Suggestion for economical Digital P25 Phase II Scanner

[Greg43545]

A friend of the family asked me to recommend a Digital P25 Phase II scanner.

Since I own both the Uniden SDS 100 and 200 I recommended them to her. She advised she didn't want to pay that much money and asked I refer her to a more economical Digital P25 Phase II Scanner. She will be monitoring the Northwest Ohio Regional Public Safety System.

[ Northwest Ohio Regional Public Safety System Trunking System, Toledo, Ohio - Scanner Frequencies ]

The only other scanners I have owned was the Bcd325p2 and the HomePatrol II, but they did NOT receive the NORPSS System well at all, thus the reason why I purchased the 100 and 200.

Can anyone give me an idea WHAT to recommend that would do a good job and be economically priced?

 

[GTR8000]

If the 325P2 and HP-2 struggled with the simulcast, so will every other scanner except for the SDS series. It's understandable that she doesn't want to spend that much for the SDS, but everything else will likely fall short and be a disappointment.

That's really the bottom line, despite what a few others around here may frequently claim to the contrary. All of those anecdotal "my non-SDS scanners works perfect on every single system in the world!" claims are dubious, to say the least. Sure, if you happen to be in just the right location where the scanner is only capturing a single subsite of a simulcast cell, you won't have any issue. If you can manage to isolate one subsite by using a directional antenna or attenuation, you may get lucky and it'll work well enough. But for mobile use? Forget it, too many variables.

Of course the other option, if this will primarily be a stay-at-home scanner, is something software defined. All depends on the skill level of the user whether that's a path worth going down.

 

[hiegtx]

The 436HP, and it's sibling the 536HP, are marginally better at simulcast than the P2 series and the HP-2. But it's likely they would also have issues on the system unless, as GTR8000 has already noted, she's lucky enough to be in the "right" location, or possibly uses a directional antenna.

If she is in Lucas County, that's a 12-site simulcast:

If, on the other hand, she is in Fulton, Henry, or Wood county, the sites in those three counties are not simulcast, so one of the less expensive scanners may well work.

 

[Mike_G_D]

I will add a suggestion - take a look at this: BlueTail Technlogies.

Threads in RR are here: Blue Tail Technologies.

Under $300 and does a great job on simulcast. Developer is extremely active in listening and responding to users' feedback. Software and firmware are constantly being updated in response to user input.

It does not require a computer to run, just USB power, but does need a computer to initially program and set up. It is, however, very easy to program and use, much easier than the usual SDR and even many scanners, in my opinion.

Audio is extremely clear, I have a picky ear when it comes to digital signals and in many cases, this device reproduces such clear demodulated audio I find it almost indistinguishable from a full quieting analog FM signal.

-Mike

 

[AJAT]

I will add a suggestion - take a look at this: BlueTail Technlogies.

I second that. I don’t own one, I use a dongle for my only phase 2 system I monitor, and it is not simulcast, but I have been following the threads on it. I just might pick one up one day. It looks like a good scanner, the developer is very responsive and much cheaper than SDS.