Needing Digital Scanner purchase advice

[freyhaus1]

...I recently came across my dad's 20 year old Uniden scanner which is great for marine, air, and CB ( it still works great) but all the police, fire, and EMS in my area have gone digital...trying to find an entry-level digital scanner to add to my shack that will cover the police/fire, but NOT cost $400+ as my wife would more than just frown upon it!

There are so many options and choices, I am overwhelmed and hesitate to lay out a lot of $$$ for a scanner that has lousy performance...

Any suggestions?...these boards have been a tremendous help on previous occasions on various equipment and software topics, hoping I can get some good info on this topic as well...

Thanks and 73!
Harry

 

[W9WSS]

It would be helpful to provide your location (city, county, township, state) and the specific services you wish to monitor. Just a warning, some of them may be digital, and possibly encrypted. It's not going to be "cheap," unless someone has a used monitor or scanner that they are willing to sell on the cheap. Expect to pay $350-$700 for something new, but again, you must find out which services are possibly encrypted and digital.

 

[freyhaus1]

It would be helpful to provide your location (city, county, township, state) and the specific services you wish to monitor. Just a warning, some of them may be digital, and possibly encrypted. It's not going to be "cheap," unless someone has a used monitor or scanner that they are willing to sell on the cheap. Expect to pay $350-$700 for something new, but again, you must find out which services are possibly encrypted and digital.

...thank you sir for the rsvp...all police (local and sheriff), fire, and EMS in m y area have gone to P25 Phase II ...

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

...thank you sir for the rsvp...all police (local and sheriff), fire, and EMS in m y area have gone to P25 Phase II ...

Again, we need specific agencies so we can get eyes on the database to be able to make an informed recommendation

 

[trentbob]

Not to mention encrypted. Fort Walton police, Okaloosa County is encrypted, even the EMS dispatch is encrypted.

The fire departments appear to be in the clear but yes it is a phase 2 tdma system and both the mobile and base scanner that will work for the fire departments will be the most expensive scanner and is probably not worth it just for fire. All the police in Okaloosa County are encrypted.

The recommended scanners for the fire department would be Uniden SDS 100 portable or SDS200 base.

 

[freyhaus1]

...thank you sir!

 

[ecps92]

It would be helpful to provide your location (city, county, township, state) and the specific services you wish to monitor. Just a warning, some of them may be digital, and possibly encrypted. It's not going to be "cheap," unless someone has a used monitor or scanner that they are willing to sell on the cheap. Expect to pay $350-$700 for something new, but again, you must find out which services are possibly encrypted and digital.

going to assume his FTWB = Fort Walton Beach, Florida

 

[K9KLC]

Again, we need specific agencies so we can get eyes on the database to be able to make an informed recommendation

Yep still this.....

 

[trentbob]

I always take a look at their profile just in case they put their location like I do and the location was there. I didn't know what county Fort Walton Beach was in so I Googled it and looked it up in the database. Okaloosa County. Right away all those TE's popped up and realized the OP was SOL😃

 

[kc2asb]

I always take a look at their profile just in case they put their location like I do and the location was there. I didn't know what county Fort Walton Beach was in so I Googled it and looked it up in the database. Okaloosa County. Right away all those TE's popped up and realized the OP was SOL😃

You just saved the OP $500 or more.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I always take a look at their profile just in case they put their location like I do and the location was there.

Yeah I usually do too but lately I've been lazy

 

[jj53191]

Been seeing some requests for recommendation on a good scanner to buy.
There are many Police, Fire, EMS and others still transmitting analog signals.
By logging into and looking at the Radio Reference database one can find what radio is active at your location.
For someone looking to break into the hobby inexpensively, there are plenty of reasonably
priced used scanners, both analog and digital, for sale in the RR classifieds.
Even if you don't have digital radio systems in your area now, It appears that many
municipalities are or will be going digital in the future.
If your looking to buy a new radio, do your research and spend the extra money on a scanner that
will be compatable and work with the newer digital radio systems.
I spent over $600 on a Whistler TRX 2 knowing our county was going digital.
Our county went P25 phase 2 simulcast.
The TRX 2 is a good high end radio. It works fantastic on analog and most digital including NXDN, sad to say,
mine like other TRX 2 owners I have read about, say theirs WILL NOT receive the newer P25 phase 2 simulcast transmissions.
I purchased a Uniden BCD 436 that seams to do a good job.
Reading the forums, there are better radios available.
As I said earlier. check the forums and do your research.
Buying a good scanner now might be cheaper in the long run than needing to buy
another scanner in the future to replace one that has become obsolete.