Help me pick a new hand held scanner

[riskyo]

I have had my current BC235XLT for several years with much enjoyment.

Recently I have got more active in monitoring and am now considering a new scanner but the more I read the more confused I get.

Any advise anyone can offer would be appreciated. I live in Riverside and monitor all surrounding areas and agencies.

I have been looking at the BCD 396T and the BC 246T Trunking Scanner plus the Radio Shack Pro 106.

Thanks

[Brian]

Since you been using a Uniden scanner already. You should wait for the 396XT digital handheld to come out next year (1Q/February).
396XT is the newer version of 396T. Then you can travel all over and it will work in most places that uses P25 digital audio.

Plus these newer scanners is lot smaller then your old scanner

396XT - Digital handheld scanner. Release first quarter 2009
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BCD396XT

346XT - Analog handheld scanner. Release first quarter 2009
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BC346XT

[convE36]

I am REALLY happy with my Uniden BC246T!!!! I have used almost non-stop everyday for the past year. I have dropped it in the lake, dropped it many times on asphalt/concrete and this thing works just as good as the day I bought it. Trust me, you cant go wrong with this scanner!!!!!!

[brandon]

The PSR-500 (or Pro-106) is another very good handheld scanner currently available. It has most "geeky" features such as Radio ID display, NAC support, dump CC data to computer, customized scan lists, multi-site trunking and lots of tweaks for EDACS and other options. Probably overkill for most, but they are nice to have. It also tracks the West system without any beeps/buzzes, which seems to be a huge problem as of late with most other scanners. The only bad thing about the GRE scanners is that strong signals cause them to overload, so if you have plans to use an external antenna, stick with Uniden models.

[nr6t]

One of the local city radio technicians and I were discussing new scannners, since RSO is replacing EDACS with Project 25. The city currently uses the relatively inexpensive BCT8, which doesn't decode P25. We hear the P25 will probably run parallel with EDACS and be cutover in 2011. So they (and the rest of us who listen to RSO) are saving up the $500+ for an appropriate scanner. In short, I'm going to wait until the radio tech guys decides which scanner they're going to buy...heck, they get paid to do the research...and I'll post when I hear their decision. -C

[convE36]

One of the local city radio technicians and I were discussing new scannners, since RSO is replacing EDACS with Project 25. The city currently uses the relatively inexpensive BCT8, which doesn't decode P25. We hear the P25 will probably run parallel with EDACS and be cutover in 2011. So they (and the rest of us who listen to RSO) are saving up the $500+ for an appropriate scanner. In short, I'm going to wait until the radio tech guys decides which scanner they're going to buy...heck, they get paid to do the research...and I'll post when I hear their decision. -C

You rock!

[temfreqhunter]

A PSR-500 w/ 800MHz radio-shack antenna Works great. Gets sheriff's 5 bars and fire 3 bars. Even gets the highway patrol at least 3 bars!