Uniden BCD396XT

[Justin129]

I was looking for good scanners to listen to the railroads since they are starting to switch to narrowband. I found a BCD396XT and was wondering if this is a good scanner to buy for the transition and if it recieves narrowband. I'm not really sure. This narrowband stuff is new to me.

Thanks,
Justin

 

[N8IAA]

I was looking for good scanners to listen to the railroads since they are starting to switch to narrowband. I found a BCD396XT and was wondering if this is a good scanner to buy for the transition and if it recieves narrowband. I'm not really sure. This narrowband stuff is new to me.

Thanks,
Justin

Justin, railroads are strictly analog now. Any scanner, such as the Uniden 346, GRE PSR-310, will work on the new narrowband frequencies. The 396 will work there too. But, are you needing a P-25 digital scanner to listen to anything else?
Larry

 

[Justin129]

P-25?

Sorry this is new to me. What kind of things use P-25 Digital Scanners?

 

[c5corvette]

Unless I am mistaken, the railroad selected NXDN as their digital format once they narrowband. Yikes!!!

 

[Justin129]

Unless I am mistaken, the railroad selected NXDN as their digital format once they narrowband. Yikes!!!

I'm not worried about that. I'm not sure if i believe it's going to happen and if it does. It wont happen too soon.

And i dont have a problem with having to buy a new one in a few years if it happens.

 

[W8RMH]

I'm not worried about that. I'm not sure if i believe it's going to happen and if it does. It wont happen too soon.

And i dont have a problem with having to buy a new one in a few years if it happens.

Unfortunately NXDN cannot be received by ANY scanner. It will happen by 2013.

 

[c5corvette]

Thats the part everyone should be worried about. All these agencies, trying to save a buck instead of selecting a technology that is recommended by SAFECOM for interoperability.

Unfortunately NXDN cannot be received by ANY scanner. It will happen by 2013.

This is a train wreck waiting to happen... pun intended!!!

What is one of the largest and most common types of disasters we see where interop is required - train wrecks.

 

[N8IAA]

Unfortunately NXDN cannot be received by ANY scanner. It will happen by 2013.

OHIO63, I suggest that you go to the Railroad forum here on RR. It has extensive posts about railroad narrowbanding and NXDN. Narrowbanding is required by 2013. Not digital to go with it. It is inevitable that they will go digital, as that format allows the narrower signal. Yes the railroads are buying NXDN capable radios. They are being used in some yards. Back in the late 90's when trunking happened, all the doomsayers were crying about not being able to scan. What happened, trunktracking scanners. Same with P-25. I went a year without listening to one of my favorite counties near me. Sold some radios, and got a Pro-96. I'll be patient while still listening to the NS and CSX trains that go through my area.
Larry

 

[wv_mountaineer]

Interoperability? WHAT'S THAT? Not only isn't the railroad not interested neither are the first responders. I live in Pa. and the states system is OpenSky. Now I don't like it but it is what it is. Around Mercer County here nobody is using OpenSky and there are no plans on any departments using it. Makes no scene to me. I understand it is costly and doesn't work but this isn't the point I am trying to make here. The point is we have multiple Police agencies within a 5 miles radius and not one of them have the capabilities to communicate with each other without going through the 911 center. One Pd has gone to their own system (Nextedge) and there is another talking about going digital with a totally different system. They the "first responders" and the "government" all talk about being able to talk to each other in the time of need but they all seem to go their own way without caring about their own safety and ours! This is all just one big train wreck waiting to happen.