Newbie Qs

[KF5ALO]

Hi all. I earned my technician ham license about 3 months ago and love it. I was using my radio in the jeep to listen to the local S/O and FD and carried my pager to monitor fire dispatch. I lived in a small town and served as a volunteer fire fighter over the summer. Now I have moved to Lubbock Texas and it is a 100 times bigger than where I'm from.

I would like to get a scanner to listen in on whats going on here. I miss being in the picture on E Services.

My question...

What would be a good scanner for a college student (limited income), trunking, no outside antenna mounting (Dorm rules) and PC programmable(Preferable).

Maybe something I could pick up at a pawn shop?


Thanks everyone.

 

[mciupa]

Hi KF5ALO, welcome to RadioReference

I think a BC785D scanner may be what you should consider.
Lubbock Co. is an EDACS trunked system , and I see your school (Texas Tech) is digital.
The 785's have been out for six years now so the prices should be within a college students budget.
You can use software for this radio.
As for an antenna, perhaps use a magnetic antenna (the type you would put on a car roof) on top of a filing cabinet to increase your listening range.

 

[KF5ALO]

Well I dont have a file cabinet, but there is a giant A/C unit in the corner. If I stuck it to it pointing side ways would that still work? Also, thanks for the reply. Ill have to look up that scanner.

Also, Im trying to find where I could by that scanner, but cant find any retailers.

 

[captclint]

Well I dont have a file cabinet, but there is a giant A/C unit in the corner. If I stuck it to it pointing side ways would that still work?

Not good sideways. Radio signals are vertical, and you would probably get better with supplied telescoping ant than sideways.

Also, Im trying to find where I could by that scanner, but cant find any retailers.

Ebay or Radio Equipment For Sale - The RadioReference.com Forums

 

[INDY72]

LOL unless you are going to use it like a beam and point it right at the source of the signals....... Put it standing up as vertical as possible.

 

[KF5ALO]

Well I cant find that scanner on ebay or amazon . Im gonna keep looking though.

 

[INDY72]

Also remember if you go with the 785 D you WILL need to add an additional digital card for digital reception... Say to hear the Texas DPS.... If your not wanting to hear digital, there are may many trunk tracking capable scanners for low prices... PC control is available for most of the Unidens, and is available for the Uniden made Radio Shack PRO-2052....

 

[KF5ALO]

I would really like to hear the digital stuff. Is there another older model you know of that can do it? It doest seem that that model is available anywhere now.

 

[INDY72]

Models that do not need extra digital cards... Radio Shack PRO-96 and 2096,... Uniden BCD396T, BCD996T, newer models... RS PRO-163 PRO-164, GRE PSR500 PSR600, Uniden 396XT, and 996XT.... The PRO-96/2096 are the cheapest on Ebay etc right now.... Ones that need cards... BC250-D and its bigger sister....

 

[Astrak]

Well I cant find that scanner on ebay or amazon . Im gonna keep looking though.

I found a 796D and a 250D, the place was asking $700.00. Doesn't that seem a little pricey?

http://cgi.ebay.com/UNIDEN-Base-mob...0?hash=item5ad1b2f85c&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

http://cgi.ebay.com/UNIDEN-Handheld...0?hash=item5ad1b2d9b9&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

 

[SCPD]

Models that do not need extra digital cards... Radio Shack PRO-96 and 2096,... Uniden BCD396T, BCD996T, newer models... RS PRO-163 PRO-164, GRE PSR500 PSR600, Uniden 396XT, and 996XT.... The PRO-96/2096 are the cheapest on Ebay etc right now.... Ones that need cards... BC250-D and its bigger sister....

I don't think the 163 & 164 are digital. and the models for RS would be Pro106 or Pro 197

 

[INDY72]

Oh yeah.. LOL... And as for 700 for an 296??? Thats crazy. Considering you can get a brand new 396XT, or PSR600 or the 197 with an antenna and other stuff for 700 LOL!