- Feb 4, 2013
- 28,175
Starting a new thread for scanner discussions.
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.Aren't a lot of agencies going to encrypted comms?
I need to get with you and learn to program a Harris or two.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
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!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..
Sure no problem. Let me know when and I will bring my Harris XG100P with me as well plus a programming cable. Let me know what kind of radio you haveI need to get with you and learn to program a Harris or two.
Will do.Sure no problem. Let me know when and I will bring my Harris XG100P with me as well plus a programming cable. Let me know what kind of radio you have
Thanks, I'll hit you up once I get my radio.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.