HomePatrol Scanner

 

Sort of GPS related. Picked up a Uniden HomePatrol scanner. Really quite a neat radio. Instead of looking up frequencies for your area, and programming in the trunked systems that police and fire use, you just enter in your zip code and the scanner selects the appropriate services from the US database it stores on internal SD memory. You can update the database weekly on their website. Another neat feature is, it has a GPS data connection. You can connect a GPS input to it.......and as you drive it will select the frequencies for the area you're currently in.

Only caveat there is in some states it's illegal to have a scanner in your vehicle, unless you're a licensed amateur operator or have other authority to have one. But the receiver is quite sensitive and selective. You can enable or disable any of the frequencies it selects and tailor your own set of favorites as well. I haven't noticed any intermod interference on it. Quite a neat and compact scanner radio !

By the way I purchased this unit because my 30 year old Bearcat 300 finally bit the dust.

www.homepatrol.com

and amazingly expensive

Lets not forget to mention that it is very very expensive, particularly for a Uniden device (Uniden isn't known for high quality durable items).

Yes

Yes it sure isn't a $200 dollar unit, but then back in the late 70's when I got the Bearcat 300 that was considered pricey as well, and it lasted 30 years. So....at my age if this one last's maybe 20 more, I'll be a happy camper. LOL LOL LOL

Good Ones for me

I have and old bearcat 210Xl and a handheld. Both over 30 years old and going strong plus the original battery in the handheld. I also have two from radio shack and they are not as good. I have been looking at that one also.

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johnm405 660 & MSS&T

other scanners

I'm not familiar with the homepatrol Uniden, but I have owned one or two of their scanners. I also have an old Bearcat 101 that just had sixteen channels and you had to flip switches to different positions to program it. No readout just leds for each channel it was scanning.

My favorite scanners are a hand-held and a desktop Aor. The hand-held will scan any frequency from somewhere below the AM broadcast band to, without looking at the manual, I think something like 1.3 GIG and the desktop will go up to, there again, I think something like 2.3 GIG. When we go to an airshow if the Blue Angles or one of the other teams are performing I program their frequencies in so we can listen to the pilots talking back and forth.

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Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

AOR

Don B - AOR makes a bunch of nice radios, and they always get really good reviews.

Uniden scanners

I have had pretty good luck with Uniden scanners starting with their Bearcat 800XLT and then the BC340CRS and the BC350A. (I also have an Electra Bearcat 20/20 but it was made before Uniden took over the Bearcat name.)

My Radio Shack model Pro 160 is made by Uniden.

So when South Dakota when digital, I bought a Home Patrol and it has been working very well for me.