[ScanIndiana] Scanner Question

[David L Norris]

On Sun, 2003-09-14 at 21:22, TH wrote:
> I know this is probably a loaded question, but what is the best digital
> scanner??  I'm reading that the Bearcat APCO 25 card does not support
> 9600 baud.  It looks like Radio Shack has a newer hand held that does
> support 9600 baud.  How much of SAFT-T is 9600?? (I live in Johnson
> County).

None.  SAFE-T is completely 3600 baud.  Analog talkgroups are
monitorable with any of the Trunktrackers.

SAFE-T has commited to supporting analog radios because they are cheap. 
Many agencies have purchased analog radios for use with SAFE-T.  9600
baud systems don't support analog radios.  Err, analog radios don't
support 9600.  Err, well, you get the picture.  So, I don't foresee them
switching to 9600 baud at any point in the foreseeable future.  Maybe
10-15 years down the road.

> $500 - $600 is a lot to shell out for a new scanner and I want
> to make sure if I spend the bucks, I get a scanner that will receive the
> digital system.

In my opinion, the BC250D and BC785D are not worth the money.  They're
just slightly better than nothing.  Uniden's current radios have
absolutely horrible digital audio quality.  And you have to fiddle with
the decode settings for hours to even get it to produce something that
sounds like speech.

I think you might be better off looking into a Radio Shack PRO-96.  I
haven't heard the audio but from the specs I'd expect it to be nearly as
good as the Motorola radios.  I'm sure they'll have demos in the stores
sometime soon.

-- 
 David Norris
  http://www.webaugur.com/dave/
  ICQ - 412039