Please help me with gift selection!

[saf]

I have no idea what I am doing! I am looking for a scanner for my 15 year old who wants to be a cop someday. I live in Amherst,NY a suburb of Buffalo in Erie County. We are interested in police and fire scanning. I need something easy to use and not too expensive. I have been trying to read as much as I can but the more I read the more confused I get. Do I need trunking? Would the Uniden BC350C be good enough to get started? What about the BC T8 with trunking? My mind is spinning. Please help!

 

[bezking]

According to the RR Database, the Police and Fire for Erie County are not trunked. A trunktracking scanner would therefore not be necessary, so it looks like the BC350C would do just fine.

Welcome to RR!
bezking - NY State Database Administrator

 

[gewecke]

Besides starting him off with a scanner maybe see if your area has a explorer post for him to join?
They teach kids from 16-18 about starting in a law enforcement career. In this area they get involved in ride-alongs,demonstrations and public events. Just a thought here.
N9ZAS

 

[AZScanner]

I'd go with one of these: RadioShack® 200-Channel VHF/AIR/WX/UHF Handheld Scanner - RadioShack.com $100 or so at any Radio Shack, 200 channels, easy to program. A good starter scanner - heck of a lot better than my first!

-AZ

 

[kb2vxa]

"I have no idea what I am doing!"
Uh oh, we're in trouble now. (;->) It's more simple than you think so stop thinking and keep it simple. Logically a "starter package" is easy to program and operate, also inexpensive especially being a gift. There's no sense buying the latest and greatest whiz-bang confuse Einstein radio breaking the bank in the process, from little acorns mighty oaks grow.

Now post your next question in the antenna forum, you're going to need one and some good coax cable too if you're going to hear anything more than a few miles away. (Double uh oh, I think I have created a monster.)

 

[saf]

Thank you for the responses so far! Anyone have an opinion on the Uniden BC350C vs the Radio Shack 200 Channel hand held?

 

[KE4ZNR]

Thank you for the responses so far! Anyone have an opinion on the Uniden BC350C vs the Radio Shack 200 Channel hand held?

There are a couple reasons why a 15 yr old might enjoy the Radio Shack 200 Channel Handheld more:
1) it is a handheld vs. a mobile. Most kids are on the go and given the fact the kid is 15 he would enjoy a handheld that he (or she) can take anywhere vs a base/mobile that is anchored to home or a car.
2) the handheld listed above should be easier for a novice radio enthusiast to program and use. The 350c can be confusing to program with the way it is laid out.
My advice after being in the hobby for 25 years and owning around 30 radios: In this case get the radio shack scanner.
Hope this helps!
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[gewecke]

Mobile scanner for a mobile kid lol,right?

Those are my thoughts as well!
N9ZAS