Need local advise on scanner to purchase

Status
Not open for further replies.

newbieWAstate

Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
7
Location
King County
Today, I was looking for a scanner to purchase at radioschack. I was wondering which one i should purchase. The new PRO -528 triple trunking scanner for $169.99, Pro- 97 triple trunking for $149.99, or Pro -94 dual trunking for $99.97? Pros vs Cons?

I just want a scanner to listen to local king county police, sheriffs, and state patrol.
Can the dual trunking even pick up these freqs? Or should i just save my money and not by any of these scanners because of a network switch? How long do you think these scanners will last me? Thanks
 

gmclam

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
6,375
Location
Fair Oaks, CA
Go with the '97

King County is currently Motorola analog trunked and any of the scanners you listed will pick them up NOW. In the future, .. who knows for sure.

The PRO-433 & PRO-94 & PRO-528 do not have "TEXT TAGS". With text tags you can label each channel. Instead of having to remember that 155.495 is NLEMARS or that 01616 is King Sheriff north area dispatch, you can simply add the text to the scanner. Once you use this feature you will find it difficult to live without. It is even more important to have when you have a scanner with 1000+ frequencies programmed and another several hundred talkgroup IDs.

I've used several Radio Shack "PRO" scanners as you can see from my tagline. Each time I get something a little more modern. Some of the older scanners have features that the newer scanners do not; but the reverse is also true. From the list of scanners you provided I do not think you can go wrong with the PRO-97. I have purchased one that I should have in my hands this week. You will spend at least twice as much money to get a new scanner with more features.

The PRO-96 lists for almost $500; but it can receive digital transmissions. Something I do not think you need today .. and who knows for sure when someone in King County or WA state that you want to hear is digital. Uniden scanners also have some nice features, but they are also priced a lot higher than the '97.

Just my $0.02.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
 

newbieWAstate

Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
7
Location
King County
Thanks so much for replying to the thread. I appreciate the advice on the text tags. May I ask, what is a talk group? I tried looking it up. Thanks
 

gmclam

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
6,375
Location
Fair Oaks, CA
Talkgroups

Let's start with the basics. In the "old" days (and that includes now) there are analog communications on single frequencies. In "simplex" mode both parties talk and listen on the same frequency. We now call that a "conventional" channel. If one of the two parties "switches" their transmit and receive frequencies - person 1 talks on A and receives on B and person 2 talks on B and receives on A - we call that "duplex", but it is still a "conventional" channel. Duplex channels are common with Taxis and the CHP.

If an agency wanted to have more channels, they simply added more frequencies. But with an ever crowding spectrum, there is not always more frequencies to hand out. Along comes trunking.

In a trunked system several conversations can be taking place at the same time but use fewer frequencies. For example a trunked system might be set up with 10 frequencies. One of the 10 frequencies is used as a control channel which data is transmitted indicating what conversations are taking place and on which frequencies at a given moment. Each conversation takes place on a TALKGROUP.

For more info check the Wiki here: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Motorola_Type_II
 

icom1020

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
1,061
gmclam said:
Let's start with the basics. In the "old" days (and that includes now) there are analog communications on single frequencies. In "simplex" mode both parties talk and listen on the same frequency. We now call that a "conventional" channel. If one of the two parties "switches" their transmit and receive frequencies - person 1 talks on A and receives on B and person 2 talks on B and receives on A - we call that "duplex", but it is still a "conventional" channel. Duplex channels are common with Taxis and the CHP.

If an agency wanted to have more channels, they simply added more frequencies. But with an ever crowding spectrum, there is not always more frequencies to hand out. Along comes trunking.

In a trunked system several conversations can be taking place at the same time but use fewer frequencies. For example a trunked system might be set up with 10 frequencies. One of the 10 frequencies is used as a control channel which data is transmitted indicating what conversations are taking place and on which frequencies at a given moment. Each conversation takes place on a TALKGROUP.

For more info check the Wiki here: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Motorola_Type_II

I wanted a Pro-96 over a 97 but the 96 does not cover 700mhz, something Idaho is migrating to. I went for the 97 and I can wait for either a Uniden when more digital systems come online or see what RS comes out with. The 97 is a sleeper of a radio IMO, the audio and sensitivity is pretty good and I like the text tag feature, there are still plenty of legacy systems to monitor and oh yeah, the signal stalker. I picked up a drive-thru 200' away.
 

mcgyver911

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
6
The 700 freqs are APCO 25 Digital. These "should" be included in the rebanding assignments when the updates are available.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top