BC796D: 796D v BC15X

[HappilyRetired]

Given your choice of a 796d or a bc15x which would you purchase?

 

[a417]

That depends, do you want a 10 year old or a 20 year old scanner? Price and utilization will need to be the primary factor.

I would lean towards the 15x

 

[tvengr]

The BC796D is digital capable if it has the digital card installed. It can handle digital on conventional P25, Motorola Type II trunked, and P25 Phase 1 trunked systems but does not support 700 MHz frequencies. The scanner was manufactured before that band became available. The BCT15 is analog only but does support 700 MHz frequencies.

 

[HappilyRetired]

The BC796D is digital capable if it has the digital card installed. It can handle digital on conventional P25, Motorola Type II trunked, and P25 Phase 1 trunked systems but does not support 700 MHz frequencies. The scanner was manufactured before that band became available. The BCT15 is analog only but does support 700 MHz frequencies.

Thank you for pointing out that the BCT 15x doesn't do digital at all. I thought it did. But one point I'll make on that is if it does not do digital it doesn't matter to me if it does 700 MHz because that's trunking territory. I don't know of any analog trunking in my area. I'm aware that the 796d has a plug-in digital card and does phase 1 digital but as you mentioned does not do 700 mhz. I'm thinking which is a better radio as far as interference from pagers and things like that. I know that there's a Mountaintop very close to me called Red Mountain that has paging transmitters on it and depending on what VHF frequency I'm on I hear the beeps and boots and blops and everything else. The BCT 15x is a newer radio and I'm wondering if it has a better receiver in it. My purpose for it will be primarily Cal Fire in southern california. That includes the helicopters and the aircraft along with the dispatch and tacs. I think I just realized another point though. I seem to recall someone telling me frequency spacing can be 7.5 khz and I don't believe the 796d does that. I'm open to being educated though.

 

[tvengr]

The BC796D is an old bank and list type scanner. You can put up to 100 frequencies in each bank. The BCT15X will take up to 1,000 frequencies per system. In addition, the frequencies can be divided into groups which you can easily select using quick keys. For Cal Fire, I would go with the BCT15X. It is also excellent for the aircraft frequencies Cal Fire will be using.

 

[HappilyRetired]

The BC796D is an old bank and list type scanner. You can put up to 100 frequencies in each bank. The BCT15X will take up to 1,000 frequencies per system. In addition, the frequencies can be divided into groups which you can easily select using quick keys. For Cal Fire, I would go with the BCT15X. It is also excellent for the aircraft frequencies Cal Fire will be using.

Great advice. Newer technology over old.

 

[StoliRaz]

If you only need to receive analog, go with the 15x. It'll be cheaper and has great reception. On Fleabay a 796D with the digital card installed goes for about twice what a 15x will sell for (about $100 vs $200)

 

[BC_Scan]

for my 5 cents worth I find my 796D is more sensitive to weak signals (discone) than the 15X , I pick up stuff from WA state that the 15 wont hear .

 

[HappilyRetired]

I will be installing an indoor OCF antenna. I don't know what to expect. 48 in up, 18 in down and fed 300 ohm thingy to a BNC cable. My wife says I have too many antennas on the roof already.

 

[garys]

Maybe you have too many wives... Just kidding, of course.

I liked the 7xx scanners, but they are rather elderly and I'd be wary of reliability issues. I'd actually look for a 15XT because there are some minor features I preferred over he 15X. IIRC, Service Search can be disabled on the XT. When we had the 15X installed in our ambulances crews were always getting stuck in Service Search and it was a PITA to get it back to regular bank scanning.

 

[Pr999]

Maybe you have too many wives... Just kidding, of course.

I liked the 7xx scanners, but they are rather elderly and I'd be wary of reliability issues. I'd actually look for a 15XT because there are some minor features I preferred over he 15X. IIRC, Service Search can be disabled on the XT. When we had the 15X installed in our ambulances crews were always getting stuck in Service Search and it was a PITA to get it back to regular bank scanning.

15XT? Do you mean the BCT15?

 

[GTR8000]

I'd actually look for a 15XT because there are some minor features I preferred over he 15X. IIRC, Service Search can be disabled on the XT. When we had the 15X installed in our ambulances crews were always getting stuck in Service Search and it was a PITA to get it back to regular bank scanning.

There is no such model as a BCT15XT. Or any "15XT" for that matter.

 

[garys]

I mistyped. It was the 15 that had the service scan issue and the 15X that corrected it. Since the short edit window has closed for my previous post, just read it accordingly.