Should I buy Digital?

[igregg]

Just ordered the 996T and now I am thinking about getting a new handheld. Does anyone know how much digital is planned for Western Washington? I am not sure if I should get a digital capable handheld (like 330T) or go with the 396T. I've dipped pretty deep into the scanner budget this year, but not sure how long I will be able to get by without the digital capability.

Thanks
Ian

 

[lowboy654]

What part of Washington are you in, I have a pro-96 that can receive digital and i am about 60 miles north of Seattle and anything in this area that I have found on APCO-25 is encrypted so I would have to say save your self some money and pass on the digital thing.
I have tryed all of the stuff that this web site list for APCO-25 in my area and like I said it is all encrypted.

 

[im800mhz]

I wouldn't make the switch just yet. Anyone that is going digital, does so for encryption. The large lower Puget Sound trunking systems will not go digital until they have to. Support for those systems ends in 2011. Save your $$$$ for now.

 

[hoser147]

Give your 996T a try and see how you like it, theyll still be sellin them for awhile why rush? Besides the price is eventully going to drop as technology changes although you can find some sales and good prices from reputalbe people right here on RR...........hoser147

 

[Stavro35]

If you're intersted in the Puget sound naval shipyard communications get a digital scanner .If you're interested in federal government communications which I've found to be digital. Get a digital scannner. If you're not interested in these type communicatons and are on a tight budget,don't bother with a digital scanner.

 

[igregg]

Thanks for all the input. I live in the Mill Creek area, so listen to mostly Sno. County stuff. I work in Redmond, so I monitor that area as well periodically. It's good to know that there doesnt seem to be a big push to digital, yet.

With the talk about rebanding, I've decided to replace the other scanners in my collection.. hence the recent desire to upgrade.

Thanks again...
Ian

 

[SCPD]

Your 996 will suffice for now, but if you "need" a handheld, then you might as well get one, since the rebanding will make most handheld scanners obsolete. (For trunk scanning that is...)

 

[igregg]

Well here is an update.... I bought one of each. I purchased the BCD996T for the ham shack, and the BCT15 for the night stand. I should be good to go until I "have" to replace the handhelds.

Thanks for the input.

73's