NEW TO SCANNING

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Dec 20, 2023
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Hello: I am in the market for a scanner & have 0% experience using one. I have looked at the sds200 & trx-2 and what I gathered from the comments I've seen both are too complex for the inexperienced. I've read from several trx-2 users that if you build an SD card with what you want to listen it isn't as daunting a task. I'm leaning towards the trx-2 as simulcast isn't something that appeals to me. I'm want to monitor the local police/fire etc channels.
Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks
 

RaleighGuy

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I have looked at the sds200 & trx-2 and what I gathered from the comments I've seen both are too complex for the inexperienced. I've read from several trx-2 users that if you build an SD card with what you want to listen it isn't as daunting a task.
Okay, first of all, today's scanners are complex as is the monitoring hobby, but it isn't anything you can't overcome, especially with the help of people on here. As for which scanner is easier to use depends on personal preferences as much as anything. You can't just create a SD card, it needs to be programmed using the software for the radio.

I'm leaning towards the trx-2 as simulcast isn't something that appeals to me.
Simulcast is never a good thing, but you as a scanner listener have no power over it, it all depends on your local systems.

I'm want to monitor the local police/fire etc channels.
Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks
To get started in making a recommendation for you we need to know what area you want to listen to, what city or county and state, so we can look at what the best scanner for you would be and let you know what you might or might not hear (encryption).
 

ArkTex

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Simulcast isn't a feature of a scanner. It's how some radio systems are set up, and could affect listening ability depending on what you want to monitor/location. The TRX-1 would be a terrible choice if the system you want to listen to is affected by the use of simulcast.
 

RaleighGuy

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The TRX-1 would be a terrible choice if the system you want to listen to is affected by the use of simulcast.

I wouldn't say terrible, but not a good choice. My TRX-1 works great on our county simulcast system at home, but a half a mile away it won't get anything. It all depends on the location, with no guarantees.
 

ArkTex

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I wouldn't say terrible, but not a good choice. My TRX-1 works great on our county simulcast system at home, but a half a mile away it won't get anything. It all depends on the location, with no guarantees.

There is a lot of variation when it comes to scanners. I see a lot of difference when I go from Little Rock to Raleigh to visit family. Even with the SDS scanners there is always going to be some differences.
 

bearcatrp

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The SDS 100/200 can be very easy to operate. You can input your zip code, distance, and select police and fire only and your off listening. As you learn the scanner, you can get into favorites. The database is already in the scanner. If you can operate a computer, you can operate a SDS scanner. You can always log in here to get help.
 

ArkTex

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A much cheaper option can be Software Defined Radios (SDRs). They usually run $30 and up and can be bought from places like Amazon. Combined with software that does the work to convert the RF to listenable audio, they can be a cost affordable way to get into the hobby.
 
Joined
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Welcome to the forums! Please let us know your city, county, and state and what you would like to monitor so we can take a look at the database to determine the best scanner.
Wow... I didn't anticipate getting all these responses so quickly. I'm very appreciative. I live in Virginia, Carroll county in the town of hillsville just on the outskirts of Dugspur. I'd like to monitor ems, police, fire and other type channels that might have emergency info. Being able to listen to amateur ham operators I think would be useful as well.
 

IC-R20

LoBand Nation
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I wouldn't say terrible, but not a good choice. My TRX-1 works great on our county simulcast system at home, but a half a mile away it won't get anything. It all depends on the location, with no guarantees.
Same, it even does well on this weird analog FM simulcast a nearby town has. That said once any scanner isn't really a good choice for simulcast anyways and the SDS was way overplayed by delusional fanboys still hanging onto Uniden, which was why I ended up returning it for the TRX instead back in 2018. It still missed most of the transmissions and was really only 15% better than the 436HP. Any serious simulcast monitors especially mobile will just use a dedicated radio or one of those Unication pagers which are still plentiful on eBay for that.
 

ArkTex

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Wow... I didn't anticipate getting all these responses so quickly. I'm very appreciative. I live in Virginia, Carroll county in the town of hillsville just on the outskirts of Dugspur. I'd like to monitor ems, police, fire and other type channels that might have emergency info. Being able to listen to amateur ham operators I think would be useful as well.

So looking in the database, it looks like there is a bunch of analog FM still being used by Carroll County. There are two STARS sites for the statewide radio system but no TG's are listed for the county itself. Everything is FM. I think a standard 436/SDS or TRX-1 would do well and would future proof your setup if/when something changes.

 

ArkTex

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Same, it even does well on this weird analog FM simulcast a nearby town has. That said once any scanner isn't really a good choice for simulcast anyways and the SDS was way overplayed by delusional fanboys still hanging onto Uniden, which was why I ended up returning it for the TRX instead back in 2018. It still missed most of the transmissions and was really only 15% better than the 436HP. Any serious simulcast monitors especially mobile will just use a dedicated radio or one of those Unication pagers which are still plentiful on eBay for that.

I mostly have a distaste for the TRX-1 due to my own issues I had with it. Though it is true that the SDS-100/200 still have issues like any other RF-using device. Though that being said everyone's experiences are different, so I'd take someone's misgivings about a certain peice of equipment with a grain of salt and do your own research, OP.

Honestly my Unication G5 has been a godsend in the simulcast mess I find myself in currently, even with it's limitations.
 

SA_tx_88116

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Believe me it’s not hard to Learn how to use a scanner and how radios work in general I started 2 years ago and I know more than my uncle that’s been using scanners since the 90s before I was born you just have to find the one that’s right for your area or system you want to monitor but if I were you I would get something that could listen to everything because there’s a lot more out there than just police, fire, and EMS. And don’t be afraid to ask, people on here are very helpful and by asking on simple question you can learn a lot more than you asked for.
 

hamstang

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Same, it even does well on this weird analog FM simulcast a nearby town has. That said once any scanner isn't really a good choice for simulcast anyways and the SDS was way overplayed by delusional fanboys still hanging onto Uniden, which was why I ended up returning it for the TRX instead back in 2018. It still missed most of the transmissions and was really only 15% better than the 436HP. Any serious simulcast monitors especially mobile will just use a dedicated radio or one of those Unication pagers which are still plentiful on eBay for that.
I'm not a delusional Uniden fanboy. I am a 20 WPM Extra Class Amateur who has been monitoring local public safety broadcasts since the mid 1960's. I've owned MANY receivers and scanners through the years. Regency, Uniden, Radio Shack,etc. For my local 7 county simulcast P25 system the SDS100 and 200 work beautiful compared to lesser radios. I've been through inside and outside antennas , everything from yagi antennas to paperclips trying to get radios to work well on 800mHz simulcast. With the SDS radios I only use the antennas that came with the radios with great results. I've never used SDR's, or an expensive pager with limited functions. For me in my urban environment, the SDS scanners are great.
 

RaleighGuy

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Wow... I didn't anticipate getting all these responses so quickly. I'm very appreciative. I live in Virginia, Carroll county in the town of hillsville just on the outskirts of Dugspur. I'd like to monitor ems, police, fire and other type channels that might have emergency info. Being able to listen to amateur ham operators I think would be useful as well.
So looking in the database, it looks like there is a bunch of analog FM still being used by Carroll County. There are two STARS sites for the statewide radio system but no TG's are listed for the county itself. Everything is FM. I think a standard 436/SDS or TRX-1 would do well and would future proof your setup if/when something changes.

This gives you a look at the TRX-1/2 programming, I'm sure others have something like it for Sentinel, the Uniden software. Like I said, there are plenty of people who will help you get started and eventually you'll be a pro.
 

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ArkTex

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I'm not a delusional Uniden fanboy. I am a 20 WPM Extra Class Amateur who has been monitoring local public safety broadcasts since the mid 1960's. I've owned MANY receivers and scanners through the years. Regency, Uniden, Radio Shack,etc. For my local 7 county simulcast P25 system the SDS100 and 200 work beautiful compared to lesser radios. I've been through inside and outside antennas , everything from yagi antennas to paperclips trying to get radios to work well on 800mHz simulcast. With the SDS radios I only use the antennas that came with the radios with great results. I've never used SDR's, or an expensive pager with limited functions. For me in my urban environment, the SDS scanners are great.

What works great for you might not work great for OP. SDS scanners are great when they work, but terrible when they don't. Just like any other piece of RF equipment. They're great on simulcast but worse than the 996P2 on analog.

Considering OP's county, a 996P2 or a 325P2 would work just fine. Heck, even a BC125AT would work for his setup, but wouldn't future proof it.
 

ArkTex

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I agree! The BCD325P2 handheld and BCD996P2 base/mobile both receive analog, P25 Phase 1 & 2, and can be upgraded to receive DMR and NXDN. They work with both conventional and trunked systems.

A 996 or 235 can be found for around $300, upgrade keys cost $50 straight from Uniden.
 

gmclam

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Regardless of what you purchase today, it can be quickly obsolete (or a lot less useful) if/when who you want to monitor changes radio systems. With regard to scanners, the SDS-100 (hand-held) and SDS-200 (base) models are the most capable out there right now as they are the only scanners that can handle Simulcast. I would avoid the TRX-1 & TRX-2 at all costs. Happy scanning.
 
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