Recommendation on what type of Scanner to buy

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KD5YZQ

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Jan 6, 2017
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San Antonio, TX
Happy New Year,

I am looking for some advice please. I've not used a scanner in decades. To put things in perspective, my first scanner was an 8 channel Radio Shack VHF handheld that used crystals! I'm well versed in radio communications in general. But all my previous scanner experience was with with non-trunked analog systems. I'm interested in monitoring current public safety services in San Antonio/Bexar County,Texas. According to the info I found elsewhere on RadioReference, the primary system in use in my area is "EDACS ProVoice" (see San Antonio/Bexar County EDACS ProVoice Trunking System, San Antonio, Texas - Scanner Frequencies). However, it also mentions ESK, which as I understand, implies encryption. Yet there are live feeds on Brocastify which include the stuff I'm interested in. So I am assuming that means encryption has not been turned on? Anyway, what I am looking for is a recommendation on what might be the least expensive type scanner that would do what I want.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and Thanks in Advance,

-Mike Z-
 

Blackswan73

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Central Indiana
Well, Pro Voice kinda limits your options. You will need a Uniden x36, or a scanner with an IF tap, and use with a SDR.
 

hiegtx

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11,169
Location
Dallas, TX
Happy New Year,

I am looking for some advice please. I've not used a scanner in decades. To put things in perspective, my first scanner was an 8 channel Radio Shack VHF handheld that used crystals! I'm well versed in radio communications in general. But all my previous scanner experience was with with non-trunked analog systems. I'm interested in monitoring current public safety services in San Antonio/Bexar County,Texas. According to the info I found elsewhere on RadioReference, the primary system in use in my area is "EDACS ProVoice" (see San Antonio/Bexar County EDACS ProVoice Trunking System, San Antonio, Texas - Scanner Frequencies). However, it also mentions ESK, which as I understand, implies encryption. Yet there are live feeds on Brocastify which include the stuff I'm interested in. So I am assuming that means encryption has not been turned on? Anyway, what I am looking for is a recommendation on what might be the least expensive type scanner that would do what I want.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and Thanks in Advance,

-Mike Z-
Hi Mike
Welcome to RadioReference.

If you want the ProVoice capability, for the San Antonio/Bexar County system, you have four scanners to pick from.

As muskrat mentioned, the "x36HP" series scanners can be upgraded to receive ProVoice. In addition, Uniden recently released a paid upgrade that enables ProVoice on two other models, the handheld (portable) BCD325P2 and the base/mobile BXD996P2.

As mentioned, the BCD436HP (handheld) & BCD536HP (base/mobile) can also be upgraded. For any of these four scanners, the ProVoice option is a paid upgrade, $50.00 for one unit. Once you register the scanner at MyUniden, entering the serial #s requested, you can purchase a key to unlock the upgraded feature. It is one key, for one scanner; the key is not valid on any other scanner other than the one registered to purchase the key.

These four scanners can also be upgraded to receive DMR (MotoTRBO), which is increasing being used in some areas, including in mine, the DFW Metro area. That upgrade is $60.00 per scanner.

I upgraded one of my 436HP's to both DMR as well as ProVoice, and it works very well on the DFW Airport system. Any of these four scanners also handle P25 Phase II, which is what San Antonio is likely to move to, once they phase out the existing PV network. I have a number of agencies either already using Phase II, or that are building new systems that will use that format once construction is complete.
 

Timmeh-31

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64
Location
Syracuse, NY
Hi and welcome Mike!

Having just purchased the BCD996P2 just before the holidays, I can highly recommend it for ease of use and quality performance. It was fairly simple to program, has an appealingly "hot" receiver (can hear for days), and is very good at rejecting spurious hits.

I live in a high rise, so have been using the stock back-of-set telescoping antenna and despite being surrounded by concrete and steel, it still manages to pick up things comfortably not only all over my county by those counties directly surrounding me (and even a bit further east, which is the direction my apartment faces.) I had the unit programmed over a weekend, and despite having numerous systems, sites and "channels" numbering in the high hundreds, I'm only using about 2% of my total memory.

Once you get used to it, you can set up alerts, change the color and/or intensity of your display, and much more. Very pleased with this rig. In fact, it's running 24/7 here and is absolutely rock solid.

If the other radios that are in this same performance sphere are anywhere near as good as the 996P2, I'd say you couldn't go wrong no matter which you choose. I'm obviously biased toward mine, but they all seem like great radios and I think you'd be happy with any of them.

Again, welcome and feel free to toss any more questions you may have our way. :)
 

KD5YZQ

Newbie
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
2
Location
San Antonio, TX
THANK YOU GENTLEMEN for all the good info. I really appreciate your replies. You've given me plenty to follow up on. Now I just need to do some more homework and figure out what approach I want to take

Best Regards,

-Mike Z-
 
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