Is it worth the price? I live in london ontario and london police is encrypted full time. I just want to know if the rest of the public safety agencies will soon follow and i will have a very expensive radio and the frequencies that I can listen to can be heard on an analog scanner.
Getting a new digital scanner
- Thread starter magpupu2
- Start date
- Status
Depends on how much you are willing to spend and what you want to listen to. Very few people know if and when their local plice or municipalities "switch" to unscannable systems. Their is a lot of speculation about changes but very few people have a definitive answer.
It seems that very few people write their councillors and mayors, they are more than happy to share their accomplishments.
As for myself. I have a scanner, I enjoy listening to the OPP and the EMS in the area and the MTO. I miss my regions police comms but fire is fun. My home patrol was is used often.
So, if you enjoy listening to the OPP, buy a digital scanner, it would seem that the fleetnet system is here to stay in the forseeable future. If not, you will always have the EMS and MTO patrols.
I suppose it depends upon what you are interested in listening to and what you consider 'very expensive'. Highways, OPP, RCMP, Ministry of Health (except for selected exceptions) and other Public agencies are not encrypted at this time and there is nothing to indicate they will be in the near future (within a couple of years). When and if they may go that way is impossible to predict. Aircraft, Railroad, Ham Radio, Cab companies etc. etc. will be a very long time in converting, if ever.
I contemplated the same thing early this year and decided to spring for a BCD996XT and BCD396XT. I am very happy with both. If they are not capable of receiving what they can now in three years were they a wise investment? I think so. Although I am quite new to scanners I do recall friend who where into the hobby years ago bewailing the fact that when things go digital there would no longer be a scanner hobby. They were wrong.
If you are committed and want to save a bunch of bucks check the prices at Radio Shack across the border (especially when they have sales on) before paying Canadian prices for a scanner. My 396XT cost me less than 450.00.
I contemplated the same thing early this year and decided to spring for a BCD996XT and BCD396XT. I am very happy with both. If they are not capable of receiving what they can now in three years were they a wise investment? I think so. Although I am quite new to scanners I do recall friend who where into the hobby years ago bewailing the fact that when things go digital there would no longer be a scanner hobby. They were wrong.
If you are committed and want to save a bunch of bucks check the prices at Radio Shack across the border (especially when they have sales on) before paying Canadian prices for a scanner. My 396XT cost me less than 450.00.
I just checked Radio Sack and they have a new sale on. Both 996XT and 396XT are on for less than $425.00.
VE3JSO
Member
i checked radio world in toronto and they have the psr 800 for 450.00 and it is easy to program
GRE PSR-800 EZ Scan Digital P25 Scanner|PSR-800 [GRE-PSR800] : @ Radioworld Toronto
GRE PSR-800 EZ Scan Digital P25 Scanner|PSR-800 [GRE-PSR800] : @ Radioworld Toronto
I only have one digital handheld ,..since my local pd went ENC ,it does allow me to hear fire & ems ,....I have other radios I use for marine & air ,...I have thought about getting a nice desktop like the 996t ,....but I think Im going to wait until either the price goes really cheap , or SDR radios come out that can be flashed to do
whatever new systems or modes come out ,...If you have a opp beat repeater close by you can listen through that as well ,...I have some other expensive hobbies ,so I cant really justify the cost right now
Everyone will have to decide that for themselves though
whatever new systems or modes come out ,...If you have a opp beat repeater close by you can listen through that as well ,...I have some other expensive hobbies ,so I cant really justify the cost right now
Everyone will have to decide that for themselves though
If the price is right, I'd say go for it. By all accounts we have a handful of years left before the next potential OPP upgrade (which I imagine will include encryption) and I don't see London Fire or city services encrypting anytime soon (or they would have just done it when they migrated to P25). So I guess it all depends on what you want to listen to.
Command30
Member
If you want one, buy it. I have no regrets about purchasing any of my scanners.
bchamp22
Member
I just purchased a PSR800 from Radioland in Toronto for $450. Works perfectly. Do a Review search first or all the scanners your interested in and check as many forums before buying one. My opion you should look at scanners that are capable of Digital/Analog APCO P25 Trunking. Good luck and hope you get the right scanner to fit your needs
bchamp22
Member
- Status
Similar threads
BCD325P2/BCD996P2:
BCD325P2 and Louisiana LWIN