Better Scanner

[taz81685]

Hey guys and gals,

I need help coming up with a newer scanner then my old one. I live in Tippecanoe County Indiana (now) which is mostly digital however I could be moving in a few months and won't know if the new county is digital or not, so my best bet is probably both analog and digital. I've been looking at a few scanners per other suggestions and need to know the best one you the scanner public would suggest. The choices are the

Uniden BCD996T (http://www.uniden.com/products/productdetail.cfm?product=BCD996T&filter=Public Safety)

the Uniden BCT15 (http://www.uniden.com/products/productdetail.cfm?product=BCT15&filter=Public Safety)

or the Radioshack Pro 106 (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3348287)

I need to receive EVERYTHING I can any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Any other brand or model please mention it as well. Thank you for you help.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Here's a novel idea:
Instead of relying on everyone elses opinion (which 50% are gonna say Uniden, 50% are gonna say GRE/Radio Shack) why don't you read up on the individual scanners using the wiki and other sources and figure out which one you think is right for you?
This is like walking up to random people in the street and asking them "Which car should I buy?" Most people would instead do research and look at the differences between cars and make a decision based off of that research as to what car they think is best for them.
If you really must rely on others advice my suggestion would be to post in the Indiana forum and figure out what others are using in your local area.
Just a few words of advice.
Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[K8TEK]

Please don't double post.

 

[davidmc36]

Here's a novel idea:
Instead of relying on everyone elses opinion (which 50% are gonna say Uniden, 50% are gonna say GRE/Radio Shack) why don't you read up on the individual scanners using the wiki and other sources and figure out which one you think is right for you?
This is like walking up to random people in the street and asking them "Which car should I buy?" Most people would instead do research and look at the differences between cars and make a decision based off of that research as to what car they think is best for them.
If you really must rely on others advice my suggestion would be to post in the Indiana forum and figure out what others are using in your local area.
Just a few words of advice.
Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR

It is a little hard to get good results with a poll like that. I only own one of those scanners. I suspect many others are in the same boat, therefore the votes would be meaningless.

 

[taz81685]

1st: I have done research and I am pretty much set on either of the 3 hence the reason I picked those 3.
2nd: I am simply asking the opinions of the users to see which ones seem to work best for them. You can't research the quality of something like hearing it from a user.
3rd: Yes people do ask random people on the street about "which car to buy" which is where statistics come from and where the term "leading consumers chose this over this model."

So please next time if you don't have a valuable opinion please keep it to yourself.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Actually I consider my opinion valuable or else I would not have offered it...I am just trying to help you out here due to multiple reasons:
1) cross posting in multiple forums is frowned upon.
2) do you really expect people who frequent the Radio Shack Forum to say Uniden Radios are the best and vice versa?
3) Questions like this have been posed many times in the past and the answer always ends up being similar to my post above:
What it comes down to is none of the people that reply to this thread or the crossposted one in the Radio Shack forum can tell you which radio YOU are going to be happy with and which radio has the features YOU want...you alone need to figure out which of the radios above has the features YOU want and which one YOU will be comfortable with using each day. Anything anyone else says here or in the Radio Shack/GRE forums is just going to be biased opinion (ie: GRE RULES!! or Uniden Rocks!! or Uniden Sucks or GRE Sucks!) based off of what works for them.
Just trying to help you out.
Marshall KE4ZNR

1st: I have done research and I am pretty much set on either of the 3 hence the reason I picked those 3.
2nd: I am simply asking the opinions of the users to see which ones seem to work best for them. You can't research the quality of something like hearing it from a user.
3rd: Yes people do ask random people on the street about "which car to buy" which is where statistics come from and where the term "leading consumers chose this over this model."

So please next time if you don't have a valuable opinion please keep it to yourself.

 

[taz81685]

I do understand the complaint of cross posting however I did not find a single thread that the questions over "the best scanner" could fall under. So I was left with this option. I do know that one's may be "uniden rocks Radioshack sucks" however I am trying to take the information and quality of the post under consideration. If someone says I really like my Uniden but someone else gives a detailed reason why they like their radioshack then that gives me a different insight into the reason one could be liked over the other. I know this all comes down to what I like but this has always been the easiest way for me to research a new product for me and it has never failed me. So far this post has done nothing but complain about the thread instead of simply answering the question and going on.

KE4ZNR you have posted twice and have yet to tell me which model you have and why you like it, my point has been made.

 

[davidmc36]

I do understand the complaint of cross posting however I did not find a single thread that the questions over "the best scanner" could fall under. So I was left with this option. I do know that one's may be "uniden rocks Radioshack sucks" however I am trying to take the information and quality of the post under consideration. If someone says I really like my Uniden but someone else gives a detailed reason why they like their radioshack then that gives me a different insight into the reason one could be liked over the other. I know this all comes down to what I like but this has always been the easiest way for me to research a new product for me and it has never failed me. So far this post has done nothing but complain about the thread instead of simply answering the question and going on.

KE4ZNR you have posted twice and have yet to tell me which model you have and why you like it, my point has been made.

So go to General scanning or The Wasteland and ask something like this: "What scanner do you own and what are the best things you like about it, and what do you hate about it?" Doing a poll like that is pretty much useless, unless the only people who vote, own all three scanners, and how will you know that, you won't so the results will be skewed and biased in all venues that you post in.

PS Just to prove a point, I only own a 996 but just went and voted Pro-106. Kinda messes up the whole thing eh?

 

[taz81685]

Ok so davidmc36 your an idiot for purposely screwing with a test. I would also like to point out that this thread based in the Uniden form has more votes by far for the Radioshack, and the Radioshack thread has more votes for a Uniden. So your theories that someone who owns a Uniden would vote Uniden appear to be false. This is what I want to see that someone who owns a Uniden may not suggest a Uniden to someone else.

 

[davidmc36]

Ok so davidmc36 your an idiot for purposely screwing with a test. I would also like to point out that this thread based in the Uniden form has more votes by far for the Radioshack, and the Radioshack thread has more votes for a Uniden. So your theories that someone who owns a Uniden would vote Uniden appear to be false. This is what I want to see that someone who owns a Uniden may not suggest a Uniden to someone else.

How do you know the rest of the people are not screwing with you. Maybe I can go to the RS forum and vote for the 996 Mwuahahahaha:evil::evil:

 

[AlmostHandy]

The best scanner is not on that list.

The pro97 is the best scanner in the world.

Why? Because it's the one I own. All those other scanners don't mean didly to me, since I don't have one of them.

Yup, all the rest of 'em suck. Every damn one of 'em.

Not worth buying if you ask me.






David's offered good advice when he suggested that you "go to General scanning or The Wasteland and ask something like this: "What scanner do you own and what are the best things you like about it, and what do you hate about it?"". Since your so vague ("I Want to receive EVERYTHING...") and since your poll is so subjective, I just voted randomly.

I hope that helps!:lol:

 

[JoeyC]

Taz, there are hundreds of threads (current and archived) that have user opinions of all these scanners. You could read up for HOURS. You've heard the saying that opinions are like a**holes, because everyone has one - same in this situation.

You live in Indiana. There is another user (W9 something or other) that will tell you that ANYTHING other than a Uniden scanner is garbage. THIS IS FALSE, but that is HIS opinion and he's entitled to it. But that shouldn't discredit everybody elses opinion should it?

Like someone stated earlier, only someone who has ALL 3 of the scanners listed in your poll can give an opinion that would help you further decide. And ONLY if they were operating under the exact same circumstances as you would. So whats the chance of that?...

 

[taz81685]

no you guys keep missing the point. I want all of those a**hole opinions the guy that says Uniden is garbage would have to have a valid point which I would like to hear. If you said Radioshack was the best I would like to hear it. All opinions would be welcome (which is what I want) I get help in making my decision based on the valid points brought out on the particular products. I don't care if one person has all 3 or just one. I don't care if they have the same circumstances as mine. I just want to know how a particular product works for you. JoeyC or anyone else if you don't have a model I listed then tell me what you have and why you like it. That is why my last sentence states: "Any other brand or model please mention it as well. Thank you for you help."
No one has helped yet because everyone just wants to bit** and not give a simple answer.

Let's make it easier for you idiots out there.

What model do you have? and WHY do you like it?

 

[JoeyC]

I think you are the one MISSING the point. You've been given TONS of advise, yet refuse to follow it. :roll:

 

[davidmc36]

Let's make it easier for you idiots out there.

What model do you have? and WHY do you like it?

OK now you finally get it. Just ask the question. My original point still stands that the poll is useless as constructed.

So since you asked, This idiot has the 996 and I love it because it has GPS, it fits in an ISO mount for permanent mounting in my car, and it can come back out when I sell the car and you won't even know it was there, just take out the factory radio or as in my case there was an extra two ISO slots in the car, the memory size is massive for what I need in my area, I use the external speaker output and the front headphone output, some don't have both. I love that it will do multi-site trunking, i love that the display dims when you turn on your headlights, I love that it has CB radio in the service search, Close Call DND is a great feature, I love the way the memory is set up, I found it quite easy to use espaecially after "cutting my teeth" on the 246 with DMA, I could go on and on I guess.

About the only thing I don't like is it is not as sensitive as my BC296, but that is a plus for some folks in a high RF urban area, for me out in the country it is a minus.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Ok lets try this again:
1) Calling forum members "idiots" will not help you out any in this situation.
2) What myself and others are trying to tell you is that all of the info you are asking for has already been rehashed many times over in past threads. Just read up on the 3 individual radios and make your own decision based off of what your needs are.
No radio is perfect and there will be people on both sides that will say "Uniden is the BEST EVER!" or "Radio Shack is the BEST EVER!". Or even worse there will be some here who will say "Uniden has never come out with any good scanners and they suck!" or "Radio Shack scanners all Suck!".
If you do want a good piece of advice go ahead and ignore those here and other places that make blanket statements about either company. Neither company is perfect nor is either company the worst. Those that buy a radio based off the label alone are foolish.
Good luck and I hope you are able to decide what radio is best for you!
Marshall KE4ZNR

no you guys keep missing the point. I want all of those a**hole opinions the guy that says Uniden is garbage would have to have a valid point which I would like to hear. If you said Radioshack was the best I would like to hear it. All opinions would be welcome (which is what I want) I get help in making my decision based on the valid points brought out on the particular products. I don't care if one person has all 3 or just one. I don't care if they have the same circumstances as mine. I just want to know how a particular product works for you. JoeyC or anyone else if you don't have a model I listed then tell me what you have and why you like it. That is why my last sentence states: "Any other brand or model please mention it as well. Thank you for you help."
No one has helped yet because everyone just wants to bit** and not give a simple answer.

Let's make it easier for you idiots out there.

What model do you have? and WHY do you like it?

 

[hoser147]

Ok lets try this again:
1) Calling forum members "idiots" will not help you out any in this situation.
2) What myself and others are trying to tell you is that all of the info you are asking for has already been rehashed many times over in past threads. Just read up on the 3 individual radios and make your own decision based off of what your needs are.
No radio is perfect and there will be people on both sides that will say "Uniden is the BEST EVER!" or "Radio Shack is the BEST EVER!". Or even worse there will be some here who will say "Uniden has never come out with any good scanners and they suck!" or "Radio Shack scanners all Suck!".
If you do want a good piece of advice go ahead and ignore those here and other places that make blanket statements about either company. Neither company is perfect nor is either company the worst. Those that buy a radio based off the label alone are foolish.
Good luck and I hope you are able to decide what radio is best for you!
Marshall KE4ZNR

Well put. There are plenty of threads about the different scanners. Check them out.

 

[SCPD]

Define "better"???

 

[scannerfreak]

Closed. I wouldn't make it a habit going around calling other members idiots, especially when you are asking them for their opinions..Also, please do not cross post topics..