Analog Receive

[Volfirefighter]

Which older Uniden base scanners have the best reception of conventional analog frequencies in the VHF and UHF range? I prefer the ones that allow setting of a CTCSS/DCS tone for each frequency such as the BC780XLT, BC785D, BC796D, BCT15, and BCT15X.

 

[dispatch235]

If you need CTCSS/DCS the BCT15x would probably be your choice... but the sound from a BC210XLT is just hard to beat unless you use an external speaker on the 15x.

 

[TailGator911]

Agree on the BCT15X. I run my BCT15X thru a Vertex 4" external speaker for great audio. When the desk is humming along with all scanners doing their own thing, I have my BCT15X assigned to fire/emt dispatches only in a tri-county area, and when searching out those to program I was hearing tones and 911 dispatches as far away as Richmond, Kentucky. Excellent reception on a Diamond NJ130 wideband discone. I am on the northeast side of Dayton in Greene county, Ohio. In my book, the BCT15X is the best analog base station scanner - period.

 

[Volfirefighter]

Is the BCT15 as good at analog receive? I see they can be had on ebay a little cheaper and I am gonna be nowhere near needing the expanded memory of the BCT15X.

 

[buddrousa]

That is why I have a mix of 15's 996p2's 536's SDS200 TRX-2 and PRO-197 in my home rack system.

 

[kd1sq]

One that I would NOT recommend if you're interested in searching out tones is the BC780XLTBC796D line.

This is because the tone search on those models is incredibly slow. Finding an unknown tone usually takes longer than the transmissions it's on lasts for.

Otherwise they're a good and sturdy line of radio.

 

[buddrousa]

That was why I upgraded to a PRO2096 but kept the 785D

 

[sfb88]

Agree on the BCT15X. I run my BCT15X thru a Vertex 4" external speaker for great audio. When the desk is humming along with all scanners doing their own thing, I have my BCT15X assigned to fire/emt dispatches only in a tri-county area, and when searching out those to program I was hearing tones and 911 dispatches as far away as Richmond, Kentucky. Excellent reception on a Diamond NJ130 wideband discone. I am on the northeast side of Dayton in Greene county, Ohio. In my book, the BCT15X is the best analog base station scanner - period.

Please excuse the hijack. Is the vertex speaker you are using the same as the Yaesu MLS100? This is listed as a 4 ohm speaker. The specs indicate the internal speaker is 8 ohms. Is 4 ohm external OK for a BCT15X?

 

[jonwienke]

Please excuse the hijack. Is the vertex speaker you are using the same as the Yaesu MLS100? This is listed as a 4 ohm speaker. The specs indicate the internal speaker is 8 ohms. Is 4 ohm external OK for a BCT15X?

No.

 

[sfb88]

Thank you.