Portable Shack 2017

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BlackSheepDue

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Mar 30, 2014
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Naples, ME
I've posted my "portable shack" before but a few things have changed in the past year. The most obvious change is that I upgraded from an HT1250 to an XPR7550 Mototrbo and although it looks the same that is a different BCD396XT than in my previous post. I sold my previous 396 to help pay for the 7550 but couldn't go without it. I also have a Minitor 5 for each of the fire departments I'm on. Not pictured is my HT1250 which lives on a radio strap for calls only and my BCD536hp which I have in my car. The XPR7550 is my go to radio that goes with me everywhere and anytime I'm not sitting in my room with my scanners but I don't generally use it in conjunction with my scanners as picutured.

There has been and always will be a great debate over the x96xt vs. the x36hp but I'll just throw my two cents in. Overall I think the x36hp is a better scanner. It has a better display and who wouldn't love having the whole database in their scanner? It also has the x96xt beat in terms of P25 reception. The reason that I couldn't go without a x96xt though is for it's simplicity and it just edges out the x36hp in terms of conventional reception.

When I'm Home:
XPR7550: Local portland, me area fire departments and MSP zone 1 conventional simulcast
BCD396xt: New Hampshire(Strafford and Carroll Counties mainly), and MSP zones 1 and 2
BCD436hp: Southern Maine(Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, and Sagadahoc counties), and Portland Metro

When I'm at my grandparents:
XPR7550: Primary Fire and PD dispatch Channels in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Hancock Counties
BCD396xt: Central ME other(Somerset, Franklin, and Kennebec Counties), and Down East(Waldo, Hancock, and Washington Counties)
BCD436hp: Central ME(Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties), and MSP Zones 2 and 3

I think I've got about as good a setup as I can without going to roof or attic mounted base antennas. Unfortunately I don't think that will happen for another couple years when I can get my own place. That being said with my current setup I receive signals up to and beyond 50 miles away depending on weather and such which I think is pretty good.

-Thomas
P.S I wish the picture was better but I wanted the displays to be lit so I had to take it fairly quickly and apparently radios aren't very photogenic.
 

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12dbsinad

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Looks good! I visit Maine during the summer, Southern Maine area, lakes region. Beautiful place.
 

BlackSheepDue

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Mar 30, 2014
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Location
Naples, ME
I agree!



How do you like the XPR compared to the 1250? I always like to ask this question.



To me it's a similar comparison as the 396 to the 436. The 7550 has a much better interface and display. I can just sit there and stair at it, it's a good looking radio in my opinion. I still have to pinch myself every once in a while to remind myself that it's mine. I can also very easily mess with scan lists on the 7550 and that was always something that bugged me about my 1250. I'm not positive but I think the 1250 is a little better in terms of reception in my experience. I also like having the 1250 around to take in fires and such and not worry about scratching or damaging it. It's obvious by the amount of 1250's still out there that it's a super solid radio and I'll keep mine till it dies but as an everyday carry I much prefer the 7550. The 7550 has all sorts of features such as bluetooth and dmr that I never use though. I wish they made a modern 1250 that just did conventional so I didn't have to pay $800 for a lot of features that I don't use. Anyway I think I've babbled on long enough to answer your question.


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12dbsinad

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Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
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To me it's a similar comparison as the 396 to the 436. The 7550 has a much better interface and display. I can just sit there and stair at it, it's a good looking radio in my opinion. I still have to pinch myself every once in a while to remind myself that it's mine. I can also very easily mess with scan lists on the 7550 and that was always something that bugged me about my 1250. I'm not positive but I think the 1250 is a little better in terms of reception in my experience. I also like having the 1250 around to take in fires and such and not worry about scratching or damaging it. It's obvious by the amount of 1250's still out there that it's a super solid radio and I'll keep mine till it dies but as an everyday carry I much prefer the 7550. The 7550 has all sorts of features such as bluetooth and dmr that I never use though. I wish they made a modern 1250 that just did conventional so I didn't have to pay $800 for a lot of features that I don't use. Anyway I think I've babbled on long enough to answer your question.


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Awesome, thanks for the feedback.
 

scannersnstuff

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Mar 31, 2006
Messages
1,920
although i have a few base scanner's <only 1 in use>, i am a huge portable fan. excellent setup. enjoy ! .
 

sefrischling

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Sep 18, 2003
Messages
1,825
Location
New London, CT
What are the MSP simulcast frequencies? I just looked in the database and do not see them. I only see the new VHF trunked system. I go up and back through York and Cumberland at times and would prefer the conventional over the trunked if possible.

Thanks
 

BlackSheepDue

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
283
Location
Naples, ME
What are the MSP simulcast frequencies? I just looked in the database and do not see them. I only see the new VHF trunked system. I go up and back through York and Cumberland at times and would prefer the conventional over the trunked if possible.

Thanks



If you go on scan-ne.net they have a much better page on MSCOMMNET and that I've contributed to. It has a list of all regionnet frequencies and the ones that are bolded simulcast the zone primary that they are in.


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sefrischling

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Messages
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New London, CT
If you go on scan-ne.net they have a much better page on MSCOMMNET and that I've contributed to. It has a list of all regionnet frequencies and the ones that are bolded simulcast the zone primary that they are in.


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Thanks, I'll go take a look!
 

ScanMaine

Active Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
1,783
Location
Lewiston Maine
I've posted my "portable shack" before but a few things have changed in the past year. The most obvious change is that I upgraded from an HT1250 to an XPR7550 Mototrbo and although it looks the same that is a different BCD396XT than in my previous post. I sold my previous 396 to help pay for the 7550 but couldn't go without it. I also have a Minitor 5 for each of the fire departments I'm on. Not pictured is my HT1250 which lives on a radio strap for calls only and my BCD536hp which I have in my car. The XPR7550 is my go to radio that goes with me everywhere and anytime I'm not sitting in my room with my scanners but I don't generally use it in conjunction with my scanners as picutured.

There has been and always will be a great debate over the x96xt vs. the x36hp but I'll just throw my two cents in. Overall I think the x36hp is a better scanner. It has a better display and who wouldn't love having the whole database in their scanner? It also has the x96xt beat in terms of P25 reception. The reason that I couldn't go without a x96xt though is for it's simplicity and it just edges out the x36hp in terms of conventional reception.

When I'm Home:
XPR7550: Local portland, me area fire departments and MSP zone 1 conventional simulcast
BCD396xt: New Hampshire(Strafford and Carroll Counties mainly), and MSP zones 1 and 2
BCD436hp: Southern Maine(Cumberland, York, Androscoggin, and Sagadahoc counties), and Portland Metro

When I'm at my grandparents:
XPR7550: Primary Fire and PD dispatch Channels in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Hancock Counties
BCD396xt: Central ME other(Somerset, Franklin, and Kennebec Counties), and Down East(Waldo, Hancock, and Washington Counties)
BCD436hp: Central ME(Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties), and MSP Zones 2 and 3

I think I've got about as good a setup as I can without going to roof or attic mounted base antennas. Unfortunately I don't think that will happen for another couple years when I can get my own place. That being said with my current setup I receive signals up to and beyond 50 miles away depending on weather and such which I think is pretty good.

-Thomas
P.S I wish the picture was better but I wanted the displays to be lit so I had to take it fairly quickly and apparently radios aren't very photogenic.

Welcome here fellow Mainah! Looks good!
 

ME343

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