I have been away from scanning for a few years, previously with a BC850XLT, I think. Very special special scanner if anyone is familiar with it. I've recently bought a very inexpensive BVC365CRS for home use. I travel extensively for work and the work is very weather sensitive and I need to be plugged into local emergency and local law enforcement dispatch to monitor weather and other situations. Things have changed a lot since I had the 850. I want a system to take to work sites that are capable of importing the CSV files directly into the scanner memory for the area I'm in. NOAA is great but having broader, more localized up-to-date information can help to keep teams safe in wind energy and being able to evac site ahead of approaching dangerous weather using more tools would help. Local authorities, weather spotters, etc. The problem is that I may only be in a particular area for a day or two to a few weeks and then move to a new site that could be several states away. And of course the frequencies all need to be programmed each time and having hundreds of channels is great, but only if you can clear the memory and start from scratch. Can anyone offer advice on what works and what doesn't? I'll be purchasing a system to have on site soon. And I'll be looking at a much higher end system than what I have at home. n Thank you.
I'm not aware of a scanner that can import *.csv files directly into the scanner itself. However, there are numerous Uniden scanners, as well as some Whistler/GRE models that can be programmed with software, and some of those software packages can do *.csv imports. Using software would require that you also have a laptop available to load your scanner when you change locations.
That being said, much of what you are looking for is available in one of the database scanners, Uniden or Whistler models that have the RadioReference database stored on a memory card inserted in the scanner. With any of these, you keep the database current (updates are issued weekly from both manufacturers; Whistler updates normally come out Saturdays, and Uniden's are normally out before noon on Mondays). You can program the local frequencies for any of these with a zip code. For the Uniden scanners, you can use a GPS device, which updates your location as you travel, enabling or disabling systems and sites as they come into, and pass out of, range. When using the main database and location, the scanner will only utilize frequencies in that area, so no need to flush the memory after moving to a new location.
The exact model to get, from either Uniden or Whistler, is dependent on the type of areas you are going to. If you are traveling at times to large metropolitan areas, sooner or later you'll likely encounter P25 (digital) Phase II trunked radio systems. And in some areas, those systems are simulcast, which many scanners struggle to receive clearly. Of the current models, Uniden's
SDS100 (handheld) and
SDS200 (base mobile) are the best at coping with
simulcast distortion. The
BCD436HP and
BCD536HP are also good choices, but not as capable of dealing with simulcast. Note that simulcast problems are very specific both in regards to the system, but also affected by your location when receiving the system. Inmy area, there are several simulcast systems that can be hard to monitor clearly. However, as I am outside of their immediate vicinity, I have no problems with receiving them,