The end of scanner development and mfg.

[jonwienke]

Serial numbers of Uniden's products are consecutive by year, so if you buy a scanner, you can get an idea of how many of that model have been made so far that year. I don't have access to my customer records right now, but my recollection is that serial numbers go into the low 5-digit range on several models.

So scanners are not a mass market product like phones, but sell enough to support continued r&d and still make a decent profit.

 

[buddrousa]

My 1st release SDS200 was in the 1000 range and my SDS100 1st release was less than 400.

 

[ten13]

but sell enough to support continued r&d and still make a decent profit.

But for how long? A couple of years? Profit-making companies who want to continue making profits look far beyond two, or even five, years.

If 'E' becomes the rule rather than the exception (and I think we can project that today), the decision on scanners has already been made by what's left of their manufacturers.

We are already reading here about Whistler stopping development of their "next" scanner, and GRE.

Let's not try and fool ourselves on all this.

 

[jonwienke]

E and I (interoperability) are incompatible. E will likely grow more, but its never going to be 100%. DC tried that, and pulled back after E caused problems responding to a Metro fire involving a death.

 

[TailGator911]

There are more than a few documented scenarios where E was more of a problem than it was operable. I have relatives in LE that all say the same thing - its all about being on the same page. If one agency uses E, they all have to use it.

 

[doctordialtone]

I think we can project that today

After I am long gone...

Here in CT only about 5 of 169 towns are Encrypted. Nothing that affects my listening.

Hartford County, Connecticut (CT) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Hartford County, Connecticut (CT)

www.radioreference.com

So all of the "Sky is Falling" talk is a bunch of hot air.

 

[a417]

After I am long gone...

Here in CT only about 5 of 169 towns are Encrypted. Nothing that affects my listening.

So all of the "Sky is Falling" talk is a bunch of hot air.

Now if ol' Neddy boy enacted an encryption tax...

 

[frazpo]

After I am long gone...

Here in CT only about 5 of 169 towns are Encrypted. Nothing that affects my listening.

Hartford County, Connecticut (CT) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Hartford County, Connecticut (CT)

www.radioreference.com

So all of the "Sky is Falling" talk is a bunch of hot air.

So your particular situation is reflective of everyone everywhere? Cant base anything off of such a small percentage.

 

[doctordialtone]

Cant base anything off of such a small percentage.

OK, so my opinion is that scanners and scanner development will be around for a long time.

Been hearing the end of scanning since the 70's. It gets old.

 

[jonwienke]

So your particular situation is reflective of everyone everywhere? Cant base anything off of such a small percentage.

1 entire state out of 50 is a larger and more representative sample than used in most political polls. Just saying...

 

[frazpo]

OK, so my opinion is that scanners and scanner development will be around for a long time.

Been hearing the end of scanning since the 70's. It gets old.

What would have ended scanning in the 70's ?

 

[doctordialtone]

What would have ended scanning in the 70's ?

Low band went to high band. Went to UHF went to 800Mhz went to phase 1 went to trunking went to phase 2.

Each requiring a new scanner. That's what.

 

[frazpo]

Low band went to high band. Went to UHF went to 800Mhz went to phase 1 went to trunking went to phase 2.

Each requiring a new scanner. That's what.

Lol. "That's what" ? No need to sound childish. It was a serious question. Unlike other making this some sort of argument I wanted to know what you were saying. I was like 5 in the 70's.

 

[AK9R]

Low band went to high band. Went to UHF went to 800Mhz went to phase 1 went to trunking went to phase 2.

For someone with little sense of history, this progression seems trivial, but it wasn't.

I don't go back far enough to remember the low band to high band transition. When I got into scanning in the early 1980s, most agencies in my area were on high band except for a few large, metro police departments that were on UHF. So, my first scanner was a Uniden Bearcat BC100XL (16 channels, no trunking, no 800 MHz).

When Indianapolis rolled out their analog 800 MHz trunked system in the 1990s, the conventional wisdom in the scanning world around here was that that was the end of scanning in this area. Then, word started leaking out (I read it on CompuServe's HAMnet forum) that "a guy" had figured out how to trunk-track Motorola systems. Uniden finally released the BC235XLT, which I think was their first TrunkTracker, in 1997.

What has followed has been a steady progression of better and better scanners designed to keep up with newer and newer radio technologies. Each new technology has been met with cries that it would be the "end of scanning". Phooey! Look how far we've come in 20 years.

 

[Chronic]

I wonder how those streams get online to listen to from an app ? Could it be a real scanner or radio ?

 

[buddrousa]

In 1979 our Fire Department was using 45.52 tube type base 4 tube type mobiles and 4 walkies

 

[mmckenna]

In 1979 our Fire Department was using 45.52 tube type base 4 tube type mobiles and 4 walkies

Uphill, both ways, in the snow.
But no, seriously. Technology has come a long way. Scanner manufacturers have seemed to keep up. Lots of aspects of the hobby to enjoy (or not, I don't care.)

 

[sibbley]

For someone with little sense of history, this progression seems trivial, but it wasn't.

I don't go back far enough to remember the low band to high band transition. When I got into scanning in the early 1980s, most agencies in my area were on high band except for a few large, metro police departments that were on UHF. So, my first scanner was a Uniden Bearcat BC100XL (16 channels, no trunking, no 800 MHz).

When Indianapolis rolled out their analog 800 MHz trunked system in the 1990s, the conventional wisdom in the scanning world around here was that that was the end of scanning in this area. Then, word started leaking out (I read it on CompuServe's HAMnet forum) that "a guy" had figured out how to trunk-track Motorola systems. Uniden finally released the BC235XLT, which I think was their first TrunkTracker, in 1997.

What has followed has been a steady progression of better and better scanners designed to keep up with newer and newer radio technologies. Each new technology has been met with cries that it would be the "end of scanning". Phooey! Look how far we've come in 20 years.

I remember those doomsday years. When Allentown and Bethlehem went trunked, we were sure scanning was over. Then later on Bethlehem went P25. I thought I'd never be able to hear them again. But, here we are years later and still listening.

 

[trentbob]

After I am long gone...

Here in CT only about 5 of 169 towns are Encrypted. Nothing that affects my listening.

Hartford County, Connecticut (CT) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Hartford County, Connecticut (CT)

www.radioreference.com

So all of the "Sky is Falling" talk is a bunch of hot air.

I can see your point and I think it is going to be a slow progression. I hate to date myself but I've been listening since I was a kid and that is well over 50 years.

Over that time I've been continually buying radios and scanners to keep up.

I remember a whole year not being able to pick up my local police because they went digital and I couldn't afford a Motorola. It was until 2003 and the introduction of the Uniden bc250d and the rebranded GRE sold by Radio Shack called the pro 96 and then I could hear my local police again, whew.

The day it hits you personally and your local PD goes E then the sky has fallen for you.

During economic turndowns there is always a saying... If you keep your job it's a recession but if you lose your job it's a depression LOL.

 

[Firekite]

Digital/trunking isn’t the same as encryption. Encryption is explicitly designed for and exclusively for the purpose of keeping you out in the cold. That’s its only function. It is nearly impossible to defeat and and illegal go do so even if you could.