Base vs handheld digital, technical difference

[stantorres]

Wondering if there is any technical difference between the handheld and the base versions of the Uniden digital trunktracker scanners. Is the base radio just the same exact guts as the handheld, just mounted in a bigger box? Or is there additional processing, filtering, better components in the larger base models? I

am going to permanent mount a mobile scanner in the car, and trying to decide if there is a technical/quality advantage to buying the base/mobile with a remote head or should I just mount a handheld if the performance is going to be equal. Thanks!

 

[jonwienke]

Most of the guts are exactly the same. The main difference is the power supply and the case. RF performance is identical, except for unit-to-unit variations.

 

[dwiniger]

Sorry, is this comparing the x36 units?


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[jonwienke]

Yes.

 

[Voyager]

They use two completely separate boards. While electrically they may be similar, it is much more than the same board in a larger box. If it's a permanent mount, definitely go with the 536 which runs off of 12V directly and is more easily mounted.

 

[ofd8001]

Having done both the portable and mobile scanners in a vehicle, the mobile solution is preferable to me. Controls are easier to work, connections to antenna, power and external speaker (if used) are much less cumbersome and certainly neater.

Plus the obvious - mobiles were designed for mobile (or base) use, where portables are just that - portable.

I believe the mobiles have a tad more audio output power, 5 watts versus 3.6 watts.

You can download the 436/536 at look at the technical specifications toward the end of the manual for specifics.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...On1VlI4RxZrf7VHvU1djTCA&bvm=bv.80642063,d.eXY

 

[Jimru]

Usually the display of a mobile/base unit is larger, easier to read and contains more information, too.

 

[stantorres]

Sorry, is this comparing the x36 units?


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I am thinking about mounting an RH96 control head on a LIDO gooseneck up front with an external speaker, then in the trunk, a BCD396XT or a BCD996XT with a short coax run to a Diamond K412CNMO and a Motorola OEM 800mhz NMO antenna probably.

So, what "more" do you get from the BCD996XT over the compact BCD396XT? Is there more component inside, more filtering, additional boards doing things, higher quality components instead of compact ones? More sensitivity? better rejection? Or is it basically the exact same radio just packaged differently?

I did see the point was made about the speaker output power, the power supply, and controls - excellent perspective, thanks!

 

[ofd8001]

Functionally the 396XT and 996XT are the same scanner. The only difference is one is a portable, the other is a mobile. I've got both and haven't observed any differences on selectivity or sensitivity.

Without having manuals to look at, I'm sure the audio output situation is similar - a little less with the portable than the mobile. But, if you are using this in a mobile setting, an amplified external speaker will equalize this.

I've used the RH 96 on the 996XT in a vehicular environment with excellent results