Advice and recommendations on a scanner purchase very soon.

[etuck]

I would like to pickup scanning as a hobby, although Now I'm completely Confused. I would appreciate some additional recommendations on which brand and model of radio should I purchase. My first posting , several members recommended the Uniden SDS 100 or 200, although now I've found that the police channels in my area indeed are encrypted already. I thought ok, although they're most expensive, maybe they would still be my best buy for the long run..?
After looking into purchasing, I've had several different sales associates look up my counties and recommended I should give it another thought on these models to a less expensive model, Uniden or maybe Whistler, that the SDS models were overkill so to speak, for what I would be limited to??? My zip locations are FL. 32966 and NC. 28906. I just want a good durable and dependable up-to-date Desk/Mobile unit which would give me to most bang for the money for use in my locations. Thanks to all in advance on any further recommendations, I want to purchase asap.

 

[Enforcer52]

Not much in Indian County to listen to since Sheriff is encrypted. Murphy county on the other hand is mostly unencrypted in the 150 mhz range. So a Uniden BCD996P2 would probably be sufficient for your needs in my opinion. SDS series would be overkill for me. But lets see what others suggest.

 

[hiegtx]

Citrus County, Florida (FL) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency ReferenceI would like to pickup scanning as a hobby, although Now I'm completely Confused. I would appreciate some additional recommendations on which brand and model of radio should I purchase. My first posting , several members recommended the Uniden SDS 100 or 200, although now I've found that the police channels in my area indeed are encrypted already. I thought ok, although they're most expensive, maybe they would still be my best buy for the long run..?
After looking into purchasing, I've had several different sales associates look up my counties and recommended I should give it another thought on these models to a less expensive model, Uniden or maybe Whistler, that the SDS models were overkill so to speak, for what I would be limited to??? My zip locations are FL. 32966 and NC. 28906. I just want a good durable and dependable up-to-date Desk/Mobile unit which would give me to most bang for the money for use in my locations. Thanks to all in advance on any further recommendations, I want to purchase asap.

For Cherokee County, NC (zip 28906) the S.O. has one Tac channel & a car-to-car that use DMR. The car-to-car is flagged as encrypted. Valleytown FD is listed as using DMR. The county has some talkgroups on the statewide system, VIPER The listed sites for the county are not flagged as simulcast.

For Citrus County FL (zip 32966), the county S.O. has encrypted TGIDs on the P25 Phase II system, The site is also simulcast, The county has an older, analog, Motorola Type 2 system. Comments indicate that agencies are moving to the new system. Someone in the Florida forum might be better able to tell you who has switched, & who has not.

You would need the DMR upgrade for a few of the Cherokee County agencies. The 996P2 can handle DMR (with the upgrade), but it might have troubles with the Simulcast site in Citrus. Simulcast issues are very location specifi9c. Someone in the Florida forum, familiar with the area, wold be able to give you a more specific answer as to problems with that site.

 

[etuck]

For Cherokee County, NC (zip 28906) the S.O. has one Tac channel & a car-to-car that use DMR. The car-to-car is flagged as encrypted. Valleytown FD is listed as using DMR. The county has some talkgroups on the statewide system, VIPER The listed sites for the county are not flagged as simulcast.

For Citrus County FL (zip 32966), the county S.O. has encrypted TGIDs on the P25 Phase II system, The site is also simulcast, The county has an older, analog, Motorola Type 2 system. Comments indicate that agencies are moving to the new system. Someone in the Florida forum might be better able to tell you who has switched, & who has not.

You would need the DMR upgrade for a few of the Cherokee County agencies. The 996P2 can handle DMR (with the upgrade), but it might have troubles with the Simulcast site in Citrus. Simulcast issues are very location specifi9c. Someone in the Florida forum, familiar with the area, wold be able to give you a more specific answer as to problems with that site.

Yes, I forgot to mention Simulcast issues, so i think that's why the SDS recommendation was given earlier. Are there any others that handle simulcast also, or quit looking? Thank you!

 

[hiegtx]

Yes, I forgot to mention Simulcast issues, so i think that's why the SDS recommendation was given earlier. Are there any others that handle simulcast also, or quit looking? Thank you!

No scanners, other than the SDS100 & SDS200, are designed to handle simulcast systems.

That being said, simulcast distortion is extremely location specific. If you have metal siding, or foil backed insulation in the walls, you may be able to find a spot in your residence where a scanner other than one of the SDS series scanners will work. That is specific down to the point that a move of as little as a foot in placement may result in a scanner other than an SDS model working. Being in a location where hills, or clusters of taller buildings block, or reduce the signal strength, from multiple sub-sites may mean that your scanner works. Other times, using less antenna, even to the point of using a paper clip, may work. Directional antennas, such as a yagi, can help. In some cases, placing something metal such as a baking pan, on one side of the scanner, to block signals from one direction, might work. These tactics might be useful for use at a fixed location such as your home might work. Or maybe not, if there are too many sites to focus on only one. And none of these methods are effective when you are out driving around. I am using a couple of "non-simulcast" (436HP & 325P2) scanners on a local system with multiple sites. Careful placement of the scanner, as well as type & orientation of the antenna, allow these to work fairly well, though not as good as the SDS200 sitting a couple of feet away.

The bottom line here is that, if due to cost, you want to try a 'non-simulcast' scanner (one other than the SDS100 or SDS200, purchase that scanner from a seller that does not heavily penalize you with restock fees if it does not work & you need to return it. While, as part of your purchase, you might be able to get free shipping for the scanner to be sent to your location, the return shipping, if necessary, is probably going to be at your expense, likely$20 or more for a shipping method that has a tracker.

While I do not own one, the Unication pagers apparently work well. But those are limited to only one site, on a single system, at a time, and a limited number of channels in a scan list. You can have other sites or scanlists programmed, but can only select one to be monitored at a time. Programming the Unication requires using a PC. Using one of the SDR dongles, with software such as DSD Plus, also works, but requires the use of a PC or laptop. That's not a portable solution that you can grab & take with you easily.

 

[etuck]

Not much in Indian County to listen to since Sheriff is encrypted. Murphy county on the other hand is mostly unencrypted in the 150 mhz range. So a Uniden BCD996P2 would probably be sufficient for your needs in my opinion. SDS series would be overkill for me. But lets see what others suggest.

I don't seem see the BCD996P2 on the Uniden.com website, is it being phased out maybe?

 

[Enforcer52]

I don't seem see the BCD996P2 on the Uniden.com website, is it being phased out maybe?

For some strange reason it doesn't show on the Uniden site, but is still being sold by many dealers and on Amazon. Not sure on the phasing out.

 

[bearcatrp]

Here is one place selling them. Use your google fu to find the lowest prices. Or are you wanting portable?

Factory Outlet Store

www.factoryoutletstore.com

 

[doctordialtone]

is it being phased out maybe?

No.

Read here:

BCD996P2 discontinued?

BCD996P2: - Is my BCD996P2 obsolete?

and here:

BCD996P2 - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Great scanner!

 

[etuck]

Here is one place selling them. Use your google fu to find the lowest prices. Or are you wanting portable?

Factory Outlet Store

www.factoryoutletstore.com

What would be the equal to in a portable?

 

[hiegtx]

What would be the equal to in a portable?

The handheld (portable) sibling to the 996P2 is the BCD325P2.

 

[bearcatrp]

The 436/536 may work for you but if your area has more than 4 P25 towers, you may have issues. I had one that did ok but my SDS200 blew it out of the water. Have allot of towers in my area. Nice thing about the 436.536 and SDS100/200 is you can scan by zip code and services when needed.

 

[Chris0516]

Since you said desk/mobile, the 536HP would be a good starter for you.