good scanner

[landonjensen]

does anyone know or have any ideas for a good radioshack scanner> i am thinking of getting a second one, and i already have a pro 95.

 

[CLB]

Mainly depends on if you want a base or a handheld. I believe there's a few base scanners on sale for around $100-150. If you have a digital system in your area (or your area is switching to digital trunking) you might want to consider a Pro-96 or it's big sister (can't remember the number).

I have two 95's and a 2052. Personally, I prefer the 2052. Just seems to be a little better, not to mention Milair- being that there's a airlift base here and such. Pro-97's can listen to Milair as well.

Check around in pawn shops. I picked up an ICom IC-R3 for $200 and a slightly dinged/ minor repairs Pro-95 for $20 in the hock just down the road here. Both have been excellent. Have to be careful not to be burned doing this though. If they won't let you take it outside for a minute to make sure it works, don't buy.

 

[landonjensen]

is there a difference in advantages in base and handheld?

 

[hoser147]

Handhelds you can take about anywhere. It is more in the eyes of the beholder. If you are in the house or office a base is great you just gotta look at what your wants and needs are. Good Scannin hoser147

 

[Bentley]

If you dont want / need digital, I would highly recomend the pro-97. Its a big step up from the 95 and has a lot of nice features.

"Big Sister" to the 96 is the 2096, both are EXCELLENT scanners, but come with a pretty hefty price tag. If digital is not necessary, then I dont recomend spending more than you have to.

 

[walter900]

I have had alot of scanners in the past.... BC3000xlt, BC2500xlt, BC9000xlt, BC200xlt, BC780xlt, AOR-1000, Regency Informant, BC-12, Pro-92 just to name a few!!

I purchased a Pro-83 for $69.97 and have been taking it everywhere!! This is a small radio that you can easily place in your pocket, put an ear piece in your ear, and walk around an event. The frequency coverage is excellant..... 25-27.995, 28-29.995. 30-49.995, 50-54, 108-136.9875, 137-143.995, 144-147.995, 148-174, 406-419.99375, 420-449.99375, 450-469.99375, 470-512, 806-823.9875, 849.0125-868.9875, 894.0125-956 MHz!! Best of all is the lighted keypad for night time use... and signal stalker thats finds close by freq's automaticaly. It also has 10-priority channels. Pre-Named Preprogrammed Service search bands, police/fire, ham, wx, etc... and 10-seperate search bands that you can change/customize the frequency to your liking. You can even "chain" the 10 searches turning on/off the ones you want.

If trunking and digital are not a big deal... Get this scanner!! It's perfect for a fair, carnival, beach, concert, fireworks shows etc. It is fun and so easy to program.

 

[CLB]

I've found that base scanners have a little better audio. I guess it's due to the larger speaker. Also, at least here in Chucktown, the 2 base scanners I have seem to pick up more distant signals than the handhelds, even when connected to the same antenna.

ie: I can hear ATIS and Ground at KCHS 4 miles away clear as a bell with the 2052, and very staticy with the Pro-95 when tested with a ~10 foot 2m Cushcraft vertical on a 2nd story window.

 

[VintageJon]

For Digital, Motoral Project-25 I really like the Pro-96. With Win96 it seems very good, BUT
dread Re-banding as yet to occur here, so judgement for the Fall of this year remains unknown.

For Analog I was getting excellent results form the Pro 91 for years, but lately it's less usefull. Air-band is still OK if weak.
Believe it is due to everything going APCO-25 or EDACS here in Central Texas.
Monitoring DPS on Analog VHF, LCRA on EDACS, Travis/Williamson/Blanco County on APCO-25 in the 400MHz and 800Mhz bands on digital. (Understand that DPS is going APCO-25, also known as Project-25 so this may be affecting DPS reception here, though I'm a few blocks from the Mother-Base in Austin.)


As I type this there is excellent reception of Travis County-APD- Pubic Safety on Pro-96 here in MOT Digital 800MHz band. I reckon this is MOT APCO-25 / Project 25. Seeing stuff out of San Antonio that makes no sense though and this may carry over though there is no other evidence other than my suspicision of powers-that-be.HUH they,S.A.,are supposed to be all EDACS Pro Voice in the 400MHz band now, but I receive skip on the 800MHz band in MOT digital modualtion. We are being lied to, and I'm not surprised. (Division Of Mis-apprroriated Funds and Wated Money will have their way

We listen, so they change things.

-Jon

 

[intrepid97]

I hear the Pro-96 will NOT track 700mhz APCO25?