BASIC QUESTION: If you were new to the sport would you invest the extra $$ in a digital capable scanner notwithstanding the fact that, at the present time, the majority of systems in your area are analog.
BACKGROUND: I am new to the site (as evidenced by my post count) and new to the scanning hobby as well. I am wondering if any of you could chime in on your insights as to the “trend” with digital systems. Reason I ask is because I am going to buy a new scanner. It is either going to be a Uniden BCT15X or a BCD996XT. The (major) difference of course being the 996 is capable of decoding digital communications. I travel quite a bit and would be covering a pretty wide area (this will be a mobile rig). I was all set to buy the BCD996XT but as I got to looking at the database it appears that, at this time anyway, most everything I would want to listen to is analog. I live in Reno/Washoe county Nevada and most everything, including Highway Patrol while traveling to Las Vegas, is on a large state-wide networked EDACS system (Nevada Shared Radio Service). So I guess my question is if you were in my shoes, new to the sport and going to invest in equipment one way or the other, would you spend the extra ~$250 for a digital capable scanner? I know nobody can predict the future, and I’m not asking for that. But for you guys that have been at this a while, do you see the trend that every agency is moving toward digital? I really don’t know. And if they wanted to move to digital for a large state-wide networked system such as NSRS, is that something they could/would phase in or would it have to be a “forklift” upgrade of the entire network all at once? (pardon my ignorance) Just looking for a little advice on my purchase decision. $250 is real money for a guy like me, but at the same time I intend for this to be a long term investment. I am a “buy once, cry once” kind of a guy and if you think a digital capable system would put me ahead of the curve I would be inclined to do that. Thank you in advance, and sorry for the verbose nature of this post but I wanted to give you background/my area.
BACKGROUND: I am new to the site (as evidenced by my post count) and new to the scanning hobby as well. I am wondering if any of you could chime in on your insights as to the “trend” with digital systems. Reason I ask is because I am going to buy a new scanner. It is either going to be a Uniden BCT15X or a BCD996XT. The (major) difference of course being the 996 is capable of decoding digital communications. I travel quite a bit and would be covering a pretty wide area (this will be a mobile rig). I was all set to buy the BCD996XT but as I got to looking at the database it appears that, at this time anyway, most everything I would want to listen to is analog. I live in Reno/Washoe county Nevada and most everything, including Highway Patrol while traveling to Las Vegas, is on a large state-wide networked EDACS system (Nevada Shared Radio Service). So I guess my question is if you were in my shoes, new to the sport and going to invest in equipment one way or the other, would you spend the extra ~$250 for a digital capable scanner? I know nobody can predict the future, and I’m not asking for that. But for you guys that have been at this a while, do you see the trend that every agency is moving toward digital? I really don’t know. And if they wanted to move to digital for a large state-wide networked system such as NSRS, is that something they could/would phase in or would it have to be a “forklift” upgrade of the entire network all at once? (pardon my ignorance) Just looking for a little advice on my purchase decision. $250 is real money for a guy like me, but at the same time I intend for this to be a long term investment. I am a “buy once, cry once” kind of a guy and if you think a digital capable system would put me ahead of the curve I would be inclined to do that. Thank you in advance, and sorry for the verbose nature of this post but I wanted to give you background/my area.