Recommendations?

[bill645]

Looking at the BCD996P2 for my F250. Presently I have the Radio Shack PRO-652 in the truck. How is the BCD996P2 with CLMRN? I have the SDS100, works great, and I was leaning towards getting the SDS200 (when its back in stock) but got to thinking that it would be more radio than I need in the truck.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[doctordialtone]

Looking at the BCD996P2 for my F250. Presently I have the Radio Shack PRO-652 in the truck. How is the BCD996P2 with CLMRN? I have the SDS100, works great, and I was leaning towards getting the SDS200 (when its back in stock) but got to thinking that it would be more radio than I need in the truck.

I have a 996P2 and an SDS200.

They both work similarly great on CLMRN in the Cromwell area.

I don't experience any LSM but your mileage may vary if you're going to be on the move.

Good luck!

 

[W1KNE]

If you're going to be listening to the CLMRN and travelling, your best choice is the SDS. It's literally designed for receiving a Phase II simulcast system like CLMRN.
Some users have had luck with non simulcast designed scanners but their situations are more unique than normal. Unless you have some unique situation where you're only ever going to receive one tower, you'll see.

 

[sefrischling]

I have two 996P2 radios, along with the Unication G5. The 996P2 does just fine with CLMRN.

 

[W8KIC]

It would be great if you were able to find someone in your area who has a 996P2 and see how it works over at your place. If it does fine at a fixed location, (specifically, your own home) than you’ll be able to get by without having to fork over almost twice the amount of scratch that you ordinarily would’ve if you purchased an SDS200 or a Unication G5. But once you put that P2 in your vehicle and begin driving around, you MAY find that simulcast distortion gets the better of you and ruins your entire day as well as the days that follow! Again, you might not experience any distortion in the area you usually drive around in and if that’s the case, then you’ll be able to get by on the relative cheap. Good luck!

 

[TailGator911]

Why take that chance? If simulcast is in your area and the system you want to monitor does use it, get an SDS and save yourself some grief. At a base station it's hit and miss if you can find that sweet spot and hear through the simulcast/lsm on your 996. If you are mobile it's almost guaranteed you will run into simulcast somewhere if it is being used anywhere in the system you are wanting to monitor. Save your jack and get the SDS of your choice. You'll be glad you did.

 

[sefrischling]

Why take that chance? If simulcast is in your area and the system you want to monitor does use it, get an SDS and save yourself some grief. At a base station it's hit and miss if you can find that sweet spot and hear through the simulcast/lsm on your 996. If you are mobile it's almost guaranteed you will run into simulcast somewhere if it is being used anywhere in the system you are wanting to monitor. Save your jack and get the SDS of your choice. You'll be glad you did.

I live in Connecticut and run two 996P2 radios on the CLRMN system. I have yet to run into any issue anywhere in the state with these scanners. The next town over, Waterford, who's system is Waterford/New London, are both simulcast, no issues at all with either 996P2

 

[TailGator911]

Well, what I always say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. As long as you are hearing your intended targets it's all good. Simulcast is a finicky science. Some people get by without issues, others have to conquer it. What's right for me might not be right for you, etc etc. Above all, have fun with it!

 

[doctordialtone]

True.

I've never even heard LSM on CLMRN and I monitor with a 996P2, 325P2 and SDS200.

I used to use a 396XT and 996XT. Never an issue. Must be just lucky.

 

[bill645]

Thanks for the input!

 

[darkness975]

Location is the ultimate factor.

 

[iMONITOR]

I've had the best luck monitoring P25 simulcast systems in Northern Macomb County, Michigan using almost all P25 capable scanners. I don't have to jump through hoops to do it either. I don't need any special antennas either. I had a SDS200 and it performed just a little better. I sold it and am currently using two BC996P2's and two BCD536HP's, and they work just fine! I think darkness975 gives a good clue as to why. The simulcast system I monitor had 14 antenna sites.

 

[ff2sherman]

I have a 996p2 and listen to CLMRN mobile, I did adjust the P25 Threshold and seem to work pretty well, I would like to see a sds to compare but for me I am all around CT and have no real issues in getting CSP

 

[darkness975]

My BCD325P2 works well on CLMRN when mobile but does not work at all from home.

The SDS scanners handle CLMRN from home.

 

[W1KNE]

I did a drive from East Longmeadow, MA (Rte 83) down to Rockville, through Coventry to Willimantic, and Rte 6 east to Rhode Island.
(Which is a very scenic drive, BTW. Nice hidden corner of Connecticut. Been through there countless times.)
Two scanners, both on roof NMO mounted antennas "side by side", 536hp and the SDS100, both tracking CLMRN. What I found was this:

The SDS was always "one step ahead" in stopping and decoding radio traffic. Always caught the start of the transmissions and had no breakup.
The 536 did an excellent job of keeping up, but lagged on stopping on transmissions, which missed the start a few times, and in a couple of instances had breakup that the SDS did not. One single transmission was broken up on both, but it may have been on the receive end of the trunk.

I don't have a 996P2 in the car, only at my office, so I can't tell you how that performs. I like the 996P2 quite a bit, but it lacks some functionality the x36 and SDS series scanners have, which is why it's not my prime time unit.

 

[nhfdcadet]

I use a unication G5 mostly when I am out and about, mostly because I don't want to carry my radio outside of the truck at all times. I have had great results with the G5, the programming is fairly straightforward as well.