Favorite Scanner (Receiver) that’s not a Uniden DMA Scanner

[jgorman21]

Hello!

As the title suggests, I’m looking for ideas on a decent scanner that is not a Uniden DMA type scanner. A good “receiver:” Preferably Able to do Digital modes but not necessarily simulcast.

Thanks!

 

[IC-R20]

Then you need either a HomePatrol type scanner or Whistler.

 

[rk911]

RS Pro-197. EZ to program with ARC500, receives our county P25 simulcast system well. It's on 24/7/365 in my home office. Only downside is no P25 Phase II.

 

[jgorman21]

Then you need either a HomePatrol type scanner or Whistler.

Thanks,

 

[jgorman21]

RS Pro-197. EZ to program with ARC500, receives our county P25 simulcast system well. It's on 24/7/365 in my home office. Only downside is no P25 Phase II.

Thank you!

 

[a417]

Hello!

As the title suggests, I’m looking for ideas on a decent scanner that is not a Uniden DMA type scanner. A good “receiver:” Preferably Able to do Digital modes but not necessarily simulcast.

Thanks!

I like my 780XLT, it won't do digital - it's got some component mods to it now, but it's decent in my book. Now calling it 'decent' is highly relative, and carries a lot of personal bias, but what I ask it to do...it does ably.

What is your issue with "Uniden DMA type scanner"s?

 

[jgorman21]

I like my 780XLT, it won't do digital - it's got some component mods to it now, but it's decent in my book. Now calling it 'decent' is highly relative, and carries a lot of personal bias, but what I ask it to do...it does ably.

What is your issue with "Uniden DMA type scanner"s?

Hard to put into words I guess? Prefer older approaches I guess. There was a statement years ago that was somet like: “the more you scan, the less you here.” Probably just me. Also. As a receiver The SDS 100 is not fantastic. Honestly. Just my opinion. I’m happy for all the people who love it!

 

[a417]

There was a statement years ago that was somet like: “the more you scan, the less you hear.”

Yeah, that's a very true saying ... but it's not correlated directly to the fact that a DMA scanner is doing the work, it is applicable for any scanner that has hundreds or thousands of freqs to check. Same would be true if there was a 500 ch crystal scanner out there, thankfully..there isn't. The more time its looking, the more time it's not recieving.

As a receiver The SDS 100 is not fantastic.

Completely agree with you on that, but it's an SDR - so those of us that grew up spoiled on really hot recievers need to adapt to the 'new normal'.

 

[jtwalker]

I guess I am lucky. I live at a high relative altitude (as compared to surrounding area), with low ambient RF noise (no tv, radio or cell towers nearby), and I can receive 6 different counties well with my SDS scanners and an external antenna. They are mostly digital simulcast TRS and 700/800mhz with a little UHF mixed in. I guess I look at these as being the right tool for the right job. Not great on analog and doesn't seem to be great on VHF (or it's my setup), but I could buy a different scanner to cover that if I felt the need.

Back to OP's question. I can't think of any current Uniden scanner that is digital that isn't DMA (either 2 tier or 3 tier). Maybe some out-of-production models? I guess the new BCD160DN and BC260DN might be the closest offering from Uniden.

 

[lebrunmn]

a decent scanner that is not a Uniden DMA type

I'm not too enamored with DMA myself... I mostly use older model Whistlers (WS-1098 & WS-1095) while mobile. I love their ability to easily mix conventional and trunked objects and their out-of-the box remote head mount capabilities. I don't like their lack of a real nuisance / power-cycle channel lock-out (got to be just a firmware fix, right?), or the use of the SD cards, but I can live with those things.

Lately, I have come to really enjoy Uniden's BCD996P2--I've ended up with several of them. And even though it's a DMA type, I find I enjoy it much more than my SDS 200. If it's the SDS-series that you're really not too keen on, you might give a BCD996P2--as long as you're not looking for simulcast capability, it's a really good digital scanner.

 

[wtp]

jgorman21,
Albany Metro Simulcast
Albany County Simulcast
Cohoes
Schenectady County Simulcast
you might get lucky and don't have simulcast problems, but i would not bet on it.
and if you do, consider one of the uniden SDS scanners.
i had simulcast problems at my house, and picked up a SDS100 and it is fine, expensive, but it works great. and it made the wife happy.

 

[jgorman21]

jgorman21,
Albany Metro Simulcast
Albany County Simulcast
Cohoes
Schenectady County Simulcast
you might get lucky and don't have simulcast problems, but i would not bet on it.
and if you do, consider one of the uniden SDS scanners.
i had simulcast problems at my house, and picked up a SDS100 and it is fine, expensive, but it works great. and it made the wife happy.

I have a Unication G5 and an SDS 100. Personally not a big fan of the 100.

Thank you all for the great responses.

 

[ecps92]

Hard to put into words I guess? Prefer older approaches I guess. There was a statement years ago that was somet like: “the more you scan, the less you here.” Probably just me. Also. As a receiver The SDS 100 is not fantastic. Honestly. Just my opinion. I’m happy for all the people who love it!

True the more you Scan in ONE RADIO, the more you may miss out on other traffic.
Hence why many of us have multiple radios, each dedicated to a specific use.
3 - Pro2006's in working order (3 others for parts)
Two GRE600's (2 of them the RS Equiv) in use, with a 3rd coming on-line this fall
1 996XT
1 996 P2
Multiple Uniden 898T's
and to close out a 895XLT and 890XLT

the GRE500/600 is my go to FED monitoring radios

 

[dave3825]

“the more you scan, the less you here.”

With any scanner, yes, but with dongles, not the case.

Sdr Dongles and the right software can work wonders. 2 Airspy Mini's in Sdrtrunk. Scanning and recording 4 trunked systems recording up to 30 tg's simultaneously and playback thru Trunking Recorder. Another dongle scanning airband and the combos can go on and on. Have even used dongles at airshows.

 

[wtp]

"the more you try and listen to, the less you hear" *

* this does not happen when you have more radios.
i am in favor of more radios.
and you see that others here agree with that.

 

[jgorman21]

Thank you all again for the responses. My main radios right now are:
G5, PSR-500, BCT-125AT, and lastly the SDS 100. I have several other older scanners as well. I agree 100% Bill on the GRE Scanners as being fine receivers. And you got one of my points precisely Bill!

Thank you all again!

 

[bearcatrp]

If you can find a used Icom R30, get it. It’s the best hand held on the market. No DMR though and phase I only.

 

[JimD56]

I use 3 Motorola XTLs and a Kenwood Tk-790 for "Scanners" on my NON Simulcast systems.

 

[StoliRaz]

True the more you Scan in ONE RADIO, the more you may miss out on other traffic.
Hence why many of us have multiple radios, each dedicated to a specific use.
3 - Pro2006's in working order (3 others for parts)
Two GRE600's (2 of them the RS Equiv) in use, with a 3rd coming on-line this fall
1 996XT
1 996 P2
Multiple Uniden 898T's
and to close out a 895XLT and 890XLT

the GRE500/600 is my go to FED monitoring radios

But what happens when they all start receiving at the same time? My brain would go into simulcast distortion. I seldom have more than one going. If something sounds interesting I just park my scanner on it. I seldom have more than 1 running.

As for the OP, you don't really have many options with that criteria. Either Whistler/GRE or an older Uniden that can't receive phase 2 or DMR. I second the Radioshack PRO-197. Have one and it receives digital nicely. I omitted mentioning RS because all of their scanners were made by GRE/Whistler/Uniden to begin with

 

[ecps92]

But what happens when they all start receiving at the same time? My brain would go into simulcast distortion. I seldom have more than one going. If something sounds interesting I just park my scanner on it. I seldom have more than 1 running.

Happens Daily - you learn, just like being a PS Dispatcher to multi-task and selective hearing to concentrate on them all