Ok let me start by saying that I know nothing about scanners. I want to get one though because they are fun. I like to know where fire trucks are going, listening to communication between EMT and hospitals, and frankly just eavesdropping. I know there a bunch of other things they can pick up too. Basically I dont know what else I would like to listen to but I would like a scanner with the options of listening to many different things (ie schools, airplanes, jails, buses)
I live in Winchester, Va, about an hour west of Washington D.C. I know the local police and fire and rescue still use the "old" system (like I said I don't really know anything) so I don't necessarily need a digital scanner. I believe that the Virginia State police use digital, though I could be wrong. The guy at Radioshack told me that all I needed for our area was the "regular" $100 radioshack scanner but then I asked him about more localities going digital and he said within the next couple of years most localities will go digital. For that reason, I'm assuming it would be a better idea to go ahead and buy a digital one now rather than have an obsolete scanner in a couple years. If my thought is correct could you give me some advice as to things I should know or think about.
As far as the two I've come across after researching for a little bit are the Radioshack Pro-106 ($400) and the Uniden BCD396XT ($525). I've read that there are pros and cons to both and frankly because I don't understand the "scanner lingo" I don't understand the pros and cons. I've heard they are pretty hard to program too. If anybody could give me some advice as to the basics and what I should be considering to buy I would appreciate it.
I live in Winchester, Va, about an hour west of Washington D.C. I know the local police and fire and rescue still use the "old" system (like I said I don't really know anything) so I don't necessarily need a digital scanner. I believe that the Virginia State police use digital, though I could be wrong. The guy at Radioshack told me that all I needed for our area was the "regular" $100 radioshack scanner but then I asked him about more localities going digital and he said within the next couple of years most localities will go digital. For that reason, I'm assuming it would be a better idea to go ahead and buy a digital one now rather than have an obsolete scanner in a couple years. If my thought is correct could you give me some advice as to things I should know or think about.
As far as the two I've come across after researching for a little bit are the Radioshack Pro-106 ($400) and the Uniden BCD396XT ($525). I've read that there are pros and cons to both and frankly because I don't understand the "scanner lingo" I don't understand the pros and cons. I've heard they are pretty hard to program too. If anybody could give me some advice as to the basics and what I should be considering to buy I would appreciate it.
