New Member-York County, SC

[rollcage]

Hello all,

New member here. I've been a long time scanner owner and listener. Over the past several years since most everything around my area went to the trunked system I've listened to online broadcasts. Now I am ready to purchase my own digital scanner. I am looking at the Bearcat BCD 436HP right now. Does anyone have any recommendations for or against this scanner?
Does anyone have any experience listening to the City of Rock Hill PD? I thought I read somewhere that their feed was encrypted now and couldn't be heard. I assume I will be able to hear the York county Sheriff's dept, local fire depts and EMS since I can hear them online now.
Thank You.

 

[c4181]

I would definitely say get the 436HP. It's one of the few that will have minimal issues with the digital simulcast.

A few years ago Rock Hill was encrypted but as of my last trip up to Rock Hill, which was back in June, they were running the dispatch channel unencrypted. On the other Rock Hill PD channels some officers had encryption on and some didn't.

Everything else should be unencrypted.

 

[rollcage]

Thank You for the info!!

 

[lite_c]

Welcome back then, rollcage. Someone else, other than me, that will be scanning the county.

The 436HP is great, I've only heard good things, and I wish I would have got that sometimes; but I am very happy with the BCD996P2 - especially since the optimization for other systems that came out a few weeks ago from Uniden. It is a very multi-purpose, dynamic scanner, now more than ever. Very programmable and customizable with FreeScan and RadioReference Premium as well. I highly recommend going with those options to set up your systems and scanner (even though getting the 436HP does it for you, and has better Simulcast reception - something very necessary in York County).

I scan everything from here to the coast in SC just fine, and I am very admirable of the P800 system. I am a mobile user with a default antenna, soon to be a multi-band whip, which will dramatically help scanning the P800 and hopefully the local York/Gastonia/Mecklenburg P25 Simulcast systems.

That being said, the York County P25 is actually the second most difficult system to scan (the first is Charlotte-Mecklenburg's P25) for me as a mobile user. I am not in the county all that frequently, so I haven't tinkered with the adjustments and Simulcast tips as much as I should have. For example, I got Gastonia Simulcast working great after messing with it and programming.

There is no encrypted traffic in York County except for YCSO's DEU talkgroups, only occasionally, as well as the Rock Hill tactical talkgroups. In fact, Rock Hill is the most active group, and I have yet to hear any encryption.

The 436HP should treat you well in this county because of the Simulcast and P25 II reception.

Good luck!