purchase advice needed as i am a novice

[adrianp918]

I am in the Dayton ohio area and i read that in my area they use something called marcs ip system, what would be a decent scanner that wont break the bank, i am leaning towards the 996p2 but want to make sure it will be able to be used in my area…

what would you advise

thank you in advance

 

[northernsummit]

I would purchase a Uniden SDS-100 or SDS-200. You may say it will break the bank but there is always a chance that where you try to use that 996p2 you'll suffer simulcast distortion. (Hearing the same signal from multiple towers)

The SDS will give you the best simulcast performance and long-term viability in my opinion.

 

[scannerboy02]

I would also agree with the above advice. The Unication "pager" is also a good option depending on what you want to monitor.

The MONIX scanner club will be meeting THIS Saturday, May 13 from 6pm to 9pm at the Donato's at 7912 Paragon Road in Centerville if you would like to talk with locals and have some hands on time with what options are available to you. This is a great group and will likely be very helpful for you.

 

[elijam1]

I would purchase a Uniden SDS-100 or SDS-200. You may say it will break the bank but there is always a chance that where you try to use that 996p2 you'll suffer simulcast distortion. (Hearing the same signal from multiple towers)

The SDS will give you the best simulcast performance and long-term viability in my opinion.

I couldn’t agree more. I have tried many of the previous scanners with no luck in Northern Ohio. I had to get the SDS100 to get the Ohio MARCS System and Cleveland system. Don’t waste your time or money. Go straight for the best.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I am in the Dayton ohio area and i read that in my area they use something called marcs ip system, what would be a decent scanner that wont break the bank, i am leaning towards the 996p2 but want to make sure it will be able to be used in my area…

I would purchase a Uniden SDS-100 or SDS-200. You may say it will break the bank but there is always a chance that where you try to use that 996p2 you'll suffer simulcast distortion. (Hearing the same signal from multiple towers)

The SDS will give you the best simulcast performance and long-term viability in my opinion.

I would also agree with the above advice. The Unication "pager" is also a good option depending on what you want to monitor.

They speak the truth, and I totally agree with all the comments above.

You basically have three choices depending on your actual usage, SDSx00 scanner, Unication G4 or G5, or SDR Dongle with related software, if you want to guarantee it will work for you both today and years to come.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I couldn’t agree more. I have tried many of the previous scanners with no luck in Northern Ohio. I had to get the SDS100 to get the Ohio MARCS System and Cleveland system. Don’t waste your time or money. Go straight for the best.

Agree with @elijam1 but would change the last sentence to read "Go straight for what works".

 

[hiegtx]

I am in the Dayton ohio area and i read that in my area they use something called marcs ip system, what would be a decent scanner that wont break the bank, i am leaning towards the 996p2 but want to make sure it will be able to be used in my area…

what would you advise

thank you in advance

I would agree with what several others have mentioned. Your best choice is one of the three suggestions from RaleighGuy as well as other suggestions for one of the SDS series scanners.

The Montgomery County site is simulcast.


Simulcast distortion is difficult, if not impossible, to deal with with anything other than the SDS series scanners, the Unication pager, or using an SDR dongle on your PC. It can be extremely location specific. If by chance or luck, your location is exactly correct, the out of sync signals from the multiple subsites (transmission towers) might be attenuated enough by terrain (hills), taller buildings blocking some of the signal paths to your location, or perhaps something specific to your house like metal siding or foil backed insulation in the walls combine to allow you to find a specific place in your residence where the scanner would work, But that is rare, And none of these apply if you are using a handheld scanner when out & about in the city. More on simulcast, and suggestions on what might help, in certain specific, but rare, instances are on this page in the Wiki.
Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

The Dayton site is not tagged as simulcast, but I suspect that might not be correct. There are two licenses listed on the sites detail page. One, WQQH916, only applies to the 700MHz frequencies on the site. There are three sites, one in Montgomery County, and one in each of two different counties.

The license listed for the 800MHz frequencies on the Dayton site, WQYD437, is expired. Spot checking that set of frequencies for licenses in your county show new licensing, with the frequencies at multiple sites in the area, so while the site is not designated as simulcast in the database, I suspect that is actually is because of the new licenses. So, I would treat it as simulcast as well as the county's site.

Should you still want to try a scanner other than the suggestions for receivers that can deal with simulcast (the SDS, Unication, & SDR), then I would suggest that you make your purchase from a dealer that will not charge a substantial restocking fee if it does not work at your location and you want to return it. While some sources (not all) will ship to you free, in most cases, none (other than Amazon) will pay return shipping. (Amazon does that for Prime accounts.)

 

[fordcobra04]

I would agree with what several others have mentioned. Your best choice is one of the three suggestions from RaleighGuy as well as other suggestions for one of the SDS series scanners.

The Montgomery County site is simulcast.
View attachment 141495

Simulcast distortion is difficult, if not impossible, to deal with with anything other than the SDS series scanners, the Unication pager, or using an SDR dongle on your PC. It can be extremely location specific. If by chance or luck, your location is exactly correct, the out of sync signals from the multiple subsites (transmission towers) might be attenuated enough by terrain (hills), taller buildings blocking some of the signal paths to your location, or perhaps something specific to your house like metal siding or foil backed insulation in the walls combine to allow you to find a specific place in your residence where the scanner would work, But that is rare, And none of these apply if you are using a handheld scanner when out & about in the city. More on simulcast, and suggestions on what might help, in certain specific, but rare, instances are on this page in the Wiki.
Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

The Dayton site is not tagged as simulcast, but I suspect that might not be correct. There are two licenses listed on the sites detail page. One, WQQH916, only applies to the 700MHz frequencies on the site. There are three sites, one in Montgomery County, and one in each of two different counties.

The license listed for the 800MHz frequencies on the Dayton site, WQYD437, is expired. Spot checking that set of frequencies for licenses in your county show new licensing, with the frequencies at multiple sites in the area, so while the site is not designated as simulcast in the database, I suspect that is actually is because of the new licenses. So, I would treat it as simulcast as well as the county's site.

Should you still want to try a scanner other than the suggestions for receivers that can deal with simulcast (the SDS, Unication, & SDR), then I would suggest that you make your purchase from a dealer that will not charge a substantial restocking fee if it does not work at your location and you want to return it. While some sources (not all) will ship to you free, in most cases, none (other than Amazon) will pay return shipping. (Amazon does that for Prime accounts.)

Dayton site is NOT simulcast. Only the county system is. Frequencies from the old City of Dayton system were absorbed into the Montgomery Co. Simulcast system.

 

[hiegtx]

Dayton site is NOT simulcast. Only the county system is. Frequencies from the old City of Dayton system were absorbed into the Montgomery Co. Simulcast system.

Here's what I'm looking at.
Taking the listed Dayton site, not shown as simulcast.
the original license for the 800MHz frequencies is expired.

But pull one of the frequencies for the Dayton site. I used 853.575.
Search the FCC listings for the county for that frequency.

Montgomery County, Ohio (OH) FCC Licenses

FCC Licenses in Montgomery County, Ohio (OH)

www.radioreference.com

There are several licenses, in the county, that include that frequency, which is not listed with the Montgomery Simulcast site, only the Dayton site.

Once of the licenses is WQCG850. Multiple locations listed for that single frequency.


Another license, including that frequency, is WPBE603. Again, same frequency listed at several more locations.


So, something is not adding up. Either that frequency should have been listed with the county simulcast site, or it's included in Dayton, at multiple locations, which gives the possibility of a simulcast site.

That same frequency is also listed on this license, but that is only a single location.

Obviously, I am not in range to verify this, but it does hint of a possible simulcast. Either that, or there are errors on the database listings.

 

[wa8pyr]

The Dayton site is not tagged as simulcast, but I suspect that might not be correct. There are two licenses listed on the sites detail page. One, WQQH916, only applies to the 700MHz frequencies on the site. There are three sites, one in Montgomery County, and one in each of two different counties.

The Dayton site is a standalone site, not simulcast. The database is correct.

So, something is not adding up. Either that frequency should have been listed with the county simulcast site, or it's included in Dayton, at multiple locations, which gives the possibility of a simulcast site.

That same frequency is also listed on this license, but that is only a single location.

Obviously, I am not in range to verify this, but it does hint of a possible simulcast. Either that, or there are errors on the database listings.

FCC records and actual usage often do not match. This is why the database depends upon actual in-person verification instead of FCC license data and speculation from 1500 miles away.

The Dayton site is a standalone site, always has been; it pre-dates the creation of the Montgomery County simulcast site. For the most part, the only users of the Dayton standalone site are state correctional facilities and other state users.

And to keep things on track, the OP was asking about a scanner to receive Dayton and Montgomery County. Everybody in Montgomery County uses the Montgomery County simulcast. Nearly all of the major surrounding counties such as Greene, Miami and Warren also use their own simulcast sites. Darke County to the west and Clark County to the northeast use assorted standalone sites. Thus, the OP will need a scanner such as the SDS100/200 or a Unication pager in order to avoid probable disappointment.

 

[W8UU]

About time for me to break down and get an SDS 200.

 

[fordcobra04]

Here's what I'm looking at.
Taking the listed Dayton site, not shown as simulcast.
the original license for the 800MHz frequencies is expired.

But pull one of the frequencies for the Dayton site. I used 853.575.
Search the FCC listings for the county for that frequency.

Montgomery County, Ohio (OH) FCC Licenses

FCC Licenses in Montgomery County, Ohio (OH)

www.radioreference.com

There are several licenses, in the county, that include that frequency, which is not listed with the Montgomery Simulcast site, only the Dayton site.
View attachment 141507
Once of the licenses is WQCG850. Multiple locations listed for that single frequency.
View attachment 141508

Another license, including that frequency, is WPBE603. Again, same frequency listed at several more locations.
View attachment 141509

So, something is not adding up. Either that frequency should have been listed with the county simulcast site, or it's included in Dayton, at multiple locations, which gives the possibility of a simulcast site.

That same frequency is also listed on this license, but that is only a single location.

Obviously, I am not in range to verify this, but it does hint of a possible simulcast. Either that, or there are errors on the database listings.

Please understand, that being 1500 miles away from here makes you smarter than the ones that LIVE here. I'm guessing you missed that part of my profile that says I live in Montgomery County.... The Dayton site is NOT simulcast, end of story.

 

[Swipesy]

Ouch! fordcobra04, Steve (Hiegtx) is one of the more knowledgeable and helpful individuals on the RadioReference Scanner Forums. Your snide comment "makes you smarter than the ones that LIVE here", is out of line and uncalled for. "End of story"

 

[Jphila20]

Are you looking for a base or mobile unit?

 

[RidingDownUnder]

About time for me to break down and get an SDS 200.

If no simulcast is involved as mentioned, I would recommend the BCD536-HP. I have 1 with zero issue’s. For a scanner, excellent receiving of all digital flavors and analog too. Digital trunk tracks like a LEO K9 and no audio issues on receive. For assurance incase your area goes simulcast, a SDS100/200 or Unication is ATM your only choice.