Digital police scanner

mauiblue

mauiblue

Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
730
The local public safety departments recently went digital so my Icom IC-R20 is pretty much quiet now:(. I've been researching a bit for a new digital scanner and looks like the Uniden BCD396T is all that and a bag of chips. I was wondering if anyone owns one of these scanners and what they think of it. Also, if other members own other brands of digital scanners I would appreciate it if they could chime in and post what they have or recommend.
 
Hey Maui,
Give me a primer on the digital conversion

Do they still use the same freq (i.e. 460.275 Mhz, 155.100 Mhz, etc)?

I read this and am I am confused===>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_25

What will I hear when they switch over?
Nothing? or the quick, tone barrage stuff

I hear that now on the SWAT channel
I figured it was all encrypted digi transmissions
 
mauiblue said:
The local public safety departments recently went digital so my Icom IC-R20 is pretty much quiet now:(. I've been researching a bit for a new digital scanner and looks like the Uniden BCD396T is all that and a bag of chips. I was wondering if anyone owns one of these scanners and what they think of it. Also, if other members own other brands of digital scanners I would appreciate it if they could chime in and post what they have or recommend.
Click to expand...

There are a handful of scanners that can decode the P-25 digital signals, Bearcat makes 3 or 5 (396, 996, 246 with card) Radio Shack made 2 and GRE has made 1.

I own the BCD 396, and it is unlike a "normal" scanner with banks, it relies on "channels" and a sort of memory function, and you can program it manually, but you are better off buying the ARC 396 software and letting Radio Reference automatically program your banks.

I like mine, but it eats batteries, and it takes some education to use the thing, the close call feature is great, the virtual scanner is great as well.

And it can scan both digital and analog, and it is rebanding ready unlike some radio shack pro 96's that you see for sale somewhat cheaply.
 
Once you program it?
That's it?
Just one time for your fave freq's and it's good to go?
That isn't too bad

The price is sorta bad :eek:
I guess I will travel that road when SBSO and CHP switches over
 
Trent Rock said:
Once you program it?
That's it?
Just one time for your fave freq's and it's good to go?
That isn't too bad

The price is sorta bad :eek:
I guess I will travel that road when SBSO and CHP switches over
Click to expand...

With the ARC program, you pay 6 bucks for three months at Radio Reference and just C&P their database unto your scanner, it even updates easily.

The RR database is updated constantly as well, but the process of making "channels" instead of "banks" is a real..p-a-i-n...

You could have a single channel with 1,000 freqs in it, or 1 freq, and then you have to custom tune each freq depending on if it is p-25, and even then, there are different p-25 modes and steps...

But close call is great...as long as you learn to lock out cordless phones and wendy's drive thru's...:eek:
 
It's a hobby I have had since age 12 when I got my first Bearcat scanner

I like listening to the "action" in my town
It's cool listening to the pilots fighting forest fires
Car chases are interesting

I also listen to it because I am an amateur photographer
I'm hoping someday I will be first on the scene and get a picture I can seel to the newspaper or TMZ.com:cool:
I have shown up at so many incidents
The local news reporter and I are friends now
(He has the same scanner as me)
2695287278_542f62c1b7.jpg


I also like knowing who is beating their wife in my neighborhood :eek:
 
Aloha Trent. I am a newbie myself on the digital scanners so I'm pretty confused myself regarding the frequencies that is covered. I've subscribed to Radio Reference a couple years ago and let it lapsed. I recently subscribed again to take advantage of the web services that website provides.

Well I did jump in and bought a Uniden BCD396T. I just got in on Friday. It is quite overwhelming to figure out but I downloaded and printed a couple manuals off the Internet for the ARC 396 software and an easier to understand manual for the BCD396T scanner. I am finding out that since my local public safety/police departments has gone with the Motorola P25 trunked systems, I am having a difficult time in finding all the trunked system info even with the Radio Reference services. I don't have the trunkgroups ID or control channel info. I pretty much am just listening to the dispatcher at the moment. I know that the departments has not completed the change over to digital so maybe the trunkgroups ID and control channel info will be posted soon.

BTW, I am also an amateur photographer. I bought a Nikon D300 which replaced my D70s. I have some good glass at the moment and slowly building up my collection.
 
mauiblue said:
Aloha Trent. I am a newbie myself on the digital scanners so I'm pretty confused myself regarding the frequencies that is covered. I've subscribed to Radio Reference a couple years ago and let it lapsed. I recently subscribed again to take advantage of the web services that website provides.

Well I did jump in and bought a Uniden BCD396T. I just got in on Friday. It is quite overwhelming to figure out but I downloaded and printed a couple manuals off the Internet for the ARC 396 software and an easier to understand manual for the BCD396T scanner. I am finding out that since my local public safety/police departments has gone with the Motorola P25 trunked systems, I am having a difficult time in finding all the trunked system info even with the Radio Reference services. I don't have the trunkgroups ID or control channel info. I pretty much am just listening to the dispatcher at the moment. I know that the departments has not completed the change over to digital so maybe the trunkgroups ID and control channel info will be posted soon.

BTW, I am also an amateur photographer. I bought a Nikon D300 which replaced my D70s. I have some good glass at the moment and slowly building up my collection.
Click to expand...
Keep us updated when you figure it out :eek:
I'm hoping SB doesn't switch over anytime soon
I never really keep more than 20 freqs stored
That Radio Reference page is nice :thumbup:
I had never heard of it....
 
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