New Scanner Advice Needed

[emafireecu]

Hello. I have been using a Radio Shack Pro 197 Pro for years but recently moved to a new area (see Radio Reference Database Link Below) and my scanner is not obsolete to my new area as they are on P25, and I believe many of their channels are Simulcasted. Due to this, I am needing a new scanner. Does anyone have any recommendations for a P25 Scanner that is TDMA compliant as well? I believe that is the type of scanner I need to be able to hear local emergency services agencies (If not, please let me know). I was looking at the Uniden BCD325P2 but I am not 100% sure this will work with the system. Any advice would be appreciated!

Cumberland County, North Carolina (NC) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

 

[NewJerseyOldListener]

Hello. I have been using a Radio Shack Pro 197 Pro for years but recently moved to a new area (see Radio Reference Database Link Below) and my scanner is not obsolete to my new area as they are on P25, and I believe many of their channels are Simulcasted. Due to this, I am needing a new scanner. Does anyone have any recommendations for a P25 Scanner that is TDMA compliant as well? I believe that is the type of scanner I need to be able to hear local emergency services agencies (If not, please let me know). I was looking at the Uniden BCD325P2 but I am not 100% sure this will work with the system. Any advice would be appreciated!

Cumberland County, North Carolina (NC) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your financial situation, the only scanners that are going to work for a simulcast system is the SDS100 or SDS200. Anything other scanner would be a waste of time and money. Just throwing in my 69,999 cents!

 

[richardbritt]

People keep saying that the Sds100 and 200 are best for simulcast systems, but I was in Durham NC several weeks ago with my bcd436hp, and also in Dare County several other times (they are simulcast) and I received everything fine on VIPER. I didn't hear any type of distortion.

Regards Richard

 

[kb9klc]

People keep saying that the Sds100 and 200 are best for simulcast systems, but I was in Durham NC several weeks ago with my bcd436hp, and also in Dare County several other times (they are simulcast) and I received everything fine on VIPER. I didn't hear any type of distortion.

Regards Richard

I did a test for a brief period (about 4 hours) with a SDS 100, and BC-536, and where I live, on the simulcast system I monitor, on that particular day, (was the only day I had the SDS 100) there was literally NO difference between the two. The 536 received my analog VHF stuff so much better I was honestly put off by the SDS 100. I finally ended up keeping my 536 for analog duties and got the Unication voice pagers for my P-25 systems. Also in 2023 I spent a week in the outer banks with my BC-436 on the system out there which is simulcast, and had no problems with the 436 and simulcast out there.

I suppose in some areas the X36 scanners don't work as well as the SDS series of scanners but I didn't get to experience that.

 

[kb9klc]

Hello. I have been using a Radio Shack Pro 197 Pro for years but recently moved to a new area (see Radio Reference Database Link Below) and my scanner is not obsolete to my new area as they are on P25, and I believe many of their channels are Simulcasted. Due to this, I am needing a new scanner. Does anyone have any recommendations for a P25 Scanner that is TDMA compliant as well? I believe that is the type of scanner I need to be able to hear local emergency services agencies (If not, please let me know). I was looking at the Uniden BCD325P2 but I am not 100% sure this will work with the system. Any advice would be appreciated!

Cumberland County, North Carolina (NC) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

There are two systems in the list you provided, are you mainly interested in one or the other? (VIPER and apparently Durham-Fayetteville)
Not knowing where you live, I'm not sure exactly what you want to monitor.

 

[Chris0516]

People keep saying that the Sds100 and 200 are best for simulcast systems, but I was in Durham NC several weeks ago with my bcd436hp, and also in Dare County several other times (they are simulcast) and I received everything fine on VIPER. I didn't hear any type of distortion.

Regards Richard

I have both(SDS100 n' BCD436HP). Before I received my SDS100 as a Christmas gift, last year. I had been given the BCD436HP, the prior Christmas. Durham County is a neighbor to my home county. Using my BCD436HP, to listen to their system. Has never been 100%. One their techs told me on RR, that. Durham County had been Simulcast for some time. When I was given SDS100 for Christmas, last year. I quickly put the Durham side in my SDS100. It comes in, much clearer on my SDS100.

 

[kb9klc]

I have both(SDS100 n' BCD436HP). Before I received my SDS100 as a Christmas gift, last year. I had been given the BCD436HP, the prior Christmas. Durham County is a neighbor to my home county. Using my BCD436HP, to listen to their system. Has never been 100%. One their techs told me on RR, that. Durham County had been Simulcast for some time. When I was given SDS100 for Christmas, last year. I quickly put the Durham side in my SDS100. It comes in, much clearer on my SDS100.

It's good to get a test from the area the OP is actually living in. I can only tell you, that was not my experience here, where I live. Maybe I was lucky or who knows. Thanks for chiming in from the area he's asking about.

 

[jtwalker]

People keep saying that the Sds100 and 200 are best for simulcast systems, but I was in Durham NC several weeks ago with my bcd436hp, and also in Dare County several other times (they are simulcast) and I received everything fine on VIPER. I didn't hear any type of distortion.

Regards Richard

Just an fyi … you won’t necessarily “hear” simulcast distortion. It just may stay silent.

 

[richardbritt]

Ahh, ok. I only had the bcd436 and was using it mobile going from Northeastern NC to Boone and was using it using the GPS while I had a mobile antenna plugged into the scanner.

Regards Richard

 

[kb9klc]

Just an fyi … you won’t necessarily “hear” simulcast distortion. It just may stay silent.

Yep that's what I had comparing both the SDS100 and 536 to a Unication G5. Both the Unidens both missed calls, there was no distortion. The Unication G5 did not. Until I tested the G5 against them I didn't even know I was missing anything.