BlackSheepDue
Member
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.
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.