With the seemingly problematic rollout of the last two uniden products you have to wonder if Uniden is wondering if its all worth it. Some will argue that point I know but there is a real loss in recalls and post purchase fixes. The 536 and 436 both had repair campaigns. I personally think the sds200 is soon to have one in reference to the hum that we now know is repairable. It seems Uniden pretty much has the market in the radio scanner business. That right there may keep them in the run but has anyone ever seen any numbers for Uniden scanner products? Are they making any money? If the economy were to slide out from under us would that be the end of scanners? Would the scanner division be the first to go in hard times?
The end of scanner development and mfg.
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sfb88
Member
With the complexity of newer forms of modulation and the dreaded encryption, how much future development effort is warranted by the potential market? If law enforcement and fire goes away can hams, air, railroad, etc. justify staying in the market?
There is no way the scanner market will survive without PD and Fire. Plus the baby boomers are starting to slowly leave this planet and the Millennials are not buying scanner radios as they are glued to video games and smart phones. DMR and NXDN will not keep the scanner market alive either down the road. Plus there is so much of a need these days for privacy and security which will eventually kill the scanner market as it is already.
sfb88
Member
Any chance that the distrust of law enforcement by segments of society might force some decryption as the equivalent of information act requests?
No. The more distrustful society in general becomes of law enforcement, the more agencies are going to opt for "E" as a way to further control what information is "out there" in public.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. The mark up on the retail selling price compared what it costs in parts to assemble makes it very profitable to keep producing.
Thats one thing that I was wondering. However there are continuing costs with r&d, etc. Plus the loss with repair campaigns and such. I guess it would help to know just how many of these units they have sold? The sds series for example.
So why wouldn't that be subject of profitably? Also, when you say industry you mean uniden at this point I'm assuming. I've worked for a global company in dying industry. I've seen first hand how the trimming goes. I guess the big question is profits. I really have no idea of just how much uniden makes with thier scanners and if the demand is what it was 10 years ago.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
They'll keep making them as long as they keep selling them. They'll keep selling them as long as people keep buying them.
But, yeah, not much going on that will change. P25, NXDN, DMR, maybe add in some of the more obscure modes, but they'll never do LTE or any of the likely things that will happen down the road.
If the public safety segment of the scanner market vanishes, it will be due to encryption. It has nothing to do with costs of production, R&D, or the economy.
Problematic rollouts? 
And that means???,,,,Problematic rollouts?
It has not stopped
Ford
Chevy
Dodge
Ford
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Dodge
So true to all said
Well the writing is all over the wall and in time people and evolution will prevail. All of us scanner dudes will die off one day and the next generation won't care and all the world and our communities have all the time in the world to do what they want.
The ground we stand on has all the time in the world, we don't. Scanners in a couple of decades probably won't even exist and nobody will even care. Just saying. This is pure common sense on how the world works. Eventually everything will go over LTE and the airwaves will go away.
The ground we stand on has all the time in the world, we don't. Scanners in a couple of decades probably won't even exist and nobody will even care. Just saying. This is pure common sense on how the world works. Eventually everything will go over LTE and the airwaves will go away.
seth21w
Member
Well way back when I was a kid I'm 34 now I listened to a 10 channel realistic handheld for years, everyone I knew bought scanners and had them, but the only thing people have to do is download an app now and no need to buy scanners anymore but streaming is so great it more than likely will eventually curb scanner sales, among other reasons. But who knows I care nothing about an app I want my own radio to listen to whatever and whenever I want! Wish streaming never happened but I digress.
cpetraglia
Member
Been trying to say this for a few years now. We all know it's so true.
Well when all of the streamers die the yuppies will be lost and will have no idea how to scan search or anything else.
I heard a 20 year old make the remark that they did not need to know how to grow food, hunt or feed themself as long as Walmart and McDonalds is open.
I heard a 20 year old make the remark that they did not need to know how to grow food, hunt or feed themself as long as Walmart and McDonalds is open.
kb7gjy
Member
One has to wonder how sales are up in Canada? A couple years ago at IWCE I was speaking to a radio tech from up north about the big E on all law enforcement. He said it was about privacy concerns. I explained how it worked here in the states and was shocked I could look up online criminal records on people, granted some states are more difficult then others.
As many have stated, E has its place and I have personally noted a few agencies that were E that are no longer or more correctly not as much. LOL
I also remember when P25 first started rolling out, most everyone was saying the same thing, "P25 will kill scanning" "Scanners will never be affordable that could listen to P25". All doom and gloom. Yet here we are still scanning.
Just food for thought.
As many have stated, E has its place and I have personally noted a few agencies that were E that are no longer or more correctly not as much. LOL
I also remember when P25 first started rolling out, most everyone was saying the same thing, "P25 will kill scanning" "Scanners will never be affordable that could listen to P25". All doom and gloom. Yet here we are still scanning.
Just food for thought.
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