Any retailers near the Triangle?

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DougWare

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Are there any retailers near the Triangle that you can walk in and buy a 396XT in person? Surely there is a radio equipment supplier in our area that carries stuff like this, right? Any information would be appreciated!

Doug
 

DougWare

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Yeah, I was hoping someone would say something like "Acme Business Radios in Raleigh carries scanners too!"...looks like I'll have to place an order online...
 

KE4ZNR

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Yeah, I was hoping someone would say something like "Acme Business Radios in Raleigh carries scanners too!"...looks like I'll have to place an order online...

Doug,
Unfortunately there is not a place I would recommend. If you did find someone it would be such a small volume store that the price would be considerably higher than if you just ordered one online. I do recommend Scannermaster. Yes, Grove Enterprises is based in the mountains of NC and they do a great job with Monitoring Times but if you buy from Grove you would have to pay the NC Sales Tax.
Once you actually have one let me know. I have a starter Freescan file in the sticky 396XT/996XT starter file thread. We can also help ya get it customized to fit your needs.
Happy Monitoring (and Happy Holidays!)
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

reconrider8

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finally got me a handheld scanner a lil pro 404 but soon after Christmas i plan on selling it and getting me a nice digital to get ready for this new phase getting ready to start called digital... lol
 

KG4KHQ

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Scanners

Though not in the Raleigh area, HRO (Ham Radio Outlet) is probably about a 5 hour drive up I-95 to Woodbridge VA outside of DC. Make a weekend out of it, drop the other half at Potomac Mills Mall, go get your scanner and then head up the GW Parkway to Gravelly Point past National Airport and try your new toy out
 
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Doug,
if you buy from Grove you would have to pay the NC Sales Tax.


just a general observation......but this is why we have virtually no ham stores or radio/scanner dealers left in NC...."a penny wise and a pound foolish"......folks are so intent on saving the sales tax money that they take their big purchase business out of state, and SHAZAAM ! guess what ? our in state dealers go out of business !! And then the same folks turn around and complain about there now being no NC dealers !

Buy Local.....does it 'cost' more ? In the short term, in only the money sense, yes.....In the long term, in the overall greater sense of the true 'cost',no ! Buy Local and you keep a NC store open ! Unfortunately the horse is far far beyond the gate on this one.....

Happy Holidays
Barefootdipole
 

jeffmulter

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DougWare - If you have some patience, you might find a dealer at the next hamfest in Winston-Salem on January 9th, or the Charlotte Hamfest in March. You'll want to check with the organizers to find out what vendors have committed to the respective hamfests.

Another possibility is that someone might be bringing a 396XT to the month Tarheelscanner meetings in Raleigh. You might want to subscriber to the Tarheelscanner list on Yahoogroups.com, or watch for the next meeting announcement on the N.C. forum on RadioReference.

With regards to internet dealers, I would recommend ScannerMaster ( www.scannermaster.com ) or Communications Electronics ( www.usascan.com ). The latter is a "master distributor" for Uniden, which means inventory is never an issue. ScannerMaster offers a good variety of accessories and hobby expertise. Both process their orders quickly, and are currently within $4 to get the scanner to your door.

Barefootdipole wrote:

>> just a general observation......but this is why we have virtually no ham stores or radio/scanner dealers left in NC...."a penny wise and a pound foolish"......folks are so intent on saving the sales tax money that they take their big purchase business out of state, and SHAZAAM ! guess what ? our in state dealers go out of business !!

I've been living in the Carolinas since 1987 - before Internet shopping - and I don't remember there being many dealers around, even then. I can remember once driving to the original Grove Enterprises / Monitoring Times "headquarters" ... out behind Bob and Judy Grove's home ... to buy a Uniden scanner. Eight hours of driving ... but it was a nice, spring day for driving.

And. despite my numerous trips to pick-up items at Communications Headquarters in Wilmington (7-hours round trip), I don't think my purchases made any difference when they decided to close the business.

Seriously, the two-way radio and scanner business is no different than what has occurred to drug stores, hardware stores, supermarkets, etc. ... if you don't sell products in huge volumes, either through numerous locations or on the Internet (or both), your business is at a competitive disadvantage.

And, unless you're a friend, family member, or can offer me a service that the other dealers cannot, please don't expect me to pay more than other dealers are charging for the same product.

We already have enough subsidizing of bad business management and financial irresponsibility going on in this state and nation with the TARP funds.
 
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