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  • Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Starting a new thread for scanner discussions.
     

    rondon600

    Active Member
    Mar 16, 2009
    722
    Always a last minute thought... any places to pick up a scanner locally AA county? Wanted to hear the Blue Angels and every year I forget until they fly over practice day! Next shot is OC air show. I could always internet order one before that.
     

    JohnnyE

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 18, 2013
    9,462
    MoCo
    Aren't a lot of agencies going to encrypted comms?
    Some are, like all of the PA State Police. IIRC, in MoCo the county council decided against it, saying that citizens should be able to listen in the name of transparency.
     

    motorcoachdoug

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Ok let me jump in here on this. Yes Uniden SDS100 portable and SDS200 base/mobile units are the latest radios to use for scanning and used with Radio Reference they can be easy to program if you have the right software to do so. Also more and more people are making the jump to using motorola apx and Harris P/M/XG radios which are public safety grade units. The problem is you really have to know what you are doing in order to have them scan a system while at the same time making sure they DO NOT AFFILIATE to that system you are listing to! If you did it could end up and I am not joking, could cost an officer and or fire/ems personal their lives if that radio is not programmed correctly and it affiliates to the system. Yes a scanner would be easier to use in some ways but using public safety grade units the audio is better and you are less likely to miss what is being said on that talk group. For those who do make the jump, you have software which can be expensive , programming cables,one cable can run you around $200, someone who know what they are doing so you will NOT AFFILIATE , the radios cost a lot more, beginning price is around $1300 and up for a Harris XG100P portable, plus you need to make sure it can do what is called phase 2 and if the radio does not have it, then if it is a Harris Unit the cost will be at least $250 to get it depending on what is already programmed into that radio to make it work, plus there are a few other factors. A EFJohnson/Kenwood radio can NOT be programmed to do a non affiliate scan at all. Personally , I am using a Harris XG75M, (2) Harris XG100P portables, (1)Motorola APX7500 and (1) Uniden mounted in my van, Plus a few other portables that I can use when traveling down to the Shenandoah Valley or just use my Harris XG100P since it covers VHF,UHF and 700/800 bands as well. If anyone wants any more info please shoot me a PM
    MCDoug
     

    markgrutz

    Active Member
    Feb 1, 2011
    764
    Ellicott City, MD
    Unication G5 is a purpose built radio receiver, more akin to a portable radio vs a scanner. I got one since my whistler has some serious issues getting simulcast systems around here. It's expensive, but not much more than the Whistler or Uniden SDS, but it's a great little radio. I keep a scanner in the car to scan the VHF dispatch, and the unication to actually monitor any of the goings on. Downside is it does not do AA county since AA is not yet a P25 system.

    Mark
     

    dblas

    Past President, MSI
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 6, 2011
    13,087
    Ok let me jump in here on this. Yes Uniden SDS100 portable and SDS200 base/mobile units are the latest radios to use for scanning and used with Radio Reference they can be easy to program if you have the right software to do so. Also more and more people are making the jump to using motorola apx and Harris P/M/XG radios which are public safety grade units. The problem is you really have to know what you are doing in order to have them scan a system while at the same time making sure they DO NOT AFFILIATE to that system you are listing to! If you did it could end up and I am not joking, could cost an officer and or fire/ems personal their lives if that radio is not programmed correctly and it affiliates to the system. Yes a scanner would be easier to use in some ways but using public safety grade units the audio is better and you are less likely to miss what is being said on that talk group. For those who do make the jump, you have software which can be expensive , programming cables,one cable can run you around $200, someone who know what they are doing so you will NOT AFFILIATE , the radios cost a lot more, beginning price is around $1300 and up for a Harris XG100P portable, plus you need to make sure it can do what is called phase 2 and if the radio does not have it, then if it is a Harris Unit the cost will be at least $250 to get it depending on what is already programmed into that radio to make it work, plus there are a few other factors. A EFJohnson/Kenwood radio can NOT be programmed to do a non affiliate scan at all. Personally , I am using a Harris XG75M, (2) Harris XG100P portables, (1)Motorola APX7500 and (1) Uniden mounted in my van, Plus a few other portables that I can use when traveling down to the Shenandoah Valley or just use my Harris XG100P since it covers VHF,UHF and 700/800 bands as well. If anyone wants any more info please shoot me a PM
    MCDoug
    I need to get with you and learn to program a Harris or two.
     

    JohnnyE

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 18, 2013
    9,462
    MoCo
    If anyone here needs help send me a PM. As stoveman how well I was able to help him get his Uniden BCD436 set up and working..
    MCD isn't kidding, He helped get my BCD536 set up and working. Then I added a BCD4436. Running these things isn't easy, and you'll need a tour guide like MCD!
     

    dblas

    Past President, MSI
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 6, 2011
    13,087
    Dan FYI its only 3 boxes you check or uncheck to keep the radio from affiliating to the system.I can discuss this with you on the phone and walk you thru it plus the software you need to use as well.
    Thanks, I'll hit you up once I get my radio.
     

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