Uniden BCD396XT or BCD396T

[KB3SJV]

Hi, Just getting into digital scanning. Ive been scanning, and talking on he radios for a while now. My county, Montgomery County Pennsylvania, just went to a Motorola type 2 SmartZone. All public safety is no on it, yea its a mess!!! hihi But i would like to listen to the system.
I found two scanners that i really like, but I cant decide between the two. Both are Uniden, the one is the BCD396XT, and the other is the BCD396T. I am really bad at deciding, so i would like your feedback about these radios, Pros and Cons. Also if you have any other reccomendations on other scaners, please leave a comment.

Thanks for the feedback!!, and 73
de John D , KB3SJV

 

[echz]

I too have this same question. I'm in the Burlington County, NJ area where they have implimented a Motorola Type II APCO 25 Digital Trunked Radio system. I'm making a big investment either way, and will spend the extra money if necessary on the XT model ... Just not sure all of the additional features provided by the XT are necessary or are on the verge of broad implimentation.

 

[dracer777]

Wirelessly posted (MOT-QA30/00.72 UP.Browser/7.2.7.5.610 (GUI) MMP/2.0)

This is my very none expert opinion, but i do know the XT replaces the other model. Yes, it does have some unnecessary features for most users, like gps capability. However, it does, from what i hear and read, have better P25 decoding algorithms... Personally, i think if you have the cash, just get the best so you wont be disappointed when you get familiar with hobby. If you dont have the cash, get the 396T or the Radioshack Pro-106, i have the latter and found it fairly easy to learn, espessially for being my technically-first scanner, and it performs pretty good on the P25 system in Co. Overall, if you have the cash, get the XT. If you want an easier to learn digital scanner, the Pro-106. You can get a used pro-106 for 300-380. Or new for 380 if you catch a sale. I do not think any of these models will be out of date for a good while.

 

[CT1396]

One new feature of the 396XT (and 996XT, 15X) is the ability to decode fire dept tones. I don't know if you're into this at all, but you can set up the 396T & 396XT to act like a Minitor pager when it's in Fire Tone Out mode. With the 396T, you have to know the tones to program, the 396XT will decode these for you, and then you can program them in.

 

[rvictor]

Unless you are saving a ton of money by getting the T instead of the XT or the T price is the absolute top of what you can spend, I think it's a slam dunk to get the XT.

If you go to the Uniden forum you will see lots of posts from people that moved up from a T to an XT. While there are one or two that don't think the XT was worth the money spent on the switch, the overwhelming majority are very pleased that they made the switch.

Dick

 

[jclarkr6]

I've got a BCD396XT and I have really been impressed at how well it decodes the Illinois Starcom21 (P-25) system. While I've never tried using a BCD396T, I couldn't imagine trading in my BCD396XT for any other radio that is currently on the market.