Alright guys, lets wind it down.
I had it
- Thread starter AirScan1
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I'm all in favor of this, but there's this burning question that I think all of us have...
What the heck are Amits?
Admins. Much of his typing is phonetically based on sound of speech.
Yeah, I don't know either!
Yeah, I don't know either!
searingxheretic
Member
In Soviet Russia, scanner monitors you.
Lol. Perfect.
Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2
RadioDaze
Member
Hey! How did I get dragged into this?! Once again, I resemble that remark!
GrumpyGuard
Member
Because everyone will watch a train wreck, as unpleasant as they are.
JoeyC
Senior Member
To be honest, I share some of those same sentiments. I think today's digital scanners are severely overpriced and focus too much on fancy bells and whistles and not enough on doing the job they were designed to do (such as actually decode the transmissions correctly for example).
I've suggested numerous times that what manufacturers need to do is focus on a simple, easy to operate digital scanner that only covers one band, such as 700MHz to 800MHz. It doesn't need to have close call or signal stalker or a direct connect to the RR database or a GPS interface or a fancy touch screen with cute little color icons. It just needs to work and not sound like Max Headroom humping R2-D2 when decoding a transmission. That's. It.
And despite the fact that manufacturers frequently haunt this forum and use it to market their latest creations have any of them taken me up on the idea? No. Not one. Instead it's "LOOKIE LOOKIE, here's a scanner that covers every frequency from DC to Daylight and looks like an iPod! Hurry up, get them now, they're only $500 each, which is the same price we've been charging for digital scanners for the last ten years! It will still decode simulcast systems like crap but WHO CARES, it also has the WHOLE RRDB in it!" No, no, no, no, NO - way wrong answer, guys.
I also think today's digital public safety radio systems are a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars and were completely unnecessary. What was so un-interoperable about analog VHF and UHF? Nothing! So why did we waste, as a nation, BILLIONS of dollars on this stuff? So that law enforcement could encrypt things and keep the public out? It damn sure wasn't for interoperability because we already had that back in the 60's before all this trunking and digital garbage was even a twinkle in some RF engineer's eye.
So yeah... I can relate.
-AZ
I agree with most of this post but especially the price of these things today. I think the scanner companies are trying to get what they can while they can. Think about it, if systems like OpenSky (and other technologies scanners can't pickup or decipher) ever get the bugs worked out and become inexpensive and efficient, scanners will slowly fade away.
VHF-HI, VHF-LOW, UHF all in the same county, and/or surrounding communities. Simple.
Airscan1 just knock it off. I count 3 separate threads in which you rant about being disciplined!
One of them is in the New User Forum. I mean, come on, you've been a member for 3 and 1/2 years!?
Mods, can we get this thread CLOSED???? PLEASE???
One of them is in the New User Forum. I mean, come on, you've been a member for 3 and 1/2 years!?
Mods, can we get this thread CLOSED???? PLEASE???
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To be honest, I share some of those same sentiments. I think today's digital scanners are severely overpriced and focus too much on fancy bells and whistles and not enough on doing the job they were designed to do (such as actually decode the transmissions correctly for example).
I've suggested numerous times that what manufacturers need to do is focus on a simple, easy to operate digital scanner that only covers one band, such as 700MHz to 800MHz. It doesn't need to have close call or signal stalker or a direct connect to the RR database or a GPS interface or a fancy touch screen with cute little color icons. It just needs to work and not sound like Max Headroom humping R2-D2 when decoding a transmission. That's. It.
And despite the fact that manufacturers frequently haunt this forum and use it to market their latest creations have any of them taken me up on the idea? No. Not one. Instead it's "LOOKIE LOOKIE, here's a scanner that covers every frequency from DC to Daylight and looks like an iPod! Hurry up, get them now, they're only $500 each, which is the same price we've been charging for digital scanners for the last ten years! It will still decode simulcast systems like crap but WHO CARES, it also has the WHOLE RRDB in it!" No, no, no, no, NO - way wrong answer, guys.
I also think today's digital public safety radio systems are a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars and were completely unnecessary. What was so un-interoperable about analog VHF and UHF? Nothing! So why did we waste, as a nation, BILLIONS of dollars on this stuff? So that law enforcement could encrypt things and keep the public out? It damn sure wasn't for interoperability because we already had that back in the 60's before all this trunking and digital garbage was even a twinkle in some RF engineer's eye.
So yeah... I can relate.
-AZ
And there's nothing wrong with thinking this and agreeing with him. The big difference seems to be that you don't go around taking every chance you can (that I know of...but I don't stalk posts) to knock P25 and how expensive digital scanners are. I agree. They ARE expensive. I wish they weren't so expensive. But unlike AirScan1, most of us don't go around repeatedly saying how expensive they are and how P25 is just a fad and nothing but nonsense. It seems like the majority of his posts are about that. Then his avatar disappeared and he started bashing the admins and the forum.
I think his avatar disappeared as a result of his actions! I agree that the majority of his posts are DEFINITELY bashing P25, and possibly people who own digital scanners. That's kind of sad. After all, a lot of people NEED P25. ALL departments, (fire, EMS, PD, SO) in my area, use P25!
Airscan also said, "THIS FORUM IS DEFECTIVE." No it's not, sir! :roll:
Quoting from Loumagg, I believe, (directed to Airscan) "since you consistently disrupt the forums, you have been placed on permanent moderation status. Posting in the New User forum is just another example of disrupting this site."
I agree that scanners ARE expensive, but that's just what I have to pay to scan...
I wish they were cheaper, but....
Quoting from someone, Im not sure who, "take away dealer fees, tax, advertising fees, manufacturer fees, mark-ups, ect...., and there's not much left!"
I agree, and this is my last post in this thread!
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No kidding. I've always known it was an expensive hobby. Back from I was a teen and need her parents to buy her scanners to know, as an adult with a good paying job. Lol
AZScanner
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I guess my biggest gripe about prices is this - when digital scanners first came out, they were $500 new. Which was fine because hey, this was a digital scanner! The first ever! The first ever VCR was $800. The first ever microwaves were over a grand. The first ever cell phone was $999 on sale (I remember the RadioShack ads) and you had to have it professionally installed in your car. I get it, the newest coolest gadgets are expensive.
But what makes digital scanners different is that even though they have all sorts of nifty features now, like a touchscreen or the RRDB built in (hey that's pretty neat, I admit) the radios themselves aren't much different than they were ten years ago. Today's VCR's cost $30 new. Today's microwaves? $150 for a real nice one or $50 for a Walmart special. Today's cell phones? FREE with a 2 year contract. I bought a brand new 10 inch Android tablet a few months back for $100 dollars - remember when they were just as pricy as an iPad? Yet digital scanners still cost $500, and one digital scanner in particular costs even more if you want additional software features on top of what it came with.
Doesn't it make sense that if the manufacturers could make a digital radio that cost half that price and didn't have all the unneeded bling, we'd see a new resurgence of the scanner hobby? I think so, but apparently they don't. Eventually even guys like me will say "screw it" and take up a cheaper more rewarding hobby. The industry is shooting itself in the foot if you ask me.
But what makes digital scanners different is that even though they have all sorts of nifty features now, like a touchscreen or the RRDB built in (hey that's pretty neat, I admit) the radios themselves aren't much different than they were ten years ago. Today's VCR's cost $30 new. Today's microwaves? $150 for a real nice one or $50 for a Walmart special. Today's cell phones? FREE with a 2 year contract. I bought a brand new 10 inch Android tablet a few months back for $100 dollars - remember when they were just as pricy as an iPad? Yet digital scanners still cost $500, and one digital scanner in particular costs even more if you want additional software features on top of what it came with.
Doesn't it make sense that if the manufacturers could make a digital radio that cost half that price and didn't have all the unneeded bling, we'd see a new resurgence of the scanner hobby? I think so, but apparently they don't. Eventually even guys like me will say "screw it" and take up a cheaper more rewarding hobby. The industry is shooting itself in the foot if you ask me.
GrumpyGuard
Member
If scanners sold at the same volume as microwave ovens, VCR'S and other consumer electronics I would have to agree with you, but unfortunately they don't. Therefore we have to pay a premium for our equipment.
W2NJS
Member
I didn't post that...
The post quoted was not written by me, and I have no idea how my name got attached to it.
RadioDaze is one of the last people on this Board that I would ever slam.
The post quoted was not written by me, and I have no idea how my name got attached to it.
RadioDaze is one of the last people on this Board that I would ever slam.
If you think scanners are expensive, try buying a half dozen XTS2500s, 3 XTS5000s, 2 APX7000s and 8 different XTL5000 mobiles for your vehicles. Oh, and the software, cables and a KVL3k+ for keys.
Then you can start buying Trbo portables and mobiles. Scanners are CHEAP.
Then you can start buying Trbo portables and mobiles. Scanners are CHEAP.
RadioDaze
Member
I guess I'd better hope I'm never one of the last people, or I'm in for a slammin'
[size=-2](Just having fun. Thanks for letting me misquote you for humor's sake. This thread needs a laugh before it spirals out of control toward lockdown.)[/size]
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