What is your budget?
Scanner for Maricopa County?
- Thread starter kf6gpe
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What is your budget?
I was hoping to keep it under $400 or so. (My wife rolled her eyes at that number. 
). I was willing to stretch to the cost of a BCD536HP, although from the sounds of people's reports as to its behavior on simulcast, I'm hesitant.
). I was willing to stretch to the cost of a BCD536HP, although from the sounds of people's reports as to its behavior on simulcast, I'm hesitant.I'll throw my vote out again for the BCD325P2. Under $350 and, in my opinion, acceptable performance on the TOPAZ Regional Wireless Cooperative system. As others have mentioned, that can be largely dependent on location, but that system seems to give me far less simulcast issues than another major public safety system the in the Valley, the Regional Wireless Cooperative (RWC), which is used by most other Valley municipalities besides Mesa and Gilbert. The 325P2 works well for me on the Maricopa County system as well. Probably the best bang for your buck in your desired price range.
Only if you're willing to flip a coin on whether you get good reception or not.
"Largely dependent on location" being the key phrase.
Either way the flip lands, The 325P2 is the best option for kf6gpe's budget, in my opinion.
I'm leaning towards chancing the BCD325P2 as well. It's still in the budget, and he's got potentially two places he can use it --- at his home, and at the UPS Store he runs. So hopefully it'll work in one or the other location.
The other thought I had is for me to keep the receipt, and tell him that if it doesn't work for him we can send it back, if an exchange is possible --- or I'll talk him out of it and use it here.
Although the last thing this house needs is another radio!
Thanks!
The other thought I had is for me to keep the receipt, and tell him that if it doesn't work for him we can send it back, if an exchange is possible --- or I'll talk him out of it and use it here.
Although the last thing this house needs is another radio!
Thanks!
Not if it lands on the "unusably crappy reception" side. I've done a considerable amount of side-by side simulcast comparison testing with a 436 and SDS100 in my truck connected to the same external antenna. The interesting thing was the amount of time the 436 was completely silent while the SDS100 was receiving traffic. You know you're missing stuff when you hear garbles, but when the scanner never stops scanning to break squelch, you have no way to know how much traffic you're actually missing unless you have a second radio actually designed for the task.
doctordialtone
Member
Exactly!
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I love my 325P2!
@Paysonscanner I'm glad you've been through here! And yes, Highway 17 is to be avoided at all costs!
I've been through Payson several times, on my way up to Show Low to visit my mother. You live in a beautiful part of the state!
To others --- the SDS series looks great! The SDS100 does look tempting. It's out of my budget for my brother, probably. It's good that it charges off of USB. I wish more radios did that.
The SDS1000, 436HP, and the 325P2 all can be charged using a micro USB cord. I have the 325P2 and have a spare USB cord from my 125AT and keep one with me so I can keep it plugged in either in the car or at home. The 325P2 would be a good starter scanner, easy to program, inexpensive, and works well on the Mesa Topaz system. If your brother liked it and wanted more, then he could consider upgrading.
Irrelevant. There's no point buying something cheap if it won't do what you bought it to do. And the odds of that happening are roughly a coin flip.
Folks, here's another thing to consider: As the radio spectrum gets more utilized and narrow-banded, scanners like the SDS-100 and SDS-200 should be able to handle it. Older technology scanners may not have sufficient adjacent channel rejection, causing transmissions to not be heard occasionally or some channels to be missed entirely. If these include control channels, entire system sites may not be picked up. This may not be too much of an issue in smaller cities, but in big metropolitan areas, such as Phoenix, it likely will.
If you purchase an older technology scanner and intend to use it in a metro area, be aware that you may have to replace it with a current model down the road.
If you purchase an older technology scanner and intend to use it in a metro area, be aware that you may have to replace it with a current model down the road.
doctordialtone
Member
Yes - so will the 325P2
lol - irrelevant to you. Relevant to the person buying a gift for someone. We all wouldn't mind having a Ferrari, but sometimes you have to work within a budget and get the base trim Mustang instead.
I disagree. The RF circuitry in the SDS'es is better and the detection method is superior.
doctordialtone
Member
That's your opinion. You're welcome to have one.
My 325P2 works great and has since I bought it.
It receives everything I want to hear, reliably.
LESS THAN HALF the cost of the SDS scanners.
Actually, it is a fact, not an opinion. But I am glad that your 325P2 works well for you. Can't argue with its price.
It appears all sides have been covered here.
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