Decisions, Decisions... 2 BCT15's or 1 BCD996T

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safetyobc

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I potentially have the opportunity to get either 2 BCT15's or 1 BCD996T.

I assume the BCT15 is going to be a little over $200. If I sell the items I want to sell for close to $200 each, I could get two BCT15's. One in the truck, one in the home. Or I could just go ahead and get a BCD996T for the truck? mmmmm

What would you do?

I have a BCD396T already and digital in my area is minimal. Only State Police, a couple county SOs and some Medics are on the AWIN Statewide System.

I have a Pro-2055 in the house now. I was thinking of getting a BR330T and a BCT15, but now I am debating on just getting 2 BCT15's. MMMMMM First I gotta sell my stuff. :D
 

rdale

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If you don't use digital enough, don't bother getting the 996.
 

safetyobc

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I am very indecisive person. :D

See, if I get the BCT15, then I still have to take the 396 in the truck for digital. But if I get the BCD996, I'll want it in the house too! Even though I got the Pro-2055 in there. Possibly sell the 2055 and get a BCT15? And still get the 996? Dunno, I think it will still cost me about $100 to do that (not including radio sale money).

MMMMM
 

b52hbuff

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rdale said:
If you don't use digital enough, don't bother getting the 996.

996 = 6k channels
-15 = 2.5k channels.

You can always move the 996 from truck to home when necessary...
 

Vern

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Yeah, I'm with rdale on this one.

I've got a `396 which I have set up for the digital stuff in the area, but since our state police switched over to a ProVoice system last month the only thing left in the digital realm here are some distant municipalities and the electric company. I think the `396 can handle those just fine since I don't usually monitor those.

I've got a "pre-order" in as of today for one of the BCT-15's for $234.50 incl. shipping, so hopefully I'll see one in a few weeks. http://tmrce.stores.yahoo.net/bescbct15wif.html

I already downloaded the `15's UASD and owner's manual from Uniden's site and I'll be working on setting up the programming for over the next couple weeks. I have to check and see if there are any differences between the files used by the `396 and the `15 to see what needs to be converted. The UASD software has a bunch of preloaded systems like the `396 version, but I haven't had time to examine them in detail.

The only thing that has me wondering about the digital side is that some of the more active ham groups here in So.FL are starting to chatter about using some P25 digital stuff. But if that ever comes to be, then I'll just load those in the `396 as well.

For now, since you already have digital coverage on a `396 save your money, or as you already mentioned in your post -- get two `15's ! That's double-cool...or would that be cool squared?

\ Vern
 

DaveIN

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Get one BCT15 and see how you like it, then sell the 2055 and get a 996 later. ;-)
 

safetyobc

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DaveIN said:
Get one BCT15 and see how you like it, then sell the 2055 and get a 996 later. ;-)

That is probably what I am going to do. Sitting here thinking about it, I better make sure I'd be happy with a $200 scanner before I up and buy a $500 scanner!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

matt
 

Dubbin

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Well since its only money then just go ahead and get 2 996's :) I'm kinda in the same boat as you are in trying what to decide to get. I just got a 396 so I really don't need a new radio but the 996 and 15 just look to cool to pass up. I'm thinking about thinning out my scanner collection a tad so that even makes it harder to decide on what to get since I will have even more extra radio money.

Ahh damnit, now you got me thinking about getting one for the house and one for the car... Grrrrrrrr
 

tspainiv

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Dubbin said:
Ahh damnit, now you got me thinking about getting one for the house and one for the car... Grrrrrrrr

Lol, I'm thinking the same thing now, I have a digital desktop for my feed and a handheld digital I carry around, I want a mobile in the truck though, ............


::hunts though scanner stash to find something to sell::
 

hiegtx

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Matt,
I'm with Dave on this. Get one BCT-15. I can't see where you'd need two of them, regardless of how good a scanner it might be (and we won't know that right away).

At some point, you'll probably want to get the 996. You may not have much digital, or trunking, around your immediate area other than AWIN. But if you travel much around your state, or drop down through Louisiana, the digital coverage & possibly GPS feature could be a plus for a future 996. A second -15 wouldn't help a bit on the digitals.

In the meantime, your 2055 can cover the conventional traffic in your area, and the 396 the digital, unless the 996 is irresistible instead of that first -15.
 

Go-24

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I am in the same boat as well. Right now the only digital I scan is state police, everything else is analog, but I do anticipate that will be changing soon.

So do we go with analog and hope our systems do not change, or do we spend a extra and go digital and be prepared just in case? And boy am I ever in a buying mood at this very moment!

Last year it was adding to my guitar collection, this year its a new scanner every other week. Oh boy oh boy which one will be next?
 

Dubbin

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Hmm maybe we can all put together a group buy and maybe get a nice discount from some place.
 

Go-24

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That's a good idea dubbin, I know we do that with custom made guitars and if we can get enough people to sign on to a design we do get a very good discount.

Something to kick around if it hasnt been before ...
 

Dubbin

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Well I do it all the time with members of my reef club and we can usually find someone willing to work with us. There is a ton of money involved in those deals (reef keeping is a VERY expensive hobby) so I think we can find someone willing to do something with us for the radios.
 

Go-24

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Doesn't look like we would save that much as an individual buying as a group ... usascan has the 996 at ~ $520 if you purchase 25+ you can get them at ~ $510 so if we got 25 people to agree we would only save ten bucks.
 

safetyobc

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Glenn is on vacation until the 17th.

If you guys want to go in as a group and buy some BCT15's, I am in. I think I have decided to wait and see how I like the 15 first.
 

kingpin

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I'm in the same perdicament. One 996T or Two BCT-15s. I'm leaning towards the two BCT-15s. Only digital here is ATF and the coms I've heard, aren't worth $500
 
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