anyone own both the BC 296D and the Pro 96?

[ps630]

Does anyone own both of these digital scanners? I was thinking of getting the Uniden 296D also as I already have the Pro-96. Why not have the best of both worlds?I know its an expensive venture.

 

[loumaag]

I don't have the BC296d, but I do have a Pro-96 and a BC796d. Will that do?

 

[AZScanner]

I don't have the BC296d, but I do have a Pro-96 and a BC796d. Will that do?

I don't OWN both the 296 and Pro-96 but I recently got to play with 8 296's as I programmed them for the local paper (I was really tempted to set them all up and take a pick of them as my "shack picture" - I almost did it) so I took the opportunity to compare the two side by side.

The 296 feels more like a solid radio than the 96. It sounds a bit better too, once you get the audio adjusted correctly on digital. It also seems to be more sensitive in picking up the digital comm's on our nasty DTRS here in Mesa. On the 296 a comm might get garbled to the point of being unintelligible but still come in whereas the 96 will drop the same comm like a stone. But, the 96 does a better job of decoding the data into audio than the Unidens do. If only you could combine the 2... take the vocoder/dsp out of the 96 and mate it to the Uniden receiver.. Then you'd have the ultimate digital! The GRE-Uniden PRO 96BCD! :lol:

I have the 796 myself - wanted a base unit and the 2096 was still a rumor then. I like having both. 2 is ALWAYS better than one! And 3 is better than 2... and so on. My wife still doesn't understand why I need more scanners. But she'll learn.

-AZ

EDIT: I did originally post 10, but that was technically incorrect. 8 were 296's, the other 2 were 796's. Details details. They say the memory is the second thing to go....

 

[JMR]

Hold out for the BCD396t.

 

[RagnarD]

I own 2 Pro-96's (One is a 1.1 CPU and one is a 1.3 CPU).

Today I just returned an ICOM IC-R20 to HRO in Woodbridge (got killed on the restocking fee) and picked up a 296D.

The PRO-96 does not do MilAir well and has some other short comings but all in all I love the PRO-96.

I wanted the 296D as my all the time carry around rig because of it's Mil Air and some other features I like.

This is my first Uniden in almost 25 years of scanning and I have to say I am impressed with it!

I already purchased the Butel software becasue I knew I would be up all night programming it otherwise and it has been a lifesaver.

I think they both have their merits but I can say without reservation that I now have a new carry with me all the time receiver and it is my 296D

 

[eyes00only]

How does the sound VOLUME compare? Does the I-Call feature on the 296 work well? I have NEVER seen the 296 on sale, and after software & cable, it must be around $550 total (OUCH).

Jerry

 

[kikito]

How does the sound VOLUME compare? Does the I-Call feature on the 296 work well? I have NEVER seen the 296 on sale, and after software & cable, it must be around $550 total (OUCH).

Jerry

The BC296D DOES come with the computer cable and some simple, not-so-good software.

 

[doctordave]

I also love the Unidens....have a few 296s & 796s....sound quality is great....very user friendly....and the free software is quite functional - although not as fancy as some commercial options out there. I am looking forward to the 396 and the base/mobile equiv.

 

[eyes00only]

THANKS GUYS.

 

[Voyager]

Does the I-Call feature on the 296 work well?

It works on 3600 systems only - not 9600 systems.

Joe M.

 

[eyes00only]

Does the I-Call feature on the 296 work well?

It works on 3600 systems only - not 9600 systems.

Joe M.

Correct, and Denver is 3600 baud, but I was asking how good it works. Also Quanity, not Quality of the audio.

Jerry

 

[loumaag]

... and Denver is 3600 baud,...

Umm, what in Denver is 3600 baud. Denver Public Safety is an EDACS system as is the City Services system. The state is APCO-25. I see no "Denver" system which is Smartnet or Smartzone (unless you are talking about the college, the federal prison or a commercial one). :?

 

[eyes00only]

Sorry Lou, I answered too quickly. Denver uses I-CALLS a lot. My original question was how the 296 works on EDACS I-Calls. Also, I was wondering about the quanity, not the quality of the audio.

Jerry

 

[CORN]

I have both the 296 and Pro-96. Both serve their purposes well but in terms of overall use I go with the 296D. For some reason where ever I am my 96 breaks up a lot. If i'm mobile, sitting still, etc it will always snap, crackle, and pop. Always breaking in and out of comms. I always miss something. The 296D does not do that. Is this happening to anyone else put there?

 

[Dubbin]

I have both the 296 and Pro-96. Both serve their purposes well but in terms of overall use I go with the 296D. For some reason where ever I am my 96 breaks up a lot. If i'm mobile, sitting still, etc it will always snap, crackle, and pop. Always breaking in and out of comms. I always miss something. The 296D does not do that. Is this happening to anyone else put there?

Do you have the same antennas on these?