Should I invest in BC396XT?

[PAscannernut]

I live in southeast PA Montgomery County. I am looking to purchase a BC396XT and do not mind spending the money on it, but I am worried about the possibility of the Opensky project that PA may continue to rollout. I know PSP and others already use it in some areas, but I don't want to see my scanner get quiet in a year or 2 if opensky takes over. I just cannot find anything saying what PA's path moving forward is.
Does anyone have any further knowledge on this?

 

[KE4ZNR]

Welcome to RR.com!
My advice is to ask in the PA Forum as you would get a more
local response there.
We hope you quickly decide to call RR.com a second home!
Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[LouCheese]

No scanner gets quiet if the antenna is good enough..................

 

[duchee]

isnt that the truth. you will find anything with a good antenna haha

 

[Danny6569]

open sky

Most of pa is going to the open sky system, so if youre in one of the areas that is, then you will not hear anything at all on any scanner out there now!

 

[duchee]

ya opensky is awsome. my as well get friendly with a cop lol. i not going to move there lol

 

[ka3jjz]

Most of pa is going to the open sky system, so if youre in one of the areas that is, then you will not hear anything at all on any scanner out there now!

Hardly; Montgomery county's system is a mixed mode (analog/digital) Moto type, and there's still lots to hear. PSP, however is another story altogether; from what I understand it is going Open Sky, albeit rather slowly. Not all troops have migrated to the system yet.

Here's Montgomery's database entry - and I would always recommend getting the Phillyscanner guide for more complete info...

Montgomery County PA Trunking System, Various, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

73 Mike

 

[trap5858]

It is highly doubtful that locals or even the county would go to the open sky system as there are so many issues with it at state level. Plus many of the local county systems have just been upgraded to digital. There is always the city of Philadelphia to listen to from SE Montco. Go ahead, buy it, you will enjoy it.

As Mike said, the Philly Scanner Guide is the local monitoring bible. Worth every penny. You can order it from Scanner Master. It is updated frequently so always current.

 

[PAscannernut]

Thank you for the info. I will look into getting one. Any recommendations on a specific antenna for the BC396xt? I know there are better ones out there than what comes with the unit, but not sure which one to get.

 

[duchee]

wish they had one for MN lol

 

[trap5858]

The antenna that comes with the radio is not bad. The Radio Shack or make that GRE 800 antenna is better. It all depends on what you will be listening to. There is no one antenna that does it all.