Digital questions from a Newbie - please go easy! ;)

[unixdude]

Greetings, all.

About 10-15 years ago, I was really into scanning. I had a Radio Shack Pro-something-or-other (a silver one with 200 channels, coverage below 512MHz only; I really liked that unit). I'm really wanting to get back into it (plus get back into ham radio, get into SKYWARN, and a few other fun things, but anyway...).

I'm considering getting an Icom R20, a Radio Shack Pro-95 or Pro-96. I would prefer the R20, but it won't do digital or trunking, and since one of the things I really want is trunk scanning for the local Wake County services, I think one of the RS models might be the better bet. Plus, I don't really want to spend $500 for a scanner right now -- which kind of rules out the Pro-96 too.

So, now to the question. I did some searches with google, and around the forum here, and I didn't find anything with google, and didn't really see here (on the RR forums) a consensus on whether Wake County (or Mecklenburg, for that matter) is going digital. I'd love to be able to get into this with only a $200 purchase (Pro-95), but I would hate to miss out on an upcoming digital cutover.

So, anybody have any updates on these two counties going digital?

Also, what exaclty does "digital" mean? Does it just mean that the scanner has an onboard DAC? If so, couldn't I just use the analog scanner connected to the DAC in my home theatre receiver to convert the digital signal from the scanner into analog for my speakers? (That would mean, of course, that I would be limited to digital scanning at home...)

Thanks, guys.

 

[KE4ZNR]

The Term digital is a little misleading...it is a digital signal but formatted in a way so that only scanners with Motorola apco 25 decoding ability can translate the signals into analog format...more and more of Wake County is going APCO 25 digital everyday and the current timeframe for all of the Fire/EMS units to go digital is the 18th of this Month (August)...Current Users on the Wake County "VIPER" system include Wake Co Sheriff, Garner & Other Small Towns Police, Wake Co/Raleigh EMS en route to hospital, Emergency Management, Fire Marshals & EMS Supervisors and much much more...you can find a current list of analog & digital talkgroups at the link below:
http://home.nc.rr.com/nctrafficman/800Mhz/Wake800.htm
I can tell you that even though it was $500 the Pro 96 is one of the best scanners I have ever owned (and people that know me can tell you that I have owned a lot of radios in my time!) ...
Email me at MSherard AT nc.rr.com if you have further questions...
Marshall Sherard, KE4ZNR
http://trunked.nctrafficman.net

 

[Chris-M]

I'm listening to the Wake County system, (SYSID 6038, site 901) (http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=1536 with my Pro96. It is definitely a mixed system. I'm getting several agencies, and some are definitely digital, with the scanner chaning from MO to Dg in the upper right hand corner depending on the mode. I will say that I am really pleased with the performance of my Pro96! I'm scanning the Cary trunked Motorola system, the Wake Co. system mentioned above, and the RDU airport Motorola system, plus some local NCHP (42.60). The talkgroup ID's that I am seeing, such as 34608, are not listed yet. It's digital, and it's Rex ER (hospital near here). Sounds like an ambulance enroute to the ER, and they are giving out patient status right now. I've heard some Digital police transmissions too. I'm getting a lot of 32000 range ID's. Need to find a list for those. I'm also getting some fire department going to a landfill fire and it's digital.

I'd spend the extra $$ and get a digital capable radio! Very interesting stuff going on. There is little if any audio difference between the digital and non-digital stuff.

 

[Chris-M]

NCTM, thanx for the URL to your site with the talkgroup ID's. I figured you'd be ahead of the game and have a few figured out! I didn't see your link in the post until I sent my reply above.

Neat stuff here. Too bad I don't live here to listen to it. I did live here from 1982 till about 1997 and always into scanners during those years.
I'm only in town two days, Aug. 13 and 14 visiting relatives. Have scanner will travel.

 

[jeffmulter]

>> a consensus on whether Wake County (or Mecklenburg, for that matter) is going digital.

The local media in Charlotte has reported that the CMPD trunked system will move to digital over the next 5 to 10 years, simply because of the cost.

I think it's more likely to see the transition sooner.


Jeff Multer
Fort Mill, S.C.

 

[Soundman]

change digital

I use to work for medic in charlotte .I have alot of friends that worked in cmed .Thy have been getting alot of equp .But thy will not be going to digital for about 2 to 3 years .I know that thy have been working on it.Almost all there truck are almost ready to go digital by a flip of a switch .So it will be really soon .But right now you are safe .But you may think of getting a digital soon if you are a scanner lover .But at least it is the apco p25 so most of the new scanner will work with that digital system .I have just got two digital scanners .Just the digital ready .If you are thinking of getting a digital one get uniden bearcat .It alot easyer to program .Radio Shack is to hard to progam also Radio Shack scanner is just a remake of the uniden .It just has cheeper parts and thy slap on there lable and sell for more money. :lol: Also you could get better software to progam the uniden then radio shack .Stick with uniden .It's alot better .

 

[UPMan]

The PRO-96 is not made by Uniden. When Uniden does make for RadioShack, they do not use cheaper parts, and the feature sets are different enough that any price difference is generally offset by features gained/lost. Both GRE and Uniden make high-quality scanners for RadioShack.

While RS and Uniden program differently, I would have a hard time saying one is more difficult or less difficult than the other.

I recommend you see the sticky thread PRO-96 vs BC296D and decide which one appeals you your needs/taste. I would have to lean toward the Uniden piece, myself, but mine is hardly an unbiased opinion. 8)

 

[KE4ZNR]

Re: change digital

I have just got two digital scanners .Just the digital ready .If you are thinking of getting a digital one get uniden bearcat .It alot easyer to program .Radio Shack is to hard to progam also Radio Shack scanner is just a remake of the uniden .It just has cheeper parts and thy slap on there lable and sell for more money. :lol: Also you could get better software to progam the uniden then radio shack .Stick with uniden .It's alot better .

Actually I have to disagree with most of what is posted above...It is true that Radio Shack (BTW: GRE of America manufactures scanners for Radio Shack) has shared scanners with Uniden in the past but the 2 companies are very much in Competition. And even though the Pro 96 may be a little more difficult to learn how to program at first, it is one awesome scanner (and a well made radio at that)...not made with cheeper (or CHEAPER) parts...and Win96 has more features built into it than all of the software available for the Uniden Scanners combined...Both Uniden & GRE of America have produced good radios for the scanner hobby but gimme a Pro 96 over any of the Uniden models anyday of the week...BTW: Before you accuse me of any Radio Shack Bias lemme let ya know that I not only own a Pro 96 but I also own Uniden Radios as well...

 

[transam76]

The pro 96 is a very good scanner. Im just new to this whole trunking system myself. Ive been into scanning for years, but just with conventional anolgue scanners with no trunking ability. This is my first digital trunking scanner. I progammed it all by hand for my area with no computer software, and it really wasn't that hard to do. 500 chanels at that. It took some time mind you, but it was well worth it. And when i get the cable im going to go into V-folders and progam alot more. Between the V-folders, and its protable and only uses 4AAs instead of a battery pack thats what made my decision. Dont get me wrong unidens are also good, they have the feature of LTR and a few other things. Im just waiting for provoice to come out before i buy a uniden base. Just my to cents.