BUYING FIRST SCANNER
 

I am buying my first scanner a, thinking about Uniden BC796D. I am an
retired and looking for something to do. I don't want to buy a cheap one
and then wish I hadn't. I would like to hear any positive or negative feed
backs. They have them for sale on eBay for $569.00.
Thanks ahead of time

I hope you're kidding about buying it on eBay. That model goes for $520
most places online.


"Brent" wrote in message
...
I am buying my first scanner a, thinking about Uniden BC796D. I am an
retired and looking for something to do. I don't want to buy a cheap one
and then wish I hadn't. I would like to hear any positive or negative
feed backs. They have them for sale on eBay for $569.00.
Thanks ahead of time

I agree with Doug Slug, Brent...."buying" one on Ebay makes no sense $$$'s
wise. Shop around the web, theres plenty of dealers that have the 796D for a
lot less. Try Communications Electronics in Ann Arbor Michigan
www.usascan.com . They have the 796D shipped new with a set of headphones,
for $519.95 !! I've bought a few items from them and they are great to work
with.

I have owned the 796D for a while now and its a super scanner. I have a lot
of digital trunked 800 activity in my area, so this scanner suits my needs
just fine. First off...make sure you have enough digital 800 systems in your
area to make this worthwhile. Check with www.radioreference.com to see what
systems are active in your area. If you live in a small town, or don't have
any 800 digital stuff around, you might want to consider an analog 800
scanner, which is considerably cheaper. Another thing to consider is whether
or not a digi-trunked system has a 3600 baud or 9600 baud control channel.
If any or all of them run 9600 baud cc's, the only scanners around now that
will decode them is the 796D, 296D (handheld), Radio Shack Pro-96 (handheld)
and soon to be on the marked Pro2096 (base model).

Hope that helps,

Chris

$500 buys a lot of scanner...you would do better spending that kind of money on
an Icom or a Yaesu. pcox

Brent wrote:

I am buying my first scanner a, thinking about Uniden BC796D. I am an
retired and looking for something to do. I don't want to buy a cheap one
and then wish I hadn't. I would like to hear any positive or negative feed
backs. They have them for sale on eBay for $569.00.
Thanks ahead of time

What is your reason for thing these are better scanners.


"Pat Cox" wrote in message
...
$500 buys a lot of scanner...you would do better spending that kind of
money on
an Icom or a Yaesu. pcox

Brent wrote:

I am buying my first scanner a, thinking about Uniden BC796D. I am an
retired and looking for something to do. I don't want to buy a cheap one
and then wish I hadn't. I would like to hear any positive or negative
feed
backs. They have them for sale on eBay for $569.00.
Thanks ahead of time

Hi, Brent. Since this is your first scanner, the 796 is a lot of scanner for
a newbie and can easuly become confusing and might discourage you if it is
too much trouble. It;s kinda like buying a sports car and dying in a crash
because you couldn't handle the car.
May I recommend getting something inexpensive (a good deal) from a friend.
local hamfest, or ebay, and cut your teeth in scanning with that one? When
you get comfortable and you feel you need more, sell it and get a better
scanner. Better yet, keep it as a dedicated radio for the freq,'s you listen
to all the time.

If you are here in New England where project 25 (digital) is heavily in use
and you gotta have digital, I would like to recommend the Pro-96 or the
mobile version when it comes out. The multi level menus in the 796 can be
confusing while the Pro-96 is straightforward and works without having to
set up banks with special settings to decode the apco 25.

Good luck!

Jason


"Brent" wrote in message
...
I am buying my first scanner a, thinking about Uniden BC796D. I am an
retired and looking for something to do. I don't want to buy a cheap one
and then wish I hadn't. I would like to hear any positive or negative
feed
backs. They have them for sale on eBay for $569.00.
Thanks ahead of time

"Jason G." wrote in message
news:yXPbd.369468$mD.242989@attbi_s02...
If you are here in New England where project 25 (digital) is heavily in
use
and you gotta have digital, I would like to recommend the Pro-96 or the
mobile version when it comes out. The multi level menus in the 796 can be
confusing while the Pro-96 is straightforward and works without having to
set up banks with special settings to decode the apco 25.

Good luck!

Jason


I would forget anything from radio shack. The Pro 96 has a firmware defect.
No mil air (without Win96). No serial connection for computer control. Go
with the 796. Read the manual. If you can, get SCANCAT or ARC250 software
and program it with a computer. Definitely not Plug-N-Play, but that's half
the fun. Enjoy.....................


"Brent" wrote in message
...
I am buying my first scanner a, thinking about Uniden BC796D. I am an
retired and looking for something to do. I don't want to buy a cheap
one
and then wish I hadn't. I would like to hear any positive or negative
feed
backs. They have them for sale on eBay for $569.00.
Thanks ahead of time