Who has the most base scanners?

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N4GKS

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Any pictures of just crazy people with many base scanners? I had a pic of a guy who has at least a dozen Unidens just for aircraft coverage but I lost it.
 

SCANdal

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"Pictures of your shack...?" Okay, I'll promise I'll stop.

W4CRT,

Nope, sorry. Just one Uniden Bearcat 800XLT base for the conventional stuff (and one Uniden Bearcat BCD396T portable, for the trunked and digital stuff) here.

SCANdal
 
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Zaratsu

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W4CRT said:
Any pictures of just crazy people with many base scanners? I had a pic of a guy who has at least a dozen Unidens just for aircraft coverage but I lost it.


I think you are talking about the guy with a dozen airband unidens and about 500 imaginary PS3s and Xbox 360s.:lol:


Personally for myself, I dont own any. I dont see any point with handhelds being so good. This may change when I can stop being a cave-dweller and get a house where I can actually have a "listening post" as opposed to just "having my handhelds around"

Is there any tangible difference between handheld and base any more?
 
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WouffHong

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Scanner heaven

Do a search for Alan Stearn in FL :) Tom

W4CRT said:
Any pictures of just <s>crazy</s> people with many base scanners? I had a pic of a guy who has at least a dozen Unidens just for aircraft coverage but I lost it.
 

SCANdal

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DanTSX said:
Is there any tangible difference between handheld and base any more?
Dan,

Capability-wise? No. Both have versions that can decode digital, CTCSS/DCS tones, alphatext tagging, trunktracking, etc., etc., etc. Performance-wise? Yes. A base could get wired into a fixed antenna atop a roof - which, of course, would pull in more signals then the rubber-ducky on the portable scanner.

SCANdal
 

Zaratsu

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SCANdal said:
Dan,

Capability-wise? No. Both have versions that can decode digital, CTCSS/DCS tones, alphatext tagging, trunktracking, etc., etc., etc. Performance-wise? Yes. A base could get wired into a fixed antenna atop a roof - which, of course, would pull in more signals then the rubber-ducky on the portable scanner.

SCANdal

But, could you not do the same with a handheld plugged into the BNC ?
A roof mounted discone would plug in the same, but would it then function similarly?

I think most of us here have now learned to just leave the rubber-duckie in the box when we unpack a new handheld scanner and put that sweet diamond or RS800mhz on it.

I really just want to know if I am missing anything by NOT having a base scanner. If I am, let me know so that I can buy one.
 

Viper43

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Base/Mobile scanners tend to pull things in better as they are designed better and not so compact component wise. I have never found a HH that out recieved a base/mobile. I have 5 HH's and 11 base/mobiles with one more of each on the way. I'm in the process of redoing the radio room, but when I get it done in a few months I will have photos.

Yes you could just use an exterior antenna hooked to your HH, but reception isn't the same. Different radios recieve differently, my 2096 out does all of my radios reception wise and one of 2 2035's is next.
Another thing is your location though. I live in a a rural area, it's flat so signals travel better. If your in an urban area or a valley nothing you may try will help due to your location.
 

Zaratsu

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Viper43 said:
Base/Mobile scanners tend to pull things in better as they are designed better and not so compact component wise. I have never found a HH that out recieved a base/mobile. I have 5 HH's and 11 base/mobiles with one more of each on the way. I'm in the process of redoing the radio room, but when I get it done in a few months I will have photos.

Yes you could just use an exterior antenna hooked to your HH, but reception isn't the same. Different radios recieve differently, my 2096 out does all of my radios reception wise and one of 2 2035's is next.
Another thing is your location though. I live in a a rural area, it's flat so signals travel better. If your in an urban area or a valley nothing you may try will help due to your location.


I don't mean to question you, so please do not take this the wrong way, but do you have any proof, or is this just by experience? With modern scanners too, not old ones. I mean there is no reason why the cicuitry for a 2096 should not fit in the pro 96. I think that modern scanners could be decreased in size considerably, but that they are the size they are for three reasons: 1. Battery capacity 2. speaker size and dynamics, and 3. fuddy-duddies would complain their dentures out that the things were too small to read or access buttons.

A fourth reason is that size is partially dictated by the economics of mass assembly processes. At a certain point, you have to have a certain level of skill to arrainge pre-assembled components in smaller packages. This slows production rates and costs more in labor for a higher-skilled assembly staff.

Heck, just look at some of the small Yaesu widebands and 2 ways that have been around for over a decade now. Now THATS packaging! Nice metal cases too!:cool:


I can recieve anything that I should physically be able to recieve due to geography (and even then some) So maybe I would never know the difference anyways.
 

Viper43

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This is from experience, and I have both old and new scanners, which you'd have noticed if you really read my posting... ie: 2035 & 2096. Even hooked to the same antenna via a Stridesburg milticoupler the 2096 out performs all of them. The 396 is no where near as sensitive as the 97 or 96 or 94, and none of those are close to the 2035's , the 2096 out performs them all though. The PCR100 does OK but still isn't as sensative as the 2096. Even hooked seperately to the exterior antenna the 2096 out performs all of them.
On trunked systems the 2096 pulls in 25 SAFET tower sites, the 396 16 and the 96 14. I use one 2035 on Unitrunker and it picks up 18 of the tower sites. Again, thats all off the same antenna so there is a lot of difference in the sensativity, and drops measurably with HH's. Always has though, I have never found a HH that was equal or close to a base.
 

Zaratsu

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Viper43 said:
This is from experience, and I have both old and new scanners, which you'd have noticed if you really read my posting... ie: 2035 & 2096. Even hooked to the same antenna via a Stridesburg milticoupler the 2096 out performs all of them. The 396 is no where near as sensitive as the 97 or 96 or 94, and none of those are close to the 2035's , the 2096 out performs them all though. The PCR100 does OK but still isn't as sensative as the 2096. Even hooked seperately to the exterior antenna the 2096 out performs all of them.
On trunked systems the 2096 pulls in 25 SAFET tower sites, the 396 16 and the 96 14. I use one 2035 on Unitrunker and it picks up 18 of the tower sites. Again, thats all off the same antenna so there is a lot of difference in the sensativity, and drops measurably with HH's. Always has though, I have never found a HH that was equal or close to a base.


Good explanation. I tend to value experience over theory when it comes to technology.

I think that I'm buying your side, but staying skeptical. So if any one else wants to keep the discussion going, I'd be happy to hear technical and first-hand talk for either side of the fence.
 

hoser147

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Not to disagree with Viper, but I have several HH and bases all thru the same antenna on analog Ive got better reception on my Pro 95 than I do on any of my bases. Digital however I have better reception on my 600 than I do on the 96. Im sure your going to get various opinions on the two different style of radio's...............Hoser
 
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