Newbie with question

[N0BPM]

I live in Hancock county and they switched to digital back in the fall. I want to get a new scanner but not real sure which one to get. I was in Radio Shack today all set to but but what they recommended is not in stock or in stock in any of the Indy locations. So if I have to order one anyway would the Uniden BCD996 be a better choice over the Pro-197. I will get the software to program it myself because I can't see paying someone else to do it. Which software?

TNXS
Greg
N0BPM

 

[K9GTJ]

Asking which brand of scanner to best is like asking truck owners which one is best. Some like Chevy, some like Dodge, but the correct answer would be Ford.

Uniden, Radio Shack, or GRE all make very capable digital scanners. I am a fan of Uniden and own the original BCD996T and just recently purchased the BCD996XT and find it a nice improvement over the earlier version.

If you select a Uniden scanner, you can use the included software which I find painful or use FreeScan which is free and allows direct import from the Radio Reference database.

Butel also has software which is I like but it is not free. (I have purchased it for all of my scanners.) Butel also makes software for GRE or Radio Shack scanners.

I do see the Pro-197 at Amazon for $299 and that is quite a savings over the Uniden. If I were not so deep in the Uniden program, I might really consider the RS model. I had non digital RS scanners in the past and they were very good.

Welcome to RR and the forum by the way.

 

[N0BPM]

kokomo1

I'm leaning toward the Pro-197 because of price mostly. If I understand correctly if you have a premium subscription you can download the data you need into the software to program it? Is that all their is to it?

TNXS
Greg

 

[K9WG]

Greg
I am here in Greenfield and I have the GRE PSR-600. If you get the GRE (or Radio Shack clone) let me know and I can share the programming I have in mine.

Rich - K9WG

 

[K9GTJ]

kokomo1

I'm leaning toward the Pro-197 because of price mostly. If I understand correctly if you have a premium subscription you can download the data you need into the software to program it? Is that all their is to it?

TNXS
Greg

Yep, the premium subscription is all you need (besides the software).