Questions about traveling with a scanner.

[redbus]

I am a newbie with very limited knowledge of scanners so will need something easy to program. We travel in an RV and the amount of time we stay in one area varies from 1-2 days to 3-6 months. Where we stay has ranged from close to big cities to remote areas with only small towns close to us.

I have been looking online at Uniden BCD396XT and the GRE PSR800. Also GRE PSR500 and Radio Shack PRO106. These are within my price range but would they serve my purpose with my traveling style? And ...which one is the easiest to program? Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Terry

 

[Ed_Seedhouse]

I am a newbie with very limited knowledge of scanners so will need something easy to program. We travel in an RV and the amount of time we stay in one area varies from 1-2 days to 3-6 months. Where we stay has ranged from close to big cities to remote areas with only small towns close to us.

I have been looking online at Uniden BCD396XT and the GRE PSR800. Also GRE PSR500 and Radio Shack PRO106. These are within my price range but would they serve my purpose with my traveling style? And ...which one is the easiest to program? Any suggestions are welcome.

Of the radios listed the RE 800 would, I believe, be easiest to program. You can set up a separate "virtual scanner" for each region you are visiting before you leave home and it take only about a minute to switch to the appropriate one for each area.

None of these radios is the "best" for everything, they are all excellent scanners. But programming the 800 is the easiest, IMNSHO. Likely others will disagree.

If you could find money for a Uniden Home Patrol and hook it to a GPS in your car it will do the changing automatically for you as you drive. But it was out of my price range and it sounds like it might be out of yours.

If you are traveling exclusively in the USA and have the latest library file on your chip and the latest firmware release you can tell the 800 what zip code you happen to be in and it will pick the right systems for you. But it's only for the USA at present.

If you are interested in listening to amateur radio you will be pretty much on your own for any of these radios,

Ed

 

[MississippiPI]

RV Scanner

Some states don't allow scanners in vehicles, might want to check or be careful.

Be safe,

Jimmy

 

[redbus]

Ed
Thanks for the reply.Yes the Home Patrol is a little more expensive and probably out of my price range unless I find a used one for a good price.

Jimmy
Thank you but it is not for use in the car. We travel/work all over the U.S.in a R.V.

 

[DickH]

Some states don't allow scanners in vehicles, might want to check or be careful....

And be discreet. If you are stopped, just hit the Weather (WX) button or turn it off.

 

[click23]

Here is a very good website that list the various state laws regarding scanners, U.S. Scanner Laws

 

[K9WG]

Ed
... snip ...
Jimmy
Thank you but it is not for use in the car. We travel/work all over the U.S.in a R.V.

Rv or car, it doesn't matter in Indiana. Still illegal unless you fall into one of the exemptions.

You can always (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) hide it when traveling through Indiana. Not that I would promote anything illegal.

 

[redbus]

Thanks everyone.