Looking to get back into Scanning.

[Mdvaught50]

My old SPORTCAT and TRUNK TRACKER not of a lot of use these days. I hear the newer Scanners May get me back into more scanning. Looking at the UNIDEN BCD436HP and have compared it to the SDS100. I live in the U P of Michigan now, Chippewa County city of Sault Ste. Marie. Looks like a lot to scan up here only scan Fire and some of the Locks now. Looking to Scan Police, Fire, EMS, Customs, Border Patrol, Coast Guard and Marine. I know some have Encryption, and it doesn’t look like any Simulcast Systems up here. Does it look like the BCD436HP is the right(cost) choice? What about upgrades of DMR, NXDN or ProVoice EDACS are they needed? Would it be best to have them program or just use Zip Code. I use a laptop although not real well. Thanks for any advice or comments.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Hi there, welcome to the RR forums & welcome back to the hobby. Let's first take a look at the MPSCS. Looking at Site 027 which I'm assuming if the closest to you, you are correct to assume simulcast shouldn't be an issue. Regarding what's encrypted and what isn't, take a look at the Mode column. If you see mode DE, this indicates full encryption which no scanner can track. Mode De (lowercase e) indicates partial or on-demand encryption.

What about upgrades of DMR, NXDN or ProVoice EDACS are they needed?

That depends on your monitoring interests. There's quite a lot of DMR in your state to listen to. Click on the following links for reports of DMR Trunked and DMR Conventional systems in your state. Same with NXDN Trunked and NXDN Conventional. Provoice is a dying protocol so there are only about fewer than 50 known systems still in place countrywide, only 4 of which are in Michigan

Would it be best to have them program or just use Zip Code

Personally I only use the zip code feature if I'm traveling to an area I don't frequent and don't have a need to program favorites lists there. Programming what you listen to as favorites allows for greater customizations to get the most out of your scanning experience

So in conclusion I'd say the 436HP would be a fine scanner choice for your area. I owned two of them years ago and they worked great

 

[Mdvaught50]

Hi there, welcome to the RR forums & welcome back to the hobby. Let's first take a look at the MPSCS. Looking at Site 027 which I'm assuming if the closest to you, you are correct to assume simulcast shouldn't be an issue. Regarding what's encrypted and what isn't, take a look at the Mode column. If you see mode DE, this indicates full encryption which no scanner can track. Mode De (lowercase e) indicates partial or on-demand encryption.


That depends on your monitoring interests. There's quite a lot of DMR in your state to listen to. Click on the following links for reports of DMR Trunked and DMR Conventional systems in your state. Same with NXDN Trunked and NXDN Conventional. Provoice is a dying protocol so there are only about fewer than 50 known systems still in place countrywide, only 4 of which are in Michigan


Personally I only use the zip code feature if I'm traveling to an area I don't frequent and don't have a need to program favorites lists there. Programming what you listen to as favorites allows for greater customizations to get the most out of your scanning experience

So in conclusion I'd say the 436HP would be a fine scanner choice for your area. I owned two of them years ago and they worked great

Thank You for the information on where else to look, if visiting Mackinac Island May want DMR can always add latter I guess. For walking around the 436HP seems better to carry and you can lock buttons. Thanks for helping.

 

[smithken]

The 436 should be fine. I would start out with zip code and a range of 10 miles and set what service types (Law Dispatch, Law Talk, Fire Dispatch, etc) you want to listen to. Once you learn more about the scanner you might decide to set up favorite lists but at first I wouldn't bother.

 

[Mdvaught50]

The 436 should be fine. I would start out with zip code and a range of 10 miles and set what service types (Law Dispatch, Law Talk, Fire Dispatch, etc) you want to listen to. Once you learn more about the scanner you might decide to set up favorite lists but at first I wouldn't bother.

Thank You for your input. Like to see what others in the know have to say to guide me in my decision

 

[freqs]

If your not concerned with Simulcast then the 436 will do a great job for MPSCS and DMR NXDN

 

[smithken]

The only other thing I can add is that I have a 396XT and it worked well at I-75 and 3 Mile Rd. 6.5 years ago. Looking at the database and the programming in my 396XT it doesn't look like much has changed. The only other thing you should look at is the areas you might be traveling to and whether they are simulcast or not, from what I understand the SDS100 is much better with simulcast sites. I monitor the Wayne County simulcast site most of the time and my 396XT doesn't have any trouble with it but I think that is because of my location and not the scanner.

 

[MacDon]

Have you looked at Whistler? Granted they dont have phase modulators like the SDS100 or 200 but unless you simulcast, TRX-1 can scan DMR and NXDN without the added cost from Uniden.

 

[Mdvaught50]

The only other thing I can add is that I have a 396XT and it worked well at I-75 and 3 Mile Rd. 6.5 years ago. Looking at the database and the programming in my 396XT it doesn't look like much has changed. The only other thing you should look at is the areas you might be traveling to and whether they are simulcast or not, from what I understand the SDS100 is much better with simulcast sites. I monitor the Wayne County simulcast site most of the time and my 396XT doesn't have any trouble with it but I think that is because of my location and not the scanner.

Thanks for the information. Do travel to Oakland County now and then but that has been dead for a few years now. Think that’s when I lost interest. But new area now may just get back in.

Have you looked at Whistler? Granted they dont have phase modulators like the SDS100 or 200 but unless you simulcast, TRX-1 can scan DMR and NXDN without the added cost from Uniden.

May take a look. Thanks

 

[smithken]

Thanks for the information. Do travel to Oakland County now and then but that has been dead for a few years now. Think that’s when I lost interest. But new area now may just get back in.


May take a look. Thanks

I think Oakland County is going to stay dead. Pretty much everything in Oakland County is on Open Sky and no scanner can monitor that. From what I've read Oakland County will be switching to MPSCS but will be 100% encrypted, again no scanner can monitor that. Also a lot of MPSCS sites in southeast Michigan are simulcast, that could be a problem for the 436.

 

[a29zuk]

I vacation a lot in the U.P. I have been monitoring the S.S. Marie area the last 5 years with a BCT325P2. You would be able to monitor the area very well with the 436. There are no simulcast systems north of US-10 in Michigan.

Jim

 

[Mdvaught50]

I vacation a lot in the U.P. I have been monitoring the S.S. Marie area the last 5 years with a BCT325P2. You would be able to monitor the area very well with the 436. There are no simulcast systems north of US-10 in Michigan.

Jim

Thanks Jim