Analog Vrs Digital need help

[Cecilcolpean]

So this may be dumb and I’m sorry but I am new to this and need help. I looked up the radio frequency needed for my areas. I know some are still analog but some department went to digital. So I need to know what kinda digital police scanner I need also does it need to be phase I or phase II? I want to listen to county jails, then Campbell County sheriff, Caryville and Jackaboro police, Knoxville tn ems and Anderson county ems ans claxton tn volunteer fire department???? All in East Tennessee! And the Knoxville police and sheriff department!!!

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Welcome to the RR forums. Some of the agencies you specified are analog conventional but a few of your agencies of interest operate on TACN and for that you'll need a P25 trunking scanner. See list here. If you choose one on the FDMA list you'll only be able to track talkgroups listed in the DB as Mode "D". If you choose a scanner on the TDMA list you'll be able to bring in modes "D" & "T" talkgroups. Anything ID'ed as mode "DE" or "TE" are fully encrypted and therefore cannot be tracked PERIOD (Knoxville Police are fully encrypted).

 

[Cecilcolpean]

Welcome to the RR forums. Some of the agencies you specified are analog conventional but a few of your agencies of interest operate on TACN and for that you'll need a P25 trunking scanner. See list here. If you choose one on the FDMA list you'll only be able to track talkgroups listed in the DB as Mode "D". If you choose a scanner on the TDMA list you'll be able to bring in modes "D" & "T" talkgroups. Anything ID'ed as mode "DE" or "TE" are fully encrypted and therefore cannot be tracked PERIOD (Knoxville Police are fully encrypted).

Okay so with all that being said what scanner would you suggest I get?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Handheld or base? Given none of your areas appear to contain simulcast cells you could get away with a Uniden BCD325p2 (handheld) or BCD996P2 (base). Personally I'd go with the BCD436HP (handheld) or 536HP (base). These should bring in everything you need them to, aside from anything encrypted of course

 

[Cecilcolpean]

Handheld or base? Given none of your areas appear to contain simulcast cells you could get away with a Uniden BCD325p2 (handheld) or BCD996P2 (base). Personally I'd go with the BCD436HP (handheld) or 536HP (base). These should bring in everything you need them to, aside from anything encrypted of course

Okay I greatly appreciate the help and advice on which to get. Because honestly I wouldn’t have been able to know which to buy for what he enjoys to listen to.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

Do you want a portable scanner or a base/mobile?

 

[Cecilcolpean]

I would guess a portable. But whichever is best to get the better results.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

Like @Whiskey3JMC said, I think a Uniden Bearcat BCD436HP (portable) or a BCD536HP (base/mobile) would be best, but a BCD325P2 (portable) or BCD996P2 (base/mobile) are good ones too.

 

[lamarrsy]

But if you need to listen to analog VHF I’d recommend the BCD325P2 over the BCD436HP which is rather deaf on analog vhf….

 

[Cecilcolpean]

How do i program the Uniden Bearcat BCD436HP with the frequencies on here for my area?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

How do i program the Uniden Bearcat BCD436HP with the frequencies on here for my area?

Use Uniden Sentinel, it's free

Sentinel for the BCD436HP/BCD536HP/SDS100/SDS200 - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com