can a digital scanner pick up analog signal? newbie w/ bcd396t

[murkr]

hey guys im new here an finding your forums to have some great info, im learning alot here and came across a serious question that i need answered before i order a bcd396t.

i was looking at the specs of the bcd396t and it says it was "digital". but when i looked what my area is using its not the same thing, i live in Port Richey FL and as this link below shows it we use "Analog"

Pasco County Public Services Trunking System, Pasco County, Florida - Scanner Frequencies

now my question is will i be able to pick up those channels with the bcd396t since its digital? and if so will it be as good as the analog scanners, same, or better signals?

i am looking to get a good scanner for my area to listen to police, fire, and even whether, i have an iphone app of a police scanner and thought that was really cool so i want to get the real thing, unfortunately i can also see these things cost a pretty penny, and they have so many different handheld scanners. i can imagine the most expensive ones will be the best thats why im looking to get the bcd396t, also is the bcd396xt alot different than the bcd396t? because its close to $100 more for the other one i dont think its worth it but i dont know, thats why im asking you guys, whats upgraded from the two?

ok guys thats acouple questions i got carried away, i am ready to make a purchase i want to get my facts straight, but please answer all those questions they are all important to me, i appreciate you taking your time and helping me.

 

[Clark]

Yes, the BCD396T (no longer manufactured ) and the BCD396XT will automatically receive either analog or digital (APCO P25).
XTs will display the individual ID if a trunked radio, it has a much larger memory, more backlight choices
and several more improvements. Well worth the price.

Clark

 

[n5ims]

A digital scanner will pretty much do everything that an analog scanner will PLUS will decode standard P-25 ditigal transmissions. For specifics on exactly what most major scanners will do, check out the RR WIKI "Radio Models" article (Category:Radio Models - The RadioReference Wiki).

 

[murkr]

Yes, the BCD396T (no longer manufactured ) and the BCD396XT will automatically receive either analog or digital (APCO P25).
XTs will display the individual ID if a trunked radio, it has a much larger memory, more backlight choices
and several more improvements. Well worth the price.

Clark

great thank you for all your help you guys, i just won the bid on ebay for $250 for a BCD396T, if i wanted a BCD396XT it would cost around $100 extra, a larger memory i dont think is worth the extra $100, but to see the individual ID isnt that really important? i feel $250 is already an expensive price for this, i was going to get alot cheaper one but i didnt want to get a crappy one so i decided to get the BCD396T, so an extra $100 for the XT model is a big jump for me, does it pick up the same signals and work just as good? its also a 2006 model so its kind of old.

also the reason why the guy is selling it is because he hears static while in between the people talking, is that a setting that can be easily fixed? from what im reading the squelch setings can fix this right? but reading other peoples posts i see it can also be a defective unit so im alittle worried its that, but the guy said he doest really no how to use it so im hoping thats the reason why. he said if i cant get the static away he will give me a refund so thats good atleast, any advice about that static?

here is the exact words the seller said to me:

"When someone is speaking the static stops...if it has a squelish....I can't get it to work...I use to have a table model and it was simple and worked...seldom the static. I hope the high bidder can figure it out and is super satisfied....but me personally, I was not satisfied and didn't take the time to try and figure it out."

 

[murkr]

great thank you for all your help you guys, i just won the bid on ebay for $250 for a BCD396T, if i wanted a BCD396XT it would cost around $100 extra, a larger memory i dont think is worth the extra $100, but to see the individual ID isnt that really important? i feel $250 is already an expensive price for this, i was going to get alot cheaper one but i didnt want to get a crappy one so i decided to get the BCD396T, so an extra $100 for the XT model is a big jump for me, does it pick up the same signals and work just as good? its also a 2006 model so its kind of old.

also the reason why the guy is selling it is because he hears static while in between the people talking, is that a setting that can be easily fixed? from what im reading the squelch setings can fix this right? but reading other peoples posts i see it can also be a defective unit so im alittle worried its that, but the guy said he doest really no how to use it so im hoping thats the reason why. he said if i cant get the static away he will give me a refund so thats good atleast, any advice about that static?

here is the exact words the seller said to me:

"When someone is speaking the static stops...if it has a squelish....I can't get it to work...I use to have a table model and it was simple and worked...seldom the static. I hope the high bidder can figure it out and is super satisfied....but me personally, I was not satisfied and didn't take the time to try and figure it out."

no response to this? should i buy this scanner or no? i won it on ebay and havent sent payment yet

 

[davedaver1]

Um, that's not really something people can help you much with here, since you don't have the radio in hand. It could just be the squelch - or something more.

You might want to ask the seller if he could try to check or set the squelch. Go here to see how:

Easier to Read BCD396T/UBCD396T Digital Scanner Manual

 

[MississippiPI]

I have a GRE600 and it picks up digital great, the analog side is a different story; it's a hit and a miss.


Be safe

 

[trkntrlrman]

Just to make things clear, the BCT396xt will do Digital as well as analog, and it will decode the P25 networks. However if the P25 is encripted, you won't hear a thing except a garbled sound. The BCD396XT is a great scanner, so you can't go wrong. Just be sure to buy from a reputable dealer, and not some amazon second or third party dealer.

 

[Danny6569]

396 t

great thank you for all your help you guys, i just won the bid on ebay for $250 for a BCD396T, if i wanted a BCD396XT it would cost around $100 extra, a larger memory i dont think is worth the extra $100, but to see the individual ID isnt that really important? i feel $250 is already an expensive price for this, i was going to get alot cheaper one but i didnt want to get a crappy one so i decided to get the BCD396T, so an extra $100 for the XT model is a big jump for me, does it pick up the same signals and work just as good? its also a 2006 model so its kind of old.

also the reason why the guy is selling it is because he hears static while in between the people talking, is that a setting that can be easily fixed? from what im reading the squelch setings can fix this right? but reading other peoples posts i see it can also be a defective unit so im alittle worried its that, but the guy said he doest really no how to use it so im hoping thats the reason why. he said if i cant get the static away he will give me a refund so thats good atleast, any advice about that static?

here is the exact words the seller said to me:

"When someone is speaking the static stops...if it has a squelish....I can't get it to work...I use to have a table model and it was simple and worked...seldom the static. I hope the high bidder can figure it out and is super satisfied....but me personally, I was not satisfied and didn't take the time to try and figure it out."

Dont buy anything off ebay! this guy could have dropped the radio a hundred times, or it might have gotten wet in the past or something else could have happened to it he might not be telling ? do youreself a favor and dont buy a 396 t from ebay, but go online and go to a good website like scannermaster.com and buy a 396 xt, youre not just getting more memory from it, but it can also do a lot more than the 396 t, the 396 xt has a lot more features and capabilities, and if you say youre town does not use digital, well everyone else is going to it so you might be next! and at least youll be getting a warranty with the radio and be able to send it back if needed!

 

[W2PMX]

also the reason why the guy is selling it is because he hears static while in between the people talking, is that a setting that can be easily fixed? from what im reading the squelch setings can fix this right?

If the squelch is set wrong, you'll hear noise between transmissions. But ...

but reading other peoples posts i see it can also be a defective unit

A short in one component could also cause the problem (it would be the same as an incorrect squelch setting).

so im alittle worried its that, but the guy said he doest really no how to use it so im hoping thats the reason why. he said if i cant get the static away he will give me a refund so thats good atleast, any advice about that static?

I'm not familiar with Pasco County (or much of FL), so I don't know which system you want to listen to, but if it's a trunked system, the squelch setting is almost irrelevant (it's even pretty irrelevant whether the squelch works at all on most trunked systems).

here is the exact words the seller said to me:

"When someone is speaking the static stops...if it has a squelish....I can't get it to work...I use to have a table model and it was simple and worked...seldom the static. I hope the high bidder can figure it out and is super satisfied....but me personally, I was not satisfied and didn't take the time to try and figure it out."

Those last 10 words seem to say it all. It's Function down for squelch adjustment, nut just turning the knob. Not hard to learn, but his loss, your gain most likely. If I wanted one I'd take the chance.