Al42
Member
Old thread, but Suffolk County, NY is just about entirely analog, regardless of what the database says. PD uses a few digital channels for secure work, but they're almost never used - everyone carries at least one cell phone.
The official PRO-96 / BCD396T comparison thread
- Thread starter Voyager
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John_M
Member
I don't know if this has been said yet but the Pro-96 is more sensitive than the BCD396T. This has been varified in the past few days. I recently moved to a bigger apartment and I can no longer walk around inside and pick up all the channels that I want to with the BCD396T using a RH771 Diamond antenna. Using the same antenna and the Pro-96 I can still pick up what I used to at my old apartment. This is particularly noticeable in the 137-174mhz and the 406-512mhz bands. I am unsure about 800mhz reception. Once I get a little more settled I am going to look for a mobile antenna solution for the 396t in the 460mhz range. I have the RS mag mount and it solves the reception problem with the 396t in the 150mhz range but for 460mhz reception the RS mag mount is pretty much useless.
Newbie here
would love to ask a question and may be realy dumb, i just bought a aor8200 thought it would cover all my scanner needs was wrong here in the ohio stark country, the canton police use trunk and so do the sherriff's, now question is if i get a bc248 or should i just get the bc396.thanks for being understanding.
skip294
would love to ask a question and may be realy dumb, i just bought a aor8200 thought it would cover all my scanner needs was wrong here in the ohio stark country, the canton police use trunk and so do the sherriff's, now question is if i get a bc248 or should i just get the bc396.thanks for being understanding.
skip294
skip294 said:
Hoody hoo, The system you are trying to moniter is a Motorola Type II SmartZone Omnilink Statewide system. The AOR8200 I believe is just a reciever not a scanner in the sense that it will track a trunked radio system. Since you posted this in the wrong spot you'l probobly be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the rr community wich does support the death penalty so get yourself a good lawyer.
Your state, http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=2115
This will explain it all,(seriously check it out) http://www.signalharbor.com/ttt/00mar/index.html
Ps, Uniden and Gre are good scanner makers. I suggest a pro-97. I hear it's a god one. BUT in minnesota they use a p25 fully digital system and I would be weary of your state going digital some time in the near future. So when this is moved to the general scanning forum or wherever they will adress this question in a better way.
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Update: After 9 Months...
It's been about 9 months since I received my 396t, and posted my first comparison here. I thought I'd share my impressions after using both scanners for about 9 months.
P25 audio: After months of listening, I can confidently state that the P25 decoding on the Pro-96 is better than that on the 396t. While you can (and in fact, sometimes must) manually tune the decoding parameters in the 396t you just don't have to fool with this on the Pro96.
Other than that, it's really, really, hard to find fault with the 396t. Yes, there's a learning curve. But the system of system quick keys and group quick keys, once mastered, is outstandingly flexible. In terms of the other features in the radio: In exchange for the time you'll spend learning the radio you'll get command of really powerful set of features and capabilities.
However, what may be the best feature of the 396t isn't in the radio at all. It's Uniden's involvement with the user community, and program of ongoing updates and improvements. Uniden has released a series of firmware updates, all freely downloadable, addressing many issues and suggestions raised by 396t users. When's the last time you heard of a manufacturer that changed their product in response to customer feedback??
This responsiveness makes the less-than-sterling P25 decoding capabilities of the 396t even more confusing. Surely Uniden are aware of the issue. So why don't they fix it? I can only speculate that there's some engineering issue that prevents them from doing so.
If Uniden would only improve their P25 decoding, and lose the silly manual-tuning and setting of a tuning starting-point, they'd have an almost PERFECT radio. As it is, the radio is darn good. I'm glad I bought it.
Ramon
It's been about 9 months since I received my 396t, and posted my first comparison here. I thought I'd share my impressions after using both scanners for about 9 months.
P25 audio: After months of listening, I can confidently state that the P25 decoding on the Pro-96 is better than that on the 396t. While you can (and in fact, sometimes must) manually tune the decoding parameters in the 396t you just don't have to fool with this on the Pro96.
Other than that, it's really, really, hard to find fault with the 396t. Yes, there's a learning curve. But the system of system quick keys and group quick keys, once mastered, is outstandingly flexible. In terms of the other features in the radio: In exchange for the time you'll spend learning the radio you'll get command of really powerful set of features and capabilities.
However, what may be the best feature of the 396t isn't in the radio at all. It's Uniden's involvement with the user community, and program of ongoing updates and improvements. Uniden has released a series of firmware updates, all freely downloadable, addressing many issues and suggestions raised by 396t users. When's the last time you heard of a manufacturer that changed their product in response to customer feedback??
This responsiveness makes the less-than-sterling P25 decoding capabilities of the 396t even more confusing. Surely Uniden are aware of the issue. So why don't they fix it? I can only speculate that there's some engineering issue that prevents them from doing so.
If Uniden would only improve their P25 decoding, and lose the silly manual-tuning and setting of a tuning starting-point, they'd have an almost PERFECT radio. As it is, the radio is darn good. I'm glad I bought it.
Ramon
zmanpro96
Member
wow forums are cool
sorry, new member just checking this forum posting thing out, anybody need any freqs,info for North Carolina just email me!!!!
sorry, new member just checking this forum posting thing out, anybody need any freqs,info for North Carolina just email me!!!!
yaesumofo
Member
I have had my 396 since the beginning. Day one. I like it. No intermod. At least here in LA.
I live near LAX. A heavy RF rich environment. The 396 does a great job of receiving air traffic control and aircraft from many miles out. If I connect it to The diamond discone 40 foot above the ground I can hear pretty much everything in LA and Orange county at will.
The LAPD on their APCO NON TRUNKED system is received by the 396 with ease.
Line of the greatest things about this radio is the memory system. I can program the entire LAPD radio just as it is on the radios they carry and go where they go with a turn of a knob. All in one bank. That is fantastic.
Somebody said that the 396 is hard to program with out a computer. I disagree. I spent at month hand programming this radio just to learn how it works. I agree software makes life easy but it is certainly no requirement to using the radio. In fact if I find a system or a group of freqs I want to monitor I can have them in the radio in minutes, you can too with a little practice.
Somebody called the features in the 396 gimmicks. I don't agree with this either. The features on this radio like close call,like the dynamic memory, like the easy search modes, like tone search, like 6000 memory channels.... I could go on and on this is the radio Bill cheek was aiming for when he was modding the PRO 43...and more. Sure It isn't perfect, The speaker is too small, I use mine with a speaker called a loud mouth and it sounds great. I think the radio could be a bit more sensitive, Here in LA it isn't that much of an issue most of the systems have repeaters on high mountains surrounding the area, Connect this radio to an external antenna and it hears everything. Other more sensitive radios may have problems overloading. Sensitivity is a double edged sword.
My experience with the Pro96 was brief, it took me about 10 minutes to learn that that ws NOT the radio for me. I had read the manual before getting the radio, I read the forums, I couldn't get my head around it. Simple. to each his own.
The 396 is by far the best scanner that I have ever owned. And I still OWN and have owned many many radios, including Pro 43 aor 8000, aor 8200,3000, 8600, ICOM r2,r5, R10, R20, (I love the r20 as a general receiver) yupiteru mvt 7100, 7200 9000, yaesu vr500, it is a long list, The 396 has just about everything I need. That is not to say i wouldn't do a couple things differently in the next radio like dual receivers, removable memory (mini sd or the like), more trunking features, a band scope and channel activity scope would be great. The trunking acativity indicator Ala BC780 utilizing a second receiver would be a wonderful improvement. So there is room to grow thank goodness. If Uniden stays on this track they will have a great radio in their next gen unit. I do believe that the pro96 was a radio in response to the BC250 (Another fine radio which I use as my backup apco 25 radio). That means that GRE is due to come out with it's next gen radio in response to the 396. I am sure it will be a fine unit worth looking into when it arrives.
One great thing that is happening is there are more and more APCO 25 monitoring options becoming available soon from AOR and ICOM, this will change what and how the scanning industry feeds us over the next several years.
I will be happy to see it.
Yaesumofo
I live near LAX. A heavy RF rich environment. The 396 does a great job of receiving air traffic control and aircraft from many miles out. If I connect it to The diamond discone 40 foot above the ground I can hear pretty much everything in LA and Orange county at will.
The LAPD on their APCO NON TRUNKED system is received by the 396 with ease.
Line of the greatest things about this radio is the memory system. I can program the entire LAPD radio just as it is on the radios they carry and go where they go with a turn of a knob. All in one bank. That is fantastic.
Somebody said that the 396 is hard to program with out a computer. I disagree. I spent at month hand programming this radio just to learn how it works. I agree software makes life easy but it is certainly no requirement to using the radio. In fact if I find a system or a group of freqs I want to monitor I can have them in the radio in minutes, you can too with a little practice.
Somebody called the features in the 396 gimmicks. I don't agree with this either. The features on this radio like close call,like the dynamic memory, like the easy search modes, like tone search, like 6000 memory channels.... I could go on and on this is the radio Bill cheek was aiming for when he was modding the PRO 43...and more. Sure It isn't perfect, The speaker is too small, I use mine with a speaker called a loud mouth and it sounds great. I think the radio could be a bit more sensitive, Here in LA it isn't that much of an issue most of the systems have repeaters on high mountains surrounding the area, Connect this radio to an external antenna and it hears everything. Other more sensitive radios may have problems overloading. Sensitivity is a double edged sword.
My experience with the Pro96 was brief, it took me about 10 minutes to learn that that ws NOT the radio for me. I had read the manual before getting the radio, I read the forums, I couldn't get my head around it. Simple. to each his own.
The 396 is by far the best scanner that I have ever owned. And I still OWN and have owned many many radios, including Pro 43 aor 8000, aor 8200,3000, 8600, ICOM r2,r5, R10, R20, (I love the r20 as a general receiver) yupiteru mvt 7100, 7200 9000, yaesu vr500, it is a long list, The 396 has just about everything I need. That is not to say i wouldn't do a couple things differently in the next radio like dual receivers, removable memory (mini sd or the like), more trunking features, a band scope and channel activity scope would be great. The trunking acativity indicator Ala BC780 utilizing a second receiver would be a wonderful improvement. So there is room to grow thank goodness. If Uniden stays on this track they will have a great radio in their next gen unit. I do believe that the pro96 was a radio in response to the BC250 (Another fine radio which I use as my backup apco 25 radio). That means that GRE is due to come out with it's next gen radio in response to the 396. I am sure it will be a fine unit worth looking into when it arrives.
One great thing that is happening is there are more and more APCO 25 monitoring options becoming available soon from AOR and ICOM, this will change what and how the scanning industry feeds us over the next several years.
I will be happy to see it.
Yaesumofo
North Carolina Database
Do you have a Pro96 and a BCD396T? Which one do you like better? What do you like about it and what don't you like about it?
Have you checked out the North Carolina Database? You can check it out here:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&stid=37
You can also check out Johnston and Wake Counties, as well, by going here:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1937
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1978
While you are there, maybe you could see if there is any frequency data you could submit to the database. To submit data or changes, click on the button near the top right of the page, titled "Submit Changes."
Also, you can check out the North Carolina Radio Discussion Forum, by going here:
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16
Have fun! Happy scanning.
Hi ZManPro96,zmanpro96 said:
Do you have a Pro96 and a BCD396T? Which one do you like better? What do you like about it and what don't you like about it?
Have you checked out the North Carolina Database? You can check it out here:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&stid=37
You can also check out Johnston and Wake Counties, as well, by going here:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1937
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1978
While you are there, maybe you could see if there is any frequency data you could submit to the database. To submit data or changes, click on the button near the top right of the page, titled "Submit Changes."
Also, you can check out the North Carolina Radio Discussion Forum, by going here:
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16
Have fun! Happy scanning.
On a recent camping trip way out in the boonies of Utah and Wyoming, I took a Pro-96 and BCD396T. Using a telescoping antenna, I concur the Pro-96 is definitely more sensitive on 137-174 MHz than the 396. However, both did about the same on 800 MHz with the edge maybe to the 396. I also agree the Pro-96 digital decoding sounds better than the 396. All in all, I love them both for their respective strengths. I really don't like the single "tuning/volume/whatever knob" on the 396, I wish it had a seperate volume control like the 96. Call me old school. My 2 ¢ worth.
I had a pro96 it was loud audio but I rather have 396 has more stuff on it 96 doesn't do LTR or FTO. I was wanted a radio did FTO its better than hear the tone go off and they talk. I was almost but a fire pager at the time if I do I want it where I can have it to the computer. Ebay has them I know I looked around.. My buddy helped me to do a gain thing on the radio for better RX it helped alittle...
ComPort Settings
You did not mention what software you are using, so I will give you two of the most common.
Uniden BCD396T UASD
To access the settings on the Uniden BCD396T UASD software, click Setup from the top menu, click Options... in the drop down menu, a new window will open called Setup Options, with two tabs. Select the Com Port tab. In this window/tab is where you will select to what port your scanner is connected - probably com1 or com2 (try each one if you are not sure until it works, just don't change the comport you are using on the back of the computer at this point). You can also select the baud rate - I use 115200; you can try this or 57600.
Butel ARC396
To access the settings on the Butel ARC396 software, click BCD396T from the top menu, click RS232 Communication Setup in the drop down menu, a new window will open called RS232C Setup. In this window is where you will select to what port your scanner is connected - probably com1 or com2 (try each one if you are not sure until it works, just don't change the comport you are using on the back of the computer at this point). You can also select the baud rate - I use 115200; you can try this or 57600.
Make sure the connection to the scanner is secure, as well; this connection can be finicky and may not be completely connected.
If you are still having problems (error messages), try using a different comport on the back of the computer and go through the above process again.
Per Uniden, the communications setup is the most common cause of error when using software for the BCD396T.
Hope this helps.
Make sure the RS232 comport setting you select is the same as the comport to which you have the scanner connected on the computer. E.g. com1 is used, com1 is selected on the software.tmmac said:
You did not mention what software you are using, so I will give you two of the most common.
Uniden BCD396T UASD
To access the settings on the Uniden BCD396T UASD software, click Setup from the top menu, click Options... in the drop down menu, a new window will open called Setup Options, with two tabs. Select the Com Port tab. In this window/tab is where you will select to what port your scanner is connected - probably com1 or com2 (try each one if you are not sure until it works, just don't change the comport you are using on the back of the computer at this point). You can also select the baud rate - I use 115200; you can try this or 57600.
Butel ARC396
To access the settings on the Butel ARC396 software, click BCD396T from the top menu, click RS232 Communication Setup in the drop down menu, a new window will open called RS232C Setup. In this window is where you will select to what port your scanner is connected - probably com1 or com2 (try each one if you are not sure until it works, just don't change the comport you are using on the back of the computer at this point). You can also select the baud rate - I use 115200; you can try this or 57600.
Make sure the connection to the scanner is secure, as well; this connection can be finicky and may not be completely connected.
If you are still having problems (error messages), try using a different comport on the back of the computer and go through the above process again.
Per Uniden, the communications setup is the most common cause of error when using software for the BCD396T.
Hope this helps.
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davidd2957
Member
#'s sold
David D.
Hey n4Voxgill...I find it hard to believe the Uniden only sold 1000 units of the 396. If it is true, Uniden took quite a BEATING on their "WONDER Scanner" OUCH!!!n4voxgill said:
David D.
loumaag
Silent Key - Aug 2014
That is the problem with a sticky that is allowed to stay open for posting, someone will take a post that is over a year old (7/21/2005) and act like it was posted last week.davidd2957 said:
For your information David, when Gill posted that, the BCD396T had been on the market for 29 days.
This thread has some good information but it is over a year old, and its current usefulness is questionable. I am unsticking it with this post, hopefully it will fall off of the radar.
proquist96
Member
I own a pro 96 and i'm really just a beginner in this hobby. One thing i can say is that competition between Uniden and GRE will produce greater scanners in the future. I want a scanner with a replay option so i can back up and listen to something i may have missed. Instant replay®
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proquist96 said:
I think it would be a great option to record and play back audio in a trunking scanner also. You can pick up a MP3 voice recorder with VOX recording and line input cheap, that works good for me some times when I busy doing other things and want to see what the action was that I missed. It also removes the time between comms so you hear the action at a faster pace or catch an unidentified fire tone out.
Sticky?
What happened to this thread being a "sticky" thread?
What happened to this thread being a "sticky" thread?
PHOENIX_SCANNER
Member
P25 Decoding just one smaller issue
I always hear the defenders of the 96 state that it's digital decoding is better (well almost, some like me don't notice any real difference). I own both, and a 996 and 2096 also. I don't really hear much of a difference, all of them have a bit of the "under water" sound at times. The GRE units have louder, more powerful audio, that I will grant you, but I just don't hear the big decoding difference. What really amazes me though, is that the small difference (if there is one) in decoding always becomes the central issue. How about intermod? I don't know about you, but I hate intermod, it ruins the listening experience. I use my 2096 as a car mount unit and the 996 as the base unit for good reason. The 2096 honks and howls with intermod when hooked to an outdoor antenna, attenuation is a must for many channels on many systems. Even with stock antennas the GRE units are much more open to intermod. The PRO 96 just plain spits out more garbage. That is a much bigger issue than the supposed decoding advantage. In a big city I can tell you selectivity is a key issue, and the 396 is far more selective. Maybe out in the boonies the GRE are better units. I wouldn't know. I use the 96 as my "beater" radio, that goes to me in rough places, and is used at work. It would also come in handy if I ever need a large heavy object to bludgeon someone with. Seriously, it does have more powerful audio, and I prefer the old fashion squelch too, but let's be honest about the pros and cons of each. The decoding thing is one, relatively small issue.
I always hear the defenders of the 96 state that it's digital decoding is better (well almost, some like me don't notice any real difference). I own both, and a 996 and 2096 also. I don't really hear much of a difference, all of them have a bit of the "under water" sound at times. The GRE units have louder, more powerful audio, that I will grant you, but I just don't hear the big decoding difference. What really amazes me though, is that the small difference (if there is one) in decoding always becomes the central issue. How about intermod? I don't know about you, but I hate intermod, it ruins the listening experience. I use my 2096 as a car mount unit and the 996 as the base unit for good reason. The 2096 honks and howls with intermod when hooked to an outdoor antenna, attenuation is a must for many channels on many systems. Even with stock antennas the GRE units are much more open to intermod. The PRO 96 just plain spits out more garbage. That is a much bigger issue than the supposed decoding advantage. In a big city I can tell you selectivity is a key issue, and the 396 is far more selective. Maybe out in the boonies the GRE are better units. I wouldn't know. I use the 96 as my "beater" radio, that goes to me in rough places, and is used at work. It would also come in handy if I ever need a large heavy object to bludgeon someone with. Seriously, it does have more powerful audio, and I prefer the old fashion squelch too, but let's be honest about the pros and cons of each. The decoding thing is one, relatively small issue.
PHOENIX_SCANNER said:
In many cases, it depends highly on the type of system too. All systems and the [real] radios used are different and adjusted different from system to system. Some have real old firmware, some don't use the AGC feature/some do, some are CQPSK/Simulcast, in some areas intermod is real bad so sometimes the Unidens perform better and sometimes GREs perform better. Then you have the scanner user's issues to add. Many people like to use outdoor antennas (like you mentioned and use) or antennas with gain or amplifiers that make matters worse by overloading, some people expect the rubber duckies to pull in an 800MHz system from 60 miles away. There's a lot of factors involved that can affect the performance of our scanners and the examples above are just a fraction of the variables which may influence people's opinion and experience and many times are not mentioned when complains are brought up in these forums.
In my opinion and experience, decoding is directly related to reception performance and probably vice-versa. I've noticed my Pro-96 will sometimes "honk, howl and spit garbage" as you mentioned but then I look at the Uniden and is like nothing ever happened. So the GRE was trying to decode some transmissions that the Uniden didn't even "know" where there. And when that happens with the GRE, all I have to do is pick it up or relocate it to improve the reception AND decoding. With the Uniden, again and still, like nothing happened.
In an isolated perfect place, GRE's and Uniden are probably very close in performance like you said BUT even in that situation, you're still going to have yet another factor that can affect performance: each other. I know when I put my BCD396T close enough to my Pro-96, the birdies from the Uniden (like 155.250MHz), start showing up and opening squelch on the Pro-96. Sometimes I hear a faint "clicking" sound on my Uniden's speaker and it ends up being the GRE put too close to it. That's the big picture about the whole issue as I see it, different scanners will perform differently in diverse environments. It's all a matter of finding what works better for your listening habits and environment. When reception and decoding are all equal, then obviously the Unidens come ahead as far as more features, more constant support and involvement in our scanner community, etc.
That said, my personal [and probably biased] opinion about the two brands is: in MY case, area and system, the GRE's do show a little better reception and a little better decoding, AGC and robust audio, however, with each firmware update, the Unidens are catching up and performing better each time. In the end and as long as I'm able to afford them, I'll buy and use both.
P.S. This wasn't intended as a start to a 'brand war' argument, just offering an equal but slightly opposite view on the issue, that's all! Also keeping in mind that having different brands, choices and competition in the end is good for US, the consumers!
krbprogrammer
Member
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Newbie here - which one???
Hello to all,
I am a father of a 7 year old and would like to pass along something that I was exposed to as a child with my father - radio scanners. I am in the market for a hand held digital scanner for purchase. I have found this forum and these 2 scanners for roughly the same price of just under $500. I have found much info on both and would like to inquire from a more real-world usegae group as to which one I should obtain. I reiterate, I am a newbie at this now. I am basically interested in local scanning of local events - quickly and weather alerts as I am a native Floridian and that can be handy. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly (!) appreciated from the field of users!! Thank you in advance.
Hello to all,
I am a father of a 7 year old and would like to pass along something that I was exposed to as a child with my father - radio scanners. I am in the market for a hand held digital scanner for purchase. I have found this forum and these 2 scanners for roughly the same price of just under $500. I have found much info on both and would like to inquire from a more real-world usegae group as to which one I should obtain. I reiterate, I am a newbie at this now. I am basically interested in local scanning of local events - quickly and weather alerts as I am a native Floridian and that can be handy. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly (!) appreciated from the field of users!! Thank you in advance.
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