Need help deciding on a scanner

[norcal_25]

Im new in the forum and i need some advise, i am planning on getting a Uniden BCT-15 BCT15 Police Scanner TrunkTracker III, my question is would these be a good choice from were i am from san jose, california? i cant find anywere in here if the city uses a digital or not, i would most likely like to hear listen to sjpd, fire and ambulances, any advices would be appreciated thanks

 

[peepoop]

Looks like you'll be fine with the BCT15.

Police and fire in your area are both analog.
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=696

If you want something portable, the BC246T would be a good choice as well.

 

[norcal_25]

thanks for the responce

 

[DrDenny1]

I was told there was a digital mandate by 2012. I don't know if it is true or not. Los Angeles County is currently analog and they are in thee process of going digital. Where I live I listen to mostly LACo. Sheriff and FD. When they go digital, I would be out of luck, that helped my desision to get the BCD396T. I was going for a 246 or a RS PRO-162. Maybe do some research to see if SJ is going digital any time soon. I looked at it as it's better to spend 5-600 now than 2-300 now and in a few months to year or two another 5-600. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[lorin]

The 13 bay area counties are going digital. Police and Fire and Local Government are all going. We will all be on a digital trunk system by Motorola. The system we are designing is P25 complaint with digital trunking. If your going to spend the money, plan for switch by 2013. Uwasi grant process is half way there. Santa Clara County is going with or without the rest of the bay area counties. I made the switch to GRE PSR 600 scanner. We already paid Motorola to design the system. Most of Santa Clara County will switch, All of San Jose will be there. I know because I am involved in the process. Do not waste your money on analog as most of the Bay Area will be digital and on a Trunk System.

Lorin

 

[norcal_25]

thanks a lot lorin that helps a lot, how about the psr-400 would that be useful too? what would be the biggest diff besides price wise

 

[cousinkix1953]

The Santa Clara county sheriff is running a simulcast of their main dispatch repeater. Analog is 156.210 mhz. and Digital is 155.70 mhz. No need to by a digital scanner unless you wanna lisen to the narks on 156.150 mhz, or the feds when they aren't encrypted.

The RR database has lots of detailed information about the Santa Clara city TRS.

Most everything else can be heard using a conventional scanner. There are some state parks and Cal-Trans conventional repeaters on 800 mhz.

Digital scanners will be very common and much cheaper by that 2013 changeover...

 

[trooperdude]

2013 is a federal mandate to go NARROWBAND, not digital.

That being said a digital capable scanner will be pretty much essential in the next 5-7 years as even San Mateo has issued an RFP solicitation to replace their entire t band system with a 700Mhz P25 system.

However fire is staying VHF conventional.

Lorin is Santa Clara County also looking at 700 trunked for fire to replace VHF ?

I think that's a HUGE mistake.

 

[lorin]

Yes. We are all moving to 760 MHZ and on a trunk system. PD & FD and other city and county depts will all be there. Santa Clara County is moving with or without the other 12 counties. Although they are all trying to get grant money to cover the cost. analog for now is ok, but we will all be digital and on trunk system soon. Some will be there before others...

Lorin