The correct equipment.

[Delta]

Hello!
I would like to ask the experts for some help. I'm looking for a new scanner. I currently have a old Radio Shack Pro 2096. I'm searching for a new one, Like the brand new Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT. Is there something better? I mean shopping for scanners is so difficult. I'm worried it will become outdated in a year. *scary*. Also as I understand it, The BC996XT will receive anything except mode "E" (Listed in the Database)? Is mode E "Tetra"? What are the chances everything becomes E? I'm kind of a n00b sorry. But there is no better place for help than RadioReference.

Thank you for reading.

 

[kma371]

Hello!
I would like to ask the experts for some help. I'm looking for a new scanner. I currently have a old Radio Shack Pro 2096. I'm searching for a new one, Like the brand new Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT. Is there something better? I mean shopping for scanners is so difficult. I'm worried it will become outdated in a year. *scary*. Also as I understand it, The BC996XT will receive anything except mode "E" (Listed in the Database)? Is mode E "Tetra"? What are the chances everything becomes E? I'm kind of a n00b sorry. But there is no better place for help than RadioReference.

Thank you for reading.

Hi..Welcome to RR.

The 996XT and the GSR-600 radios are the top of the line at the moment. Either would work well.

"E" is Encrypted. At the moment, there is no scanner (and probably never will be) capable of decoding encrypted transmissions.

The chances of "everything" becoming encrypted are very unlikely. It's expensive and some agencies don't want to spend the money.

 

[jmp883]

First off let me welcome you to RR.com. You're right...this is a great place for information and help.

Like KMA371 wrote the Uniden 996XT and the GRE PSR-600 are the best scanners available. As for all services encrypting their transmissions I think that is very unlikely, not only for the cost issue that KMA371 wrote about but simply because many services don't require that kind of technology.

As for your new scanner being outdated in a year that is also very unlikely these days. I don't think there will be any new widespread technology to broadcast and receive for a while now that APCO-25 systems are just coming into use. Additionally, both the GRE PSR-600 and the Uniden 996XT are capable of having their CPU's and firmware updated.

As for scanning itself I remember a few years back when the 800/900 MHz trunked systems came along the 'optimists' of this hobby were saying that scanning would become a thing of the past since every public safety agency was going to go to trunk systems. Soon after that everything else that used radio, save for maybe aviation, would follow suit and go trunk as well. Their other big claim that scanning would come to an end was that no manufacturer would be able to sell an affordable trunking scanner. We all know what happened there.....nothing! We all went on monitoring, conventional and trunked systems, with quite affordable radios. What are we up to now...Trunktracker 4...for around $300-$400.

Then when the APCO-25 technology started to be implemented those same 'optimists' said that scanning APCO-25 agencies would never happen because the technology wouldn't be made available to the scanner manufacturers, and even if it was, no hobbyist would be willing to spend the money an APCO-25 capable scanner would cost. Well if I recall correctly Uniden just released the 2nd version of its 996, the 996XT, and it's quite affordable, as is the PSR-600.

Yep....the hobby is still alive and strong, and there is still a ton of stuff to listen to that is (and probably always will be) analog, non-trunked, and un-encrypted.

I love the 'optimists' in our hobby :roll: !

 

[Delta]

Thanks

Hello, Thanks for your the reply. I've read several post related to both the Uniden BC996XT(new one) and the GRE PSR-600 I'm not sure which one is better. The reviews on the product(s) are very similar. I'm a fan of Uniden I think I'll try that and hope I have good luck with it. They seem to have the same features. I think. If you own the Uniden scanner, is the audio clear? The older radio shack hand held unit I have always sounded a little muffled on 800 Mhz. (which no longer works on the local PD. o.0)

Also, my question for today. Most of my time I spend on my Mac Book Pro. Do you know of any software to program, control, etc etc with the Mac operating system?

Thank you so much for your time. =]

Oh, This is what I was worried about the scanner not working because of "Rebanding The rebanding of Chesapeake’s frequencies is scheduled to occur between June 27, 2006 and June 27, 2007. They will relocate from the 866-869MHZ band to the 851-854MHZ band. "
http://webspace.webring.com/people/ws/sheltronics <- Source