Uniden BCD396T TrunkTracker IV APCO Digital Handheld Scanner with 5500 Dynamic Channels

List Price: $699.99 Discount Price: $505.00

Features:

• 5500 dynamically allocated channels (3500 typical)
• Motorola analog and APCo25, EDACS analog, and LTR analog trunking
• Pager Screen, Fire Station Tone-out, Extended Quick Keys
• Service Search, CTCSS/DCS, Repeater Reverse, Alpha Tagging, Data Skip, Weather Search
• SAME Wx Alert, Search Auto Store, Close CAll Auto Store, Priority Scanning, Backlit Display, PC Programming and Control, plus On-Air Cloning

Customer Reviews:

Comparison for BCD996tT Baseunit and this Portable Version [Posted on 2006-11-01]
I've seen and used both and I would recommend getting the BCD996T instead of the portable version unless you really need something to work in the event of a power outage or without power.

I've had a portable BC245XLT in the past, and I find I'm either using it within a vehicle or at home where there is a constant power source available. Rarely is there a power outage, but when power is out is when you really need a portable!

Since I'm really only using these devices while at home or in a vehicle, it's more desirable to have a base unit. The plus for having a base unit, more features, more buttons, more hardware as opposed to a tiny device with too few tiny buttons for too many features! And the added fact it's always getting knocked over or off the table! :-)

If portable power is a slight concern, I'm sure one could easily modify a cable for a 12V power battery pack of choice. This might be my next on my list of things to aquire for my BCD996T. If there is a power outage, most times, you'll only want to listen to Fire/EMS and those systems can be easily heard on my old non-digital portable.

Another reason you might choose this device, you're always on-the-go or travelling and this is your very first scanner. I'm giving this device 3 stars as the software layout is still quite similar to the BCD996T, and really just the h/w layout is different. I bought and rated the BCD996T at 4 stars and have a preference for the baseunit.

I hope I help those decide whether to go portable or base unit! :-)

Uniden' best thus far (Top 5) [Posted on 2007-07-02]
I have had this for ove one year now.
and NO it is NOT my first scanner nor reciver for that manner.(Google, or Yahoo for Differences)
I have Pretty much ALL of the BAy area in here: San Francisco, Santa Clara, Marin Novato, ALameda City,
Oakland Etc
With about 40 percent of space left to experiment with
It can be updated for the Rebanding
IF that ever comes
I could go on
But I dont wan't to tire anyone
As I could write the days away
Uniden THANK YOU!!!
Crista

BCD396 Scanner (trunking) [Posted on 2007-09-11]
My experience with this scanner was mostly negative. The handbook is like reading hyroglyphics. My scanner was defective with all the promised pre-programmed frequencies missing. No matter how closely I followed the manual, I could not get it programmed. The scanner itself is good style wise. Just know what you're doing and make sure your scanner is operating properly.

Great performance after complicated setup [Posted on 2008-02-17]
Whether you buy this as a toy or a tool, this is not a device that is going to spring out of its box ready to use. I consider myself fairly experienced in electronics and radio-related stuff and it took me several obsessive evenings of tinkering with the settings, reading and re-reading the manual, and searching through a half dozen online forums and reference sites dedicated to just this scanner model to get things set up properly.

Most folks who own this scanner are happy to share the files they have created of their own metropolitan areas (I found and downloaded complete Baltimore County files in a few minutes after subscribing BCD396T Yahoo Group) and with the included data cable every feature of the scanner can be controlled and modified from the computer screen.

Now that the unit is completely set up, it works exactly the way I want it to. This is a great portable scanner if you have digital trunking systems in your area, or anticipate your local systems going digital in the next few years. The back-light works great and lights up the buttons along with the display, which makes the scanner as easy to use in the dark as in full daylight.

The included antenna is a wide-band scanner antenna, so expect to have to purchase a band-specific antenna for the unit if you're mostly concerned with listening to 700 or 800 MHz trunking bands in your area and want the best possible performance on those bands.

If you have no digital systems in your area, you may want to check out some of the less expensive alternatives without digital capability such as the UNIDEN BC-246T Compact Hand Held Scanner.

A good scanner [Posted on 2008-05-24]
It is quite difficult to set up, but it is of great performance. The low frequency edge 25MHz is too large. It have to be zero.

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