# Best handheld scanner?



## paramedichopeful (Aug 10, 2009)

My current handheld scanner for personal use is a Bearcat with 10 channels. Old, piece of crap, never stays charged for more than an hour. I am looking into getting a new one so that I can keep up on what's going on when I'm not at the station (director requires students to leave their radios at the station). What do you guys recommend? I was looking at the Motorola, but I don't know. Any ideas?


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## JPINFV (Aug 10, 2009)

Best scanner?


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## Mountain Res-Q (Aug 10, 2009)

JP... that is soooo OLD SCHOOL... Try the new model...


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## firecoins (Aug 10, 2009)

radio shack has some good ones.


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## frdude1000 (Aug 10, 2009)

Radio Shack Pro-94.  Got mine on ebay for $60.  Don't make it your life though or people with think your a whacker


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## Sasha (Aug 10, 2009)

frdude1000 said:


> Radio Shack Pro-94.  Got mine on ebay for $60.  Don't make it your life though or people with think your a whacker



I think that assesment has already been made.


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## WuLabsWuTecH (Aug 10, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I think that assesment has already been made.


Hey man, I have a radio shack scanner and I don't think i'm a whacker!

Granted I use it mostly for work (we have to monitor two dispatch frequencies b/c we're dispatched by 2 fire alarm offices) but having a radio shack pro scanner does NOT make you a whacker!


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## MrRevesz (Aug 10, 2009)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Hey man, I have a radio shack scanner and I don't think i'm a whacker!
> 
> Granted I use it mostly for work (we have to monitor two dispatch frequencies b/c we're dispatched by 2 fire alarm offices) but having a radio shack pro scanner does NOT make you a whacker!



Depends on the user 

Radioshack has a few good ones, there's a few good websites around, do a google search


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## Sasha (Aug 10, 2009)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Hey man, I have a radio shack scanner and I don't think i'm a whacker!
> 
> Granted I use it mostly for work (we have to monitor two dispatch frequencies b/c we're dispatched by 2 fire alarm offices) but having a radio shack pro scanner does NOT make you a whacker!



YOU dont think you're a whacker...


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## JPINFV (Aug 10, 2009)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Granted I use it mostly for work (we have to monitor two dispatch frequencies b/c we're dispatched by 2 fire alarm offices) but having a radio shack pro scanner does NOT make you a whacker!


That is correct. Having a *Radioshack* scanner does not make you a wacker. People who have private scanners (outside of limited circumstances like reporters) are, by definition, wackers. If you have to monitor two frequencies, then your company should provide you with two radios.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Aug 11, 2009)

MrRevesz said:


> Depends on the user
> 
> Radioshack has a few good ones, there's a few good websites around, do a google search



I'll admit it again.  Scanner in the car... scanner in the home (in addition to my radio).  Again, depends on who you are.  I have them for several reasons, and none of them are to whacker respond to calls.  I DO NOT sit in my car in navy BDUs and a duty belt, waiting for fire tones to sound out so I can beat ems/fire to calls!  My scanners are 75% for SAR reasons, 20% because I live in a wildfire nightmare area (and everyone has a scanner in the summer for that reason), and (sigh) 5% because I find the background chatter comforting.

That said, Bearcat installed in the Jeep (250 channels) and a Radio Shack model in the home.  Kenwood dual-band two-way on a charger... ready to go...


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## WuLabsWuTecH (Aug 11, 2009)

JPINFV said:


> That is correct. Having a *Radioshack* scanner does not make you a wacker. People who have private scanners (outside of limited circumstances like reporters) are, by definition, wackers. If you have to monitor two frequencies, then your company should provide you with two radios.



What's the difference between a private label scanner and a RadioShack one?

And our company does provide us with multiple radios (4).  The problem is that 2 of them are the older bricks that double as a defensive weapon.  When I'm in station, I keep the scanner in the conference room where I study and do homework since there is no PA in the conference room and the other radio on the other frequency.  That way I don't have to rely on others to come get me when the tones drop.  The scanner stays on in the conference room and usually I don't even turn it off when I leave (and I never take it wiht me on the run)

I've actually been trying to find a better way to handle this dispatching.  The scanner works better now.  We also have 2 radios that are assigned to the 2 frequencies at the start of shift and the other 2 can float as desired.  The assigned ones HAVE to stay on that frequency unless we are on a run and have marked OOS with the dispatcher we are not running for.  We used to set the radios to scan, but since one frequency is constantly dispatching, we'd sometimes miss the other frequency calling our numbers.

Any suggesstions?  Integrating into only one dispatch would cost us 29k a year that we don't have but I looked into that too.


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## ResTech (Aug 12, 2009)

Uniden is the primary manufacturer of scanners... I dont know the model numbers but all will receive with pretty much the same sensitivity. Radio Shack sells scanners but they don't actually manufacture their own... they are made by other companies with the Radio Shack name stamped on em. 

GRC makes scanners but they are high-end and kinda expensive. 

Speaking of scanners, Uniden has a new & awesome mobile scanner coming out this month... the BCT15X... I want one of these bad boys. 

http://info.uniden.com/twiki/pub/UnidenMan4/BCT15X/BCT15X_front.png


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## JPINFV (Aug 12, 2009)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> What's the difference between a private label scanner and a RadioShack one?


Nothing. The act of owning a scanner, regardless of make or model, has an extremely high positive predictive value of wackerism.


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## ResTech (Aug 12, 2009)

Thats only if they walk around with the scanner on their side cranked up for all to hear.


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## paramedichopeful (Aug 12, 2009)

first things first: I AM NOT A WHACKER!!!!! the only reason I have a scanner is to stay informed. I use it for weather info, as a LEARNING TOOL (decipher 10-codes and information), and to keep tabs on what's going on at the station. Oh, and my uncle is a staff sgt. with the Illinois State Police, so  I try to keep up on where he's at and what he's doing. Does it make me an obsessive psycho just because I like to know what's going on around me? 
think again

to everyone who posted recommendations, i thank you. I am looking at the radioshack pro scanner very closely, and i'm pretty sure that's the one i'm gonna get


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## ResTech (Aug 12, 2009)

Just don't walk around with it attached to your hip and blaring in Subway  

I agree though... I have had a scanner since I was about 12... its nice to have to stay informed of what's going on in your area especially during severe weather... the newer ones have the S.A.M.E encoding which will alert to severe weather broadcasts by the National Weather Service specific for your County.

I have always had a fascination with radio communications so if that makes me a whacker, than so be it.


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## medic417 (Aug 12, 2009)

How are you going to hear with so many going digital and encoded?


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## ResTech (Aug 12, 2009)

The new scanners are capable of tuning in Trunked, digital systems by EDACS, MOTOROLA, E.F. JOHNSON, etc. 

These are more the high end though around $225 starting price tag. The BCT15X can even decode pager tones and can interconnect with GPS.

Scanners today are far from the old crystal controlled scanners.


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## subliminal1284 (Aug 12, 2009)

The best handheld scanner is your blackberry

http://ota.berryscanner.com/


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## TotowaEMT (Aug 12, 2009)

radioshack pro-95 is cheap and gets trunked systems


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## WuLabsWuTecH (Aug 13, 2009)

TotowaEMT said:


> radioshack pro-95 is cheap and gets trunked systems


I'm pretty sure that's the one I have.

It's also pretty easy to program.

I got it when I was in hs for listening to aviation freq but a nice side effect i found was that it gets fire/ems!


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