I use both hardware radios and software defined radios, for everything from hobby use, to commercial monitoring. The first radio I made was an AM kit, soldering components to a perf board. Fast forward past many CB, amateur radios, and Uniden scanners, going into the military, I began to use higher end radio equipment. However, a Pro-2006 scanner stayed with me all through the analog cell phone years. Newer amateur hardware like the Icom IC-2100 got me into 2m comms, while I carried Motorola Astro Saber Model III's for the military. Then came XTS/XTL and now APX and Trbo series radios, for military, civilian work, and hobby use. I have spent more money on actual hardware radios. My most expensive handheld was a Harris XG-100P at $1200 though, bought as a demo unit at IWCE, and a Yaesu FT-817ND for about $800 or so. That Yaesu is probably up to about $2000 once you get amplifiers, filters, antennas and other "must have" accessories added in.
Then there is software defined or controlled gear. With the Global War on Terrorism, I bought an Icom PCR-1000 as I heard some of the early drones using them to listen to radio traffic. Well, with the right software these were very useful, and prompted the PCR-1500/2500 and R-1500 and 2500.....I did not buy any of those models though. Then the military went with WinRadio, for networks monitor radio equipment. I also found my self carrying Thales AN/PRC-148 and Harris AN/PRC-152 handhelds, and mounting AN/PRC-117's into vehicles, software defined radios. (I bought the Harris XG-100P based on my use of the AN/PRC-152 handheld). Then some smart people found out that with digital television, dongles sold in Europe and Asian countries could be re-tooled to monitor P25/Trbo and other radio systems.
SDR USB sticks were cheap overseas, under $10 each, and ran well on XP, but in my own experience, required their own computer.......you could not do anything else at the same time. This meant me buying newer computers with more memory, more USB SDR sticks, and using them to monitor P25 and Trbo radio networks. Even including laptop computers, my total cash outlay for SDR was probably only $1k, while hardware radios is probably $10k. Sitting at work right now as a radio system administrator, Astro/Trbo and analog conventional system in 52 states, I have one computer running SDR# for P25, a XPR7550e monitoring Trbo, a Technisonic TIL-91-DE VHF for aviation monitoring, two Pro-2032 scanners, and one Pro-2040 scanner, all personal gear to keep tabs on the network, beyond - ZoneWatch, UEM, and other dedicated tools.
I prefer to use both hardware and software, as they each have their merits.....ease of use for hardware, and lower cost and function for software. SDR# and a RTL SDR USB/laptop is cheaper than commercial spectrum monitoring equipment, by tens of thousands of dollars, in my own employers use case. I could set dozens of USB sticks in the field and monitor odd RF emitters for considerably less money, while getting more flexibility.
