Questions and Advice Needed For Purchase

[iiibdsiil]

I am new to the whole scanner scene. A guy I know was telling me that the BearCats can pick up emergency vehicles via their GPS unit. So, say I am speeding down the highway (moderate 11 MPH over), the scanner will do something to indicate that there is an emergency vehicle is close (he said 2 mile range) and then I would know to slow down. Is this true?

The main reason I want a scanner is just to pick up the police frequencies. I hear it can be very interesting.

He was also telling me that the scanner can be modified to get "all frequencies" and what not. What does this mean? Is there any reason I would need to modify it? Any reason I would want to? If I were to decide I wanted to, would the information be readily available via this website to do? Or it is going to be a pain in the butt?

I have no prior experience with radios, etc. But I would like to know what you all think would be a good purchase, below the $350-400 range. I don't want to get something and in 3 months decide to upgrade. And I will probably never use one to it's full potential. Maybe a cheaper one I could modify to be good?

I feel like an idiot. But that's why I joined. So, PLEASE GUIDE ME.

Thank you in advance.

 

[mciupa]

... the scanner will do something to indicate that there is an emergency vehicle is close (he said 2 mile range) and then I would know to slow down. Is this true?

That feature is on the BCT-8 scanner from Uniden.

You may also want to research the BC-898T ,BC 785D as well in that
price range.

If you would mention your location, then someone could steer you towards
your best option .
Your area may be part of a trunked system or transmit their comm's digitally. Or perhaps neither of those, and you can just enter the freq's
conventionally.
Whatever you do don't be hasty,read some posts here and see what others have experienced from owning these models.

 

[iiibdsiil]

I spend about 4 days a week in Tampa FL and the rest just south of West Palm Beach, in Boca Raton.

I will check out those scanners you recommend, but it looks like the one that I want is the BCT-8. That feature is important to me, speed tickets are expensive I wasn't sure if they all had the feature, or what.

Thank you for your reply.

EDIT: I just looked it up, the BCT-8 is not hand held. Any one know if there is a similiar setup in maybe a different manufactor that has this except hand held?

 

[scanfan03]

EDIT: I just looked it up, the BCT-8 is not hand held. Any one know if there is a similiar setup in maybe a different manufactor that has this except hand held?

No, there is no handheld unit that will alert you when the mobile extender freqs are being used. You might want to ask in the Florida forum about this scanner, because I know that here in Texas, the PD doesn't use mobile extendors which make that "radar detector" type feature useless.

 

[baddandy23]

speed tickets are expensive

hmmm.....an easy fix is to not speed... :lol:

 

[iiibdsiil]

That's no fun. I don't speed that bad, although it depends on what the cop wants to pull you over for (speed wise).

 

[baddandy23]

I used to have the same mentality, and i bought a radar detector for it. But i realized that i blew 110 dollars on something that didnt GUARENTEE me that i wouldnt get caught and i felt that the risk outweighed the pleasure of going fast thatn i am supposed to. So now i just try and keep it 5-7 miles over and i have never had a problem. 8)

 

[iiibdsiil]

The radar detector will just slow you down, it will false way too much from what I hear.

 

[rdale]

It depends on how much you spend - cheap ones will false a lot. Mine does not.

In any case the "feature" on that scanner isn't terribly reliable, and it has nothing to do with GPS.

- Rob

 

[jbstahr]

It depends on how much you spend - cheap ones will false a lot. Mine does not.

In any case the "feature" on that scanner isn't terribly reliable, and it has nothing to do with GPS.

- Rob

IMHO you get what you pay for. A good radar detector will not false a lot on the highway. I have a good one and have been extremely pleased. There are several high-end radar detectors on the market. If you want a scanner, buy a scanner. If you want a detector, but a detector. I have both. :lol:

 

[JMR]

The bct8 does not key on or recieve anything from a GPS unit, it picks up a signal from a mobile extender or repeater box in the unit. It also on alerts if that box is in use if not you will not catch an alert.