Help shopping for new scanner - APCO or analog?

[scotte]

I am researching and budgeting for a new scanner. Recent catalogs from Amateur Electronic Supply and Ham Radio Outlet (my callsign is wy1z) show APCO-capable scanners, along with souped-up analog-only scanners. I'd likely have it for the car since I currently drive to work, but might also bring it into my home at times.

I do a decent amount of scanning, and living around the Somerville, MA area, and sometimes travelling out to Natick, I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile for me to invest in a digital scanner, or go with an analog-only model? If digital won't be entrenched in this area for a few years, the extra for an APCO scanner could be saved and I'd go with an analog-only trucktracker or something else.

Please educate me on the digital timetable for my area.

Thank you.

Scott, WY1Z

 

[K2KOH]

I would say yes, since the Mass SP, according to the database, is APCO 25 digital. I'm not too familiar with which part of Massachusetts you're in, but I know the western portion of the state is still transforming over to the trunked system.
Should you travel a little south into Connecticut, you would definitely need the digital scanner since CSP is all digital now. Hope this helps!

 

[rjp3637]

The MSP is LICENSED for digital, the only talkgroups I know of that use digital are the radio techs on their talkgroups. I wouldn't buy a digital capable scanner at this time. With the MA budget in the mess that it's in I doubt the MSP will be going digital any time soon. Waiting on lower $$ on scanners that are replaced by newer versions in the future would be the way to go. I bought a Pro-95 several months ago and I'm very pleased with it, all lot less $$ than digital.

 

[Goldstar]

Several things to consider. Since 911, Federal tax dollars have been spread around to bring radio systems up to standard..and P25 is the standard. So, a state or local budget situation is not an issue. Federal money could be allocated tomorrow to upgrade the entire system. The other consideration is resale. I know that I can resell my digital capable radio with or without the card in a heartbeat. The market for a analog scanner in a world changing over to digital is more limited.

Hope this helps.

 

[FSilvia]

Go Digital

I dont think this applies to you deciding Analog or Digital.

But In general anyone,, especially a first responder who needs a scanning reciever mobile or base. Test the brand and model for the frequency or frequencies you need to monitor.

I just discovered two Uniden models, BC350C and the BCT-8 that are not able to recieve general FM (not trunked) signals in the 492.000 to 494.000 frequency area.

I originally had a BC350C and believed it to be defective. I returned it and selected the BCT8. It is identical. Sitting next to a Radio Shack PRO-25 hand held, It recieves mobile and base signals all day long> The Unidens were totally dead just background noise when the squelch was opened. All types of antennas were tried. Not a squeek came out. As a point of interest at that freq. band The R/S unit receives without an antenna.

I have posted this problem with Uniden on their web site as a question as to why. It's been un-answered now since 22 May 2004.

My suspicions is the internal chip programming has a freq. block and they don't know it yet.

 

[KB8UYC]

Mass Scanning(choice Digital or Analog)

http://www.scancapecod.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=Portal


This link should answer just about all of your questions on whether or not to purchase a DIGITAL or ANALOG scanner. I am not very fimilar with Mass scanning but I have found that the site above is the best for it!

Keep in mind most department USA wide are switching to digital, and there are a lot that are not. I would say that Digital would be the way to go, exspecially for when they switch later on

Hope that site helps you decide!