South Western Ontario

Status
Not open for further replies.

dchurch

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
7
Hi All, I've been away from scanning for quite some time, looking to get back into it, with a digital scanner, Can someone lead me in the right direction... I have some questions, that I'd really appreciate your help on...

I'm interested in scanning OPP, Ambulance, and I guess fire in my area, I live just outside of Kincardine ONT

Bearcat 396, 996 or realistic pro ##??? - I want to purchase a scanner, that I can easily program with readily availble channel lists ect... I'd hate to purchase a bearcat, if most are using realistic pro-## models.

Are there any online feeds around I could hear how much action goes on in my area - before purchasing?

Whats the best place to buy? I've checked out durham radio, and scannerworld... Don't want to pay 799. plus tax... I see they are availbile in the US and ebay for 500-550.. any horor stories with customs/duties?


Thank you all very much for your help.
 

jellotor

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Messages
1,077
Location
Hamilton, ON
Well, you're going to need a P25 digital scanner if you want to listen to the OPP...so anything newer than a Uniden BC250D or 785D will do the trick for you. Sometimes used 250Ds/296Ds/785Ds/796Ds pop up for less than the newer scanners sell for...

I prefer Durham Radio to Radioworld but some have had success ordering from the states and paying much less. Of course, if you want to go with a Radio Shack Pro96, the states is your only option at the moment.

If you're outside Kincardine (I spend quite a few weekends in Tara and Owen Sound) you're in a pretty good spot to listen in to a number of Fleetnet sites (Listowel, Glammis, perhaps Durham) and therefore you'll have a couple of choices for what you can monitor. I believe the South Bruce talkgroup and related patches for the OPP pop up on Glammis (I know they are on the Durham site) and Listowel carries the Wellington talkgroup and the traffic for Huron/Perth. All in all, with a decent antenna you shouldn't have much of a problem finding traffic to listen to...your mileage may vary with the fire departments on VHF conventional. EMS are also on Fleetnet.
 

EJB

20 + year membership
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
3,640
Location
Downtown Hamilton
Dchurch: There are many of us on here that use Uniden only, R/S & Uniden and R/S only,
personal preference.
There are a few threads about where to buy scanners, the price for the 396 in the U.S. is about 500-550 as you said.
You might find a deal on ebay.
If I wanted a new scanner I'd get a 396, due to its compact size, batteries and the amount of data listed on here.
Right now I own a 296 which is a great radio but limited in the fact that you have set banks (10) and it is kinda big and bulky.
As a cottager up in the area just north of what Graeme is mentioning You will hear a fair bit of OPP traffic for Grey, South Bruce and the Bruce Pen as well as Huron, Perth and Wellington.
MOH activity I heard in the Glammis area was mainly London N but Durhams tower is a great one; with Cambridge MOH and London N.

Check out the classifieds on here, perhaps you will find a canadian on here who wants to sell or swap a radio for you.
 

garman1986

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
3
pro 2096

jellotor said:
Well, you're going to need a P25 digital scanner if you want to listen to the OPP...so anything newer than a Uniden BC250D or 785D will do the trick for you. Sometimes used 250Ds/296Ds/785Ds/796Ds pop up for less than the newer scanners sell for...

I prefer Durham Radio to Radioworld but some have had success ordering from the states and paying much less. Of course, if you want to go with a Radio Shack Pro96, the states is your only option at the moment.

If you're outside Kincardine (I spend quite a few weekends in Tara and Owen Sound) you're in a pretty good spot to listen in to a number of Fleetnet sites (Listowel, Glammis, perhaps Durham) and therefore you'll have a couple of choices for what you can monitor. I believe the South Bruce talkgroup and related patches for the OPP pop up on Glammis (I know they are on the Durham site) and Listowel carries the Wellington talkgroup and the traffic for Huron/Perth. All in all, with a decent antenna you shouldn't have much of a problem finding traffic to listen to...your mileage may vary with the fire departments on VHF conventional. EMS are also on Fleetnet.

Hello, this is my 1st post as a new user. I want to thank everyone in advance for having me. My question is, is the Pro 2096 a P25 type of scanner? Will it work for OPP? Thanks.
 

mciupa

Database Admin
Moderator
Joined
Nov 5, 2002
Messages
8,301
garman1986 said:
Hello, this is my 1st post as a new user. I want to thank everyone in advance for having me. My question is, is the Pro 2096 a P25 type of scanner? Will it work for OPP? Thanks.

Welcome to the discussion :)

Yep, the 2096 will let you listen to the OPP. One thing it doesn't have is the capability to trunktrack LTR systems. This may be a drawback depending on the users in your area.
It is also slightly cheaper ($399-499 US) than the feature loaded Uniden models , which do LTR and allow you to hear private calls.
 

garman1986

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
3
mciupa said:
Welcome to the discussion :)

Yep, the 2096 will let you listen to the OPP. One thing it doesn't have is the capability to trunktrack LTR systems. This may be a drawback depending on the users in your area.
It is also slightly cheaper ($399-499 US) than the feature loaded Uniden models , which do LTR and allow you to hear private calls.

Thanks very much.
 

garman1986

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Messages
3
Ltr

I live in Lambton County and checked the database, it doesn't seem there are any LTR users. Hopefully I won't regret getting the 2096.
 

jellotor

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Messages
1,077
Location
Hamilton, ON
...hey, man...that doesn't mean there aren't a ton of LTR systems in Lambton...it just means no one has found them yet! Perhaps you can!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top