scanner suggestion

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brin831

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hey guys looking for a suggestion as to some scanners i should look to buy ... here's what i'm most interested in it doing so hope you guys can give me some good options.

is there something that shows ctcss tones of different frequencies?

also is there something i can plug up to a computer and let it log all the frequencies that it has received from basically i want it to be able to let it run for a while and let it monitor a specific freq range, see what it picks up and then be able to come see where activity has occurred?

i figured these aren't too complicated?

thanks in advance!
 

ka3jjz

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brin, it's most important to let folks know where you are. With the number of different systems out there, and the number of available scanners, this is critical information. Go to the User CP which is in the blue toolbar under the thread title. Hit the Edit your details link on the left, then scroll down to Additional Information. Your county and state will suffice.

Depending on the scanner, the answer is yes to all of your questions. However there are some scanners where these functions aren't available due to restrictions in the firmware.

73 Mike
 
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brin831

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concord nc
well where i am is all over the country ... i wanted to be able to take this to races and pick up the various rf not just race teams but everything around ... because although most teams use uhf stuff, track personnel or security, etc may use vhf also ... so lets say those are my main areas of interest however what i want is the ability to log the frequencies used

hopefully that helps some ... the reason i didn't include it to begin with was it did not pertain to the question as i was asking for suggestions about what would do what i asked about ... i guess also if there is something that could log the audio to the computer too that would be even better!!
 

ka3jjz

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If you're all over the country, then a digital handheld trunktracker is the ticket here. With more and more systems going to P25 digital, it's hard to be able to justify doing anything else, even if it is more expensive. These handhelds will also work just fine at a race event, with a little reprogramming and a good set of headphones.

Our wiki has extensive coverage of this topic, and I would encourage you to do some research by starting here. Go to the blue toolbar under the Scanner Master ad, float your mouse over Wiki then select Wiki Homepage. On the right, toward the bottom in an area marked 'Popular Topics'
there's a link (all links are in blue, by the way) named 'Digital Trunktrackers'

This is a gathering of all the models that qualify under this topic. Of those listed, I would investigate the BCD396XT, PRO-106, or the PSR-500. The BC396 is an older version of the 396XT, and while the digital decode isn't as good as the newer models, it (along with the 3 mentioned above) will do everything you mentioned. All require the proper software, of course, and all of that is already listed in these articles. The PRO-96 isn't capable of logging hits, and while the BC296 is digital capable, it does have problems decoding certain types of VHF trunks.

If you are new to scanning, I would also spend some time in the Links for Newcomers section. One of the most intimidating issues we have to handle is the fact that newer laptops and PCs no longer have serial ports- everything needs to be done via USB, and that does add another layer of complexity. The Connecting scanners via USB article addresses this. If you don't understand how trunking works, then reading the Trunking Basics article will get you started.

Keep in mind that we have dedicated forums for Uniden, RS and GRE radios. When you purchase one of the ones above, you can use this as a source of help. Also don't ignore that we have numerous forums by state. Often the best help is help local to a given area, wherever that might be. Our Collaboration Gateway (upper left, blue box under 'Gateways') is also listed by state, and often has dedicated state email lists (particularly Yahoo groups).

73 Mike
 

sjlamb

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Well.... Let's keep this simple for you. Get a BCD396XT and it will do everything you want and then some, including pc logging of activity with one of the software programs that support logging. From coast-to-coast, if the BCD396XT doesn't received it and can't do it; then there is no other scanner that can.
 

jambo

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Phoenix, AZ
My suggestion to you would be the GRE 500 or 600. Can't go wrong with either one of these scanners. Excellent audio quality and will cover all your needs for a long time to come. Also great support from the people at GRE. They're always on top of it for their customers.
 

sjlamb

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Of course... Jambo is right too. Damn.... seems like you're right back where you started. Just look at the (3) top of the line handhelds on the market and flip a coin.


You are, however, in for a rude awakening with this statement:
i figured these aren't too complicated?
 
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