....

As was mentioned earlier thought - think about what you really need - many systems in the Balt/Wash area are (or soon will be) digital ---

Baltimore City, Howard County, Upper Easter Shore, Montgomery, DC - digital now
Anne Arundel - digital soon
Baltimore County, Calvert, Carroll - analog (not sure of their future plans)
Prince George - waiting for someone to buy them a trunking system (-:

 

[JLHDU]

Hmmm...how long until Anne Arundel does?

 

[troymail]

The radios are capable NOW. My understanding is the only reason it isn't widely used is that there are not enough towers to support it yet. More towers are expected during the summer of 2006... so earliest would seem to be late summer or fall of 2006 - not that far away.

 

[JLHDU]

So much for that idea...

 

[troymail]

...just one more reason why, for us scanner users, digital sucks.

prices for digital units (BC-296, BC-396, PRO-96, etc.) -- all in the $500 range.

you may be able to find a used BC-250 or BC-296 at a rasonable price --- just make sure that if you find a BC-250 it includes a digital card (which was optional). In fact, the digital card that came with the BC-296 can be removed so make sure the price includes the card!

personnaly, if I was going for a digital unit, I'd pay the extra and get a BC-396... I have the 296 and 396...

 

[ka3jjz]

Keep in mind that the 250 will not be supported when rebanding comes along. The 296 and 396 are expected to be supported.

We now have a tag on every trunktracker on the Uniden and Radio Shack Wikis that says something about rebanding, yes or no. In addition, UPMan has written a nice Wiki on that very subject, and it too is linked on every one of those pages. Be sure to use these pages as you research what to buy.

73s Mike

 

[troymail]

Remember the days when this hobby was easy?

The hardest thing was trying to find a place that sold crystals.

It used to be hard trying to figure out if a VHF radio was good enough for your needs or you really needed a UHF capabile radio...

 

[Al42]

I remember trying to figure out whether to spend my few pennies on a receiver capable of receiving the "new" stuff on VHF-hi, or if I should just keep listening to VHF-lo.

 

[troymail]

I grew up in Baltimore City - fire was on VHF-Hi (154.31) but the police were on (or went to) UHF -- So I had to choose - an 8 channel, crystal Bearcat III (VHF) or a Bearcat IV that included the UHF freqs all the way to 512Mhz. I think I was in Junior High School delivering newspapers.

I must have been desparate then because these days, I hate listening to PD (too much chatter).

That was my first scanner - I still have it. It's on my bench in my garage next to my Baltimore City firebox....

 

[JackTV]

You can try Baynsville Electronics in Towson.They carry scanners and CB's and antenna stuff....But they are a little high on prices.They are at Lochraven and Joppa roads off of the Beltway


Good Luck

 

[ResQguy]

I would not try Baynesville Electronics if you are trying to be thrifty. Although they do sell Uniden scanners, they charge full list price.