I guess I need someone smarter than I am.

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Mickg1963

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I live in the Northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. I just purchased a Bearcat BCT 15x. I cant seem to get the scanner programmed. I am trying to program in Crawford County 800 Mhz sys and cant make anything work. I am not sure what sys they use but I think it is Motorola. I'm not sure what version tho. I also think it is a digital sys. I just read something that made my heart sink. Am I to understand that the BCT 15x doesn't do digital? And does that mean that it is no good for my area?
 

bob550

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The Michigan Public Safety Communications System is a Phase 1 digital system, and beyond the ability of your 15x, which is analog only, to receive. You'd need, at least, a Uniden BCD996P2 or better to monitor this system. While you can, see if you can return for a refund or exchange for a digital-capable scanner.
 

iMONITOR

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Your BCT15X is not totally useless, in fact it's possibly the best consumer grade analog scanner available today. There are many things it can monitor other than PD/FD/EMS. VHF & UHF commercial, private and military aircraft, HAM/Amateur radio, Marine, FRS, GMRS and MURS radio, Weather (SAME Weather Alert), Railroad, CB radio, and FM broadcast radio.

So even if you need to buy another digital mode scanner for public safety monitoring the BCT15X is still a keeper if you're beginning to build your radio room!

With regards to what digital scanner you should buy for your area or Michigan in general that's a very controversial subject! Without going into lots of detail (all of which is substantially documented on RR already) start by reading up on Uniden's newest SDS series. While there are numerous digital scanners that will work, if the digital system is a simulcast system you're eventually going to want an SDS series. Again, do some reading prior to buying. They're expensive compared to other choices but as the old saying goes, buy once, cry once.

Until you can buy a digital scanner check her to see if you can stream audio for your needs..

Broadcastify
 

a29zuk

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Crawford County is not simulcast. There are no systems on the MPSCS north of US-10 that are simulcast. My Uniden 325P2 works great while driving through norther lower peninsula during vacations. The above mentioned 996P2 will work well, too.

Jim
 

nvanw27

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Crawford County also uses some VHF frequencies for fire and EMS Paging and operations, as do neighboring counties. I live in extreme Northern Grand Traverse county and can faintly pick up their VHF paging in the morning or when it's heavily snowing.
 

krokus

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I live in the Northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. I just purchased a Bearcat BCT 15x. I cant seem to get the scanner programmed. I am trying to program in Crawford County 800 Mhz sys and cant make anything work. I am not sure what sys they use but I think it is Motorola. I'm not sure what version tho. I also think it is a digital sys. I just read something that made my heart sink. Am I to understand that the BCT 15x doesn't do digital? And does that mean that it is no good for my area?
Just to clarify, are you in Crawford County, or within a few miles of its border?
 

hockeyref2

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I don't know how much is still on both VHF and 800 (MPSCS), but South Branch, Beaver Creek, Grayling, Frederic, Lovells, I have all heard on 800. I cant remember if I have heard Maple Forest Township on it.. Not sure if they have a VFD of their own? Beaver Creek, Grayling, Frederic, South Branch, Lovells for sure have at least some MPSCS radios. I cannot say if they are exclusively on 800 now. Of course Sheriff, MSP, DNR, Camp Grayling is on 800. I have an older pro-106 that I bought used a few years ago and it works fine.
 

TailGator911

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As someone has already said - do NOT trash the BCT15X, it is among the best analog scanners ever made. You've got the cream of the crop there for everything else, now just get a good digital scanner (SDS100 or SDS200) and you've got all you need for scanner monitoring, the best of both worlds in digital and analog!
 

Ronaldski

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As someone has already said - do NOT trash the BCT15X, it is among the best analog scanners ever made. You've got the cream of the crop there for everything else, now just get a good digital scanner (SDS100 or SDS200) and you've got all you need for scanner monitoring, the best of both worlds in digital and analog!

There is absolutely no need for the expensive sds 100 or sds 200 as it would be overkill. Those in Michigan as mentioned in #5 know that the top 1/2 of the lower peninsula there are no simulcast systems at all, including the upper peninsula.

Mickg1963 get a 996P2 and it will work perfectly if programmed correctly with the current info in the database. Scroll almost 1/2 way down for Crawford talkgroups https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=100

Mickg1963 if you recently acquired it, cut your losses and return it as mentioned its not capable of working in Crawford, short of looks like just fire depts and EMS on analog is all. EMS is listed on digital so that analog listed maybe out of date?
If you want a desktop as mentioned above, the least expensive Uniden is the 996P2. The whistler ws1065 also would work now for Michigan which is digital phase I. Its been mentioned the current digital will be capable of digital phase II, which if implemented in your area, the ws1065 would no longer work, but the 996P2 would.
 
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nvanw27

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I've gotten VHF reception on both Fire and EMS, and depending on where the OP is in Crawford County, they might be able to pick up other nearby counties. Both Kalkaska and Antrim Counties have range that goes well into Crawford, and they might even be able to pick up CCE if the conditions were just right.
 

krokus

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There is absolutely no need for the expensive sds 100 or sds 200 as it would be overkill. ...
If you want a desktop as mentioned above, the least expensive Uniden is the 996P2. The whistler ws1065 also would work now for Michigan which is digital phase I. Its been mentioned the current digital will be capable of digital phase II, which if implemented in your area, the ws1065 would no longer work, but the 996P2 would.
The SDS series from Unden, or the TRX series from Whistler, would be my recommendations, to give options for current technologies, and futureproofing. The 1065 is good, but the digital life is not for long.
 

Ronaldski

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Why keep recommend SDS'? Not everyone can afford them and were designed as we know to do simulcast, which doesn't exist at all in northern MI. There is just no need for them up there.
The prices lowest to highest that would work: 996P2, 325P2, 436HP, Home Patrol2, 536HP including the aforementioned whistlers.
 

krokus

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Why keep recommend SDS'? Not everyone can afford them and were designed as we know to do simulcast, which doesn't exist at all in northern MI. There is just no need for them up there.
The prices lowest to highest that would work: 996P2, 325P2, 436HP, Home Patrol2, 536HP including the aforementioned whistlers.
For phase 2, DMR, NXDN, and whatever is the next digital format is.
 

Ronaldski

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All the current unidens minus the home patrol2(still can do phase 2) can do DMR, NXDN along with the TRX's.
 
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