New scanner for Denton County

[billwilliams]

I'm looking for a new scanner to cover Denton County. which one is the best, easy to program from my computer, and easy to operate.

Thanks in advance.

Bill

 

[twjr80]

You'll need a scanner capable of doing digital (P25 Phase 2).

Uniden has several such as the BCD325P2, BCD996P2, BCD436HP, and the BCD536HP. http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Uniden_Scanners

Whistler has several such as the WS1088, WS1098, TRX-1, and the TRX-2.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Whistler_Scanners

 

[hiegtx]

You'll need a scanner capable of doing digital (P25 Phase 2).

Uniden has several such as the BCD325P2, BCD996P2, BCD436HP, and the BCD536HP. Uniden Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki

Whistler has several such as the WS1088, WS1098, TRX-1, and the TRX-2.
Whistler Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki

I'm looking for a new scanner to cover Denton County. which one is the best, easy to program from my computer, and easy to operate.

Thanks in advance.

Bill

To what twjr80 has listed, add also the Whistler WS1080 and WS1095. These are essentially the same as the WS1088 and WS1098 models, except that they do not have the numeric keypads. Note that the discontinued PSR-800, as well as the RadioShack Pro-668 are also Phase II capable. However, neither of these are capable of being updated to also handle DMR, and RadioShack has all but abandoned support of scanners sold under their name.While there are a couple of threads in the forum about how to modify the PSR800 and Pro-668 to accept later firmware for the Whistler models, that's a lot of gymnastics to go through.

Of all the scanners, probably the easiest to program and use would be the Home Patrol-2. It by far has the easiest to read display of all of them.

The HP-2, and all of these scanners, with the exception of the BCD325P@ and BCD996P2, have the full RadioReference database on a memory card. You can program by entering your location, or also by creating lists to scan manually. Personally, I find Sentinel, used on all of the Uniden scanners except the 325P2 & 996P2, to be easier to use than the EZ-Scan software used on the Whistler models, but that's my opinion. Other members prefer EZ-Scan. The Pro-668 uses a modified version of EZ-Scan, provided by RadioShack.

 

[billwilliams]

Thank you both.

 

[billwilliams]

Ok my old scanners are the Pro 163 and 164, i like the way i was able to program them with starrsoft software. i had banks set up for the different areas i wanted to listen to. which one of these would compare to the 163 164 programming and bank set up ? not so much intrerested in downloading from RR but could do it. i like to enter the freqs. and the DEC onto an excell sheet, then up load it to the scanner. Thanks.

 

[hiegtx]

Ok my old scanners are the Pro 163 and 164, i like the way i was able to program them with starrsoft software. i had banks set up for the different areas i wanted to listen to. which one of these would compare to the 163 164 programming and bank set up ? not so much intrerested in downloading from RR but could do it. i like to enter the freqs. and the DEC onto an excell sheet, then up load it to the scanner. Thanks.

None of the listed scanners would program like your 163 & 164, and none of them have software available from Starrsoft. The Whistler scanners, and the older PSR-500 and the Pro-668 all use Object Oriented Scanning, while the Uniden's are Dynamic Memory Architecture (DMA). None use the banks and channels, although you can use scanlists (for the Whistlers) and quick keys (for the Unidens) to mimic the bank structure.

For the Whistler (and the GRS's PSR-800), the RadioReference database is loaded in the scanner. You can use the software that comes with the scanner to either import systems and frequencies (no premium subscription is required), and you can also manually add additional frequencies, systems, or modify the text tags to your own taste.There is no third party software for any of these.

For the Uniden scanners, with the exception of the 325P2 and 996P2, the database is also loaded in them You use the Sentinel software to create and modify Favorites lists, either appending from the database, or manually entering information, or both. You can modify text tags as well. ARC has software available for these, and ProScan is also available. ProScan does not work for programming the Home Patrol -1 & -2, nor the 436HP & 536HP, but it does a good job of logging activity on those two scanners.

For Uniden's BCD325P2 and BCD996P2, you would need to enter the information needed for any system, though if you want to import from the database directly into the software, a premium subscription would be required. ARC-XT, ProScan, and FreeSCAN works for these two scanners, though FreeSCAN has not been updated to enable DMR programming. The other two programs either have that, or it's in progress. (I think ARC-XT is pending an update for DMR, but I could be mistaken. I don't use it.)

I would suggest that you download & install Sentinel to take it for a test drive. There is a download link on this page: BCD436HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki
Also see http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Sentinel_(Uniden_software)
You do not need to have the scanner in order to install the software.

For EZ-Scan, for the Whistler scanners, see GRE/RS PC Object Oriented FAQ - The RadioReference Wiki
Again, the scanner is not needed to install & try the software.

 

[billwilliams]

Hi Steve, i think i'm going with the WS1088. just a few questions.

does it come with a programming cable ?
does it have the pl tone alert thing. cant remember what it is called.
how many scan list will it do ?

what is the battery life ?

 

[billwilliams]

Hi Steve, i think i'm going with the WS1088. or the TRX-1

just a few questions.

do both come with a programming cable ?
does either have the pl tone alert thing. cant remember what it is called.
how many scan list will each do ?

what is the battery life ?

the trx1 looks like it has a better belt clip.


if both were on a table and you could choose one, which one ?

 

[hiegtx]

Hi Steve, i think i'm going with the WS1088. or the TRX-1

just a few questions.

do both come with a programming cable ?
does either have the pl tone alert thing. cant remember what it is called.
how many scan list will each do ?

what is the battery life ?

the trx1 looks like it has a better belt clip.


if both were on a table and you could choose one, which one ?

I don't have the WS1088, but it is very similar to the TRX-1, which I do have. So my comments on the WS1088 are based soley on what I've seen posted on the forums.

The TRX-1 comes with a cable, and I believe that the WS1088 does as well. I have not tried to gauge battery life on the TRX-1, as it is connected via it's cable to my pc most of the time. I'm trying to figure out a couple of NXDN systems with it. I would estimate battery life at 6 to 8 hours, with heavy usage (I'm in range of many of the local systems, so the battery life would be longer with less activity). The TRX-1 does have four batteries. With either of these scanners you'd need an ac adapter, as one is not included. The ac adapter would be one like that used on many cellphones, where you plug a USB cable into it to connect to the scanner. The cable used on the TRX-1 is a mini-USB cable, like the newer Uniden scanners. I don't know whether that's the same type used on the WS1088. Most cellphones use a micro-USB cable, but if the ac adapter has a USB port, (as opposed to one that is hard wired, to a cable with micro-USB or Lightning (Apple) plug) it would work.

From what has been posted elsewhere, the TRX-1 supposedly has a better front end, less liable to overload, than the 1088. The WS1088 is very similar to the older PSR800, except that it has a numeric keypad, as does the TRX-1. The TRX-1 does have a nice , solid, feel to it.

Both scanners have PL, DPL, and NAC capability, if that is what you are referring to. Both have 200 scanlists, so your programming capacity is, for all intents and purposes, unlimited. You also can set alert tones and the color LED's to indicate specific channel usages (Red for Fire, for example).

Both of these have a free upgrade to DMR (MotoTRBO). CareFlite medevac copters are dispatched on this system: Megahertz Technology Trunking System, Dallas/Fort Worth, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies

Between these two, I would pick the TRS-1 simply because it also has a free upgrade to NXDN. Several of the southern Dallas County suburbs near me are using that format. However, if that same NXDN upgrade was available on the Unidens, like the 436HP, I would go with that simply because I prefer the DMA programming, and the Sentinel software, over the Object Oriented and EZ-Scan used by the Whistler scanners. But that's a personal preference. Either system works, and can be programmed to monitor the systems of interest in this area.

 

[KC5EIB]

I am currently using a PRO668 for Denton County in the Flower Mound area and reception of Flower Mound is marginal at times but County transmissions seem to be good. Just picked up a BCD436HP and between the Uniden software (free) and the Butel software ($40) the Butel software is easier to use. Reception on the 436 also seems to be better. I have a BCD325P2 on order to test. I plan on giving it to my wife, yes, she has her own scanner and uses it, and plan on using my two pro668's for the FMFD and FMPD Web feeds with better antennas.

 

[hiegtx]

I am currently using a PRO668 for Denton County in the Flower Mound area and reception of Flower Mound is marginal at times but County transmissions seem to be good. Just picked up a BCD436HP and between the Uniden software (free) and the Butel software ($40) the Butel software is easier to use. Reception on the 436 also seems to be better. I have a BCD325P2 on order to test. I plan on giving it to my wife, yes, she has her own scanner and uses it, and plan on using my two pro668's for the FMFD and FMPD Web feeds with better antennas.

The 436HP (as well as the 536HP) has better filtering than the other models.

I Have those models (two of the 436's), as well as the 325P2. The 325 works well for me here in Dallas County. I went ahead and added the DMR upgrade so that I could monitor the system CareFlite is on. Sounds very good on that. To my ears, it actually sounds slightly better than the TRX-1.

 

[jasday]

Steve, thank you for breaking the radios down the way you did. It'll help make a decision for me in what I was looking at to replace my 996xt.

 

[billwilliams]

Thanks to everyone for the information..]

Hi Doug, I have not logged on in a while, glad to see you out there.

 

[jasday]

Bill, what part of Ponder are you in? I'm west of town down 2449.

 

[billwilliams]

I live on Big Sky Trail.