MacombMonitor
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New Uniden BC370CRS, anyone have one?
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanners/0370.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanners/0370.html
New Uniden BC370CRS, anyone have one?
- Thread starter MacombMonitor
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NYRHKY94
Member
I will be receiving one "today" if my UPS tracking info is correct. I was actually in the market for a new clock radio and couldn't resist this model when I first read about it on the message board.
Other than the clock radio ;-), I'll primarily be using it to monitor local FD & EMS, along with the air band. In addition, I liked having the ability to listen to network TV stations as well. I promised the wife that I would use the headphones at night ;-) I also talked her into buying me this as a Father's day gift.
P.S. As most of my main listening is APCO digital PD, I'm probably going to give a wireless FM transmitter a try from the downstairs office where my Pro-2096 is located. I'm hoping that a decent transmitter will allow me to use an open FM station on the BC370CRS upstairs to switch over to digital as needed. We shall see.
Anyway, it should be there tonight when I get home from work.
Thanks - Mike
Pro-2096
Pro-96
BC350C
BC350A
BC210XLT
BC100XLT
Other than the clock radio ;-), I'll primarily be using it to monitor local FD & EMS, along with the air band. In addition, I liked having the ability to listen to network TV stations as well. I promised the wife that I would use the headphones at night ;-) I also talked her into buying me this as a Father's day gift.
P.S. As most of my main listening is APCO digital PD, I'm probably going to give a wireless FM transmitter a try from the downstairs office where my Pro-2096 is located. I'm hoping that a decent transmitter will allow me to use an open FM station on the BC370CRS upstairs to switch over to digital as needed. We shall see.
Anyway, it should be there tonight when I get home from work.
Thanks - Mike
Pro-2096
Pro-96
BC350C
BC350A
BC210XLT
BC100XLT
GemmaKnight
Member
Not yet but i'm looking forward to getting both the 340CRS & 370CRS shortly. 
NYRHKY94
Member
Just wanted to post a quick update on this BC370CRS thread. I've had the unit now for a couple weeks and have found it to be a nice little addition to my scanner collection. As I was already in the market for a new bedside clock radio, this unit became an easy choice to accomplish a couple things I was looking to do.
In addition to the obvious scanning capability (can't have too many scanners right ;-) and separate clock radio, I also wanted the ability to listen to night time TV (via headphone) without disturbing the Mrs. any more.
While everything is working just as expected, I incorporated a nice workaround (IMO) that adds some functionailty to the unit - at least for me. I've hooked-up a Crane FM transmitter to my Pro-2096 digital base unit downstairs and programmed an empty FM station into the BC370CRS. This way, I can listen to digital frequencies at night by just pushing a button. The sound transmitted from downstairs by the Crane is excellent.
The Crane unit also can be connected to the bedroom TV (via the included RCA audio adaptor) so that I can listen to "any channel" or the VCR/DVD using an FM station on the BC370CRS. The scanner/radio only allows network TV channel monitoring by default.
Just wanted to pass this along in case others were looking to do something similar with their BC370CRS.
Thanks - Mike
Pro-2096
Pro-96
BC370CRS
BC350C
BC350A
BC210XLT
BC100XLT
In addition to the obvious scanning capability (can't have too many scanners right ;-) and separate clock radio, I also wanted the ability to listen to night time TV (via headphone) without disturbing the Mrs. any more.
While everything is working just as expected, I incorporated a nice workaround (IMO) that adds some functionailty to the unit - at least for me. I've hooked-up a Crane FM transmitter to my Pro-2096 digital base unit downstairs and programmed an empty FM station into the BC370CRS. This way, I can listen to digital frequencies at night by just pushing a button. The sound transmitted from downstairs by the Crane is excellent.
The Crane unit also can be connected to the bedroom TV (via the included RCA audio adaptor) so that I can listen to "any channel" or the VCR/DVD using an FM station on the BC370CRS. The scanner/radio only allows network TV channel monitoring by default.
Just wanted to pass this along in case others were looking to do something similar with their BC370CRS.
Thanks - Mike
Pro-2096
Pro-96
BC370CRS
BC350C
BC350A
BC210XLT
BC100XLT
I have thinking of getting one of these scanners for the bedroom and I have questions.
Can a person leave the FM radio on all the time like at night time and still listen to the scanner or can you set the clock radio so the FM radio will come at a preset time.
Can a person leave the FM radio on all the time like at night time and still listen to the scanner or can you set the clock radio so the FM radio will come at a preset time.
You can listen to FM broadcast band, weather band, or the scanner, but not at the same time. You can set one or the other, or even the weather band for the alarm.
- Joined
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I like to listen to the scanner when I go to bed, but don't like it to wake me up at 2am after I've fallen asleep.
Is there a function to have the clock turn off the scanner at a preset time, or turn it off after a preset time period (lets say, 2hrs) elapses?
Thanks.
No provision for sleep timer, only auto shutoff once the alarm has been on for 20 minutes which can be interrupted and restarted by the snooze button.
BC370CRS - The RadioReference Wiki
BC370CRS - The RadioReference Wiki
SteveDouglass
Member
Has anyone listened to UHF military aero on this scanner?
Mil-air is one of the reasons I got it - does a very nice job.
Also check out this review - and the volume control knob mod!
http://forums.radioreference.com/sc...ws/220044-uniden-bc-340-370-crs-desktops.html
Also check out this review - and the volume control knob mod!
http://forums.radioreference.com/sc...ws/220044-uniden-bc-340-370-crs-desktops.html
Last edited by a moderator:
thomast77
Member
I really want one of these. They look really cool and I like the Alarm clock feature. But I need a sleep timer so it is not running all night after I fall asleep listening to it. I searched everywhere for an alarm clock scanner with sleep timer and no one has it. So I contacted Uniden and GRE. Uniden never replied to my request but GRE showed great interest. I hope someone does it. I will buy it.
The 370 is a few years old, so I don't think a sleep timer will be incorporated at this point. If you dig the styling, like I do, maybe this is the time to pick one up. It reminds me of British aircraft carriers with the sloping deck and grey-metal finish. When mil-air activity comes up, it completes the vision.
As a scanner, I appreciate triple-conversion to keep the image problem down, the large display doesn't generate any noise that I can tell, and the audio is a treat if all you are used to are handhelds. AM airband ops sound great.
I use it more portable than I do fixed! It is lightweight, and sized well. I use the backup-battery feature as the power source and get long runtimes with it, as long as I turn off the NIST clock-sync, and WX alerting off and prop this on whatever desk I'm at with just a Maldol whip on the back for civil / milair.
To me, it is the perfect form-factor as a go-between compared to a handheld and a mobile. The performance makes me take it seriously, as opposed to some other manufacturers recent models in this shape. "Porta-Top" comes to mind.
As a scanner, I appreciate triple-conversion to keep the image problem down, the large display doesn't generate any noise that I can tell, and the audio is a treat if all you are used to are handhelds. AM airband ops sound great.
I use it more portable than I do fixed! It is lightweight, and sized well. I use the backup-battery feature as the power source and get long runtimes with it, as long as I turn off the NIST clock-sync, and WX alerting off and prop this on whatever desk I'm at with just a Maldol whip on the back for civil / milair.
To me, it is the perfect form-factor as a go-between compared to a handheld and a mobile. The performance makes me take it seriously, as opposed to some other manufacturers recent models in this shape. "Porta-Top" comes to mind.
Last edited by a moderator:
Hertz...
Is the B370CRS really that good on Milair? What can do you compare it to? I use a 396T bedside but since I need a new bedside clock......I mean, you can never have too many scanners right? For reference I have a Pro-43, 396T and a Yupi 7100.
Joe, N9JCQ
Is the B370CRS really that good on Milair? What can do you compare it to? I use a 396T bedside but since I need a new bedside clock......I mean, you can never have too many scanners right? For reference I have a Pro-43, 396T and a Yupi 7100.
Joe, N9JCQ
It is close in sensitivity to the 396xt and 996xt. Close. Uniden set a baseline standard for me in that department, and it is hard to go back / stray with other manufacturer's lesser sensitivity specs in the civil and milair bands. When they don't publish those specs, actual usage shows them to be much less sensitive than any Uniden. (The RS/GRE Pro404 / 106 / PSR500 etc - not to mention an unbelievable use of dual-conversion/10.7 mhz IF in the 404/200 line).
But sensitivity specs aren't everything. Along with that is a quality front-end, and the Unidens have always had better performance in this area than rs/gre. That's not to say they are bulletproof. But with the 370, I was really concerned about FM desense/overload, but the 370 is holding up as well as my 396xt in that regard. I don't know if Uniden is using more / better bandpass filtering or what, (they could actually use this as a marketing feature). And the fact that they weren't tempted like GRE to go back to dual-conversion in their inexpensive line is a big plus!
And the CRS units have better / louder audio than any handheld, that's for sure. You won't hear it inside a noisy hangar, but at home no problem. The frequency response was pleasing too. I don't care how many features a scanner has, if the audio bugs me. The 370 sounds good. Once you get a taste of AM Airband ops with nice fidelity - oh man, is it hard to go back.
I didn't do any airband back when I had a '43, but I did appreciate the triple-conversion. However the audio made me frustrated. The 43's scan speed of 25cps was ok back in the day, but the 370 just about triples that. That may be important depending on how you use it. I have never owned a Yupi, but from what I've read, the scan speed of the 370 might be near triple too (although research shows that in actual use, it may be 75cps - can't really say). I would think that the 370 would be a welcome addition. I tend to use narrow-banded antennas these days as opposed to discones on scanners, and even my homebrew milair-folded-dipole up in the attic makes the 370 sing. Even with bedside radios, I try to keep the antennas away from lighting etc.
I'd love to see a BC125AT-like upgrade to the CRS series! But if you are like me and have memorized most of your local spectrum, no problem.
But sensitivity specs aren't everything. Along with that is a quality front-end, and the Unidens have always had better performance in this area than rs/gre. That's not to say they are bulletproof. But with the 370, I was really concerned about FM desense/overload, but the 370 is holding up as well as my 396xt in that regard. I don't know if Uniden is using more / better bandpass filtering or what, (they could actually use this as a marketing feature). And the fact that they weren't tempted like GRE to go back to dual-conversion in their inexpensive line is a big plus!
And the CRS units have better / louder audio than any handheld, that's for sure. You won't hear it inside a noisy hangar, but at home no problem. The frequency response was pleasing too. I don't care how many features a scanner has, if the audio bugs me. The 370 sounds good. Once you get a taste of AM Airband ops with nice fidelity - oh man, is it hard to go back.
I didn't do any airband back when I had a '43, but I did appreciate the triple-conversion. However the audio made me frustrated. The 43's scan speed of 25cps was ok back in the day, but the 370 just about triples that. That may be important depending on how you use it. I have never owned a Yupi, but from what I've read, the scan speed of the 370 might be near triple too (although research shows that in actual use, it may be 75cps - can't really say). I would think that the 370 would be a welcome addition. I tend to use narrow-banded antennas these days as opposed to discones on scanners, and even my homebrew milair-folded-dipole up in the attic makes the 370 sing. Even with bedside radios, I try to keep the antennas away from lighting etc.
I'd love to see a BC125AT-like upgrade to the CRS series! But if you are like me and have memorized most of your local spectrum, no problem.
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Thank you for the very thorough explanation. My mentioning of the Yupi and Pro-43 was not to tout their scans speeds. I have always considered and have read that the '43 and 7100 some of the best air band scanners made.
I have also had the 780XLT but gave that to the girlfriend when she got hooked on listening to PD/FD calls. I was looking for a nice 780XLT for MILAIR and CivilAir when I saw the updated post for this unit. The only drawback to this unit I see is that I can't connect it to my PC for logging/recording purposes while I am at work. But then I saw new prices for this unit at $78.00, so I can afford this and a nice 780XLT as well. Thanks again for your review, it was exactly what I was looking for.
I have also had the 780XLT but gave that to the girlfriend when she got hooked on listening to PD/FD calls. I was looking for a nice 780XLT for MILAIR and CivilAir when I saw the updated post for this unit. The only drawback to this unit I see is that I can't connect it to my PC for logging/recording purposes while I am at work. But then I saw new prices for this unit at $78.00, so I can afford this and a nice 780XLT as well. Thanks again for your review, it was exactly what I was looking for.
hmmm can't change mode on this scanner can you? the 137-143MHZ is locked on FM? That is a no no.
Nope - the mode is fixed. A few minor things - civil air step is fixed at 12.5 khz - would prefer 25. Backlight is only temporary. No keybeep volume option - just turn down the volume when programming. Contrast adjustment is a nice touch.
Definitely not my major hunt-n-pounce machine, but mostly offloads the more common stuff from other scanners.
Also check that when buying, someone isn't trying to slip you the similar-looking 340crs, that doesn't do milair, and some other features. (not that the 340 is bad either)
Definitely not my major hunt-n-pounce machine, but mostly offloads the more common stuff from other scanners.
Also check that when buying, someone isn't trying to slip you the similar-looking 340crs, that doesn't do milair, and some other features. (not that the 340 is bad either)
kcoleman
Member
Backlight can be turned on permanently by holding the snooze button for a couple of seconds.
Like you said, minor things...
Keith,
Doh! Thanks for the reminder - the two beeps confirm it - even seems to work when using just the battery backup, although I wouldn't recommend doing that too long.
You guys got me so worked up over the 370, that I sold an older piece of gear to get a 340 so I could split my civil / milair duties between them.
You guys got me so worked up over the 370, that I sold an older piece of gear to get a 340 so I could split my civil / milair duties between them.
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