SCANNER RECOMMENDATION

[AIRMAN]

Once again I am thinking of updating. Under consideration are the following:

AOR AR-8200 Mk3b Series III - currently discounted 20% to $572 Goes up to 3Gig and has true carrier insertion SSB

Uniden BCD 396T apco25 INC remote head, which I would never need - best $720 (ouch!)

ICOM RX-7 a new kid on the block HH no SSB, complex programming, no keypad light - around $400

ICOM IC-R20 been around a while. Has 1 GB inbuilt recording feature and dual watch. 3 Gig and SSB $599

I owned an AOR previous model and found it was a fantastic receiver, but it is big and heavy by today's standards. I did like the illuminated dial and keypad, but it takes 4 X AA's and not much stamina. Better used as a desktop with a plug in charger.

By comparison, the Icom RX7 has a lithium battery that they claim lasts 12 hrs on a single charge.

Both the RX7 and the IC-R20 have good reviews on EHAM.

Finally the quandary of the Uniden 396T with its remote head. I rang a dealer in Sydney and he said he would sell it without the remote head for $699! :sc I don't think it has SSB and ACPO25 isn't happening (as yet) where I live.

I will have to sell my UBCT9 and my Icom-ICR5 to fund anything over $500.

Anyone has opinion on these or any other scanning receivers?

Cheers
Airman

[Finch]

Hi Airman,
I have heard that the RX7 isn’t very good on airband but it's good on other bands.
If you were to go for the 396T it would have to be the Aussie version UBCD396T not the BCD396T or else you'll miss out on the top edge of the 800mhz trunking band.
If it were me buying a new scanner I’d go for the UBCD396T simply because it has trunktracker.
If your not interested in trunking I'd go for the R20, it has dual watch which would be handy and the R20 has a built in CTCSS decode function where as the AOR 8200 has a card that you would have to buy to decode CTCSS.

[AIRMAN]

Hey Alex,

Thanks for your input. Your comment about the RX7 I've read that before somewhere as well, so I'm crossing it off my list. One of the absolute requirements I need is the Airband to work well. The keypad factor is another strike against too.

The AOR, is becoming 'dated' and due for an update so I may disregard that as well unless it gets cheaper.

The R20 seems to me to be a better choice as it not only has a good Airband operation it has SSB as well as lots of other features including the recording facility. Icom products that I have previously owned have never broken down on me and they seem to have a pretty good engineering quality and finish.



This leaves the Uniden UBCD396T.
Unless someone on this forum has can state as a hard fact rather than unsupported heresay that ACPO25 will be the norm for all emergency services, especially in this region, within the next 5 years, I don't believe the outlay for a UBCD396T will be worth it for me. As you say it is a scanner mainly for use in Trunk Tracking, a feature that I already have on my UBCT9 and haven't yet heard any voice traffic on it out here.

Once again thanks for your comments :st

[robb]

Just get a 396...they're a wonderful scanner....a real gold treasure!

[Scannersplitterguy]

I have an AR8200MK3B. It's an awesome radio!
Check the price at www.prestigecom.net.au. $499 with free freight. Even cheaper on eBay (same seller).
It has computer-control capability and a discriminator tap built in (you need to buy an AOR cable to do either of these).
Alpha numeric tagging, twin VFO's, good battery life when using 2600mAh NIMH batteries etc etc.

I've had mine about 4 years now and I have no desire to replace it with a 'newer' radio.

[robb]

Unless someone on this forum has can state as a hard fact rather than unsupported heresay that ACPO25 will be the norm for all emergency services, especially in this region, within the next 5 years, I don't believe the outlay for a UBCD396T will be worth it for me.

I prob should add that in Tassie we have a different set up as to why a 396 may be more suited, but then again the ubct9 will do trunking, so in that case another option as well as an AOR-8200 is an Icom IC R20 which is a good scanner. I have been told that interference might be a lil more present with it, it is the case here in Hobart as the local mountain has a lovely 10kW FM transmitter!