A good police/fire scanner??

[Biggsly]

My F.I.L. has had his police scanner since 1972. It has been a good one and he has it on every day. Well...... It finally died on him last week. He was talking about how bad he missed it today.
The wife and I have decided to buy him one, but I do not know anything about them. I have seen that they are priced from cheap to holy chit.


What is a good scanner for a decent price?
Things to look for?

 

[dx3]

By chance does he have an iPhone? 5-0 scanner is a free app and you can hear a lot of them

 

[Biggsly]

By chance does he have an iPhone? 5-0 scanner is a free app and you can hear a lot of them

I told him about the apps today, but he wants a good table top scanner.

 

[okie362]

Bearcat is what I wou'd recommend.

 

[TerryMiller]

Handheld or tabletop?

I have a handheld that I really don't see a need for keeping, but I'll send you a private message about it. I do have the scanner and antenna, plus the manuals.

EDIT: When I started composing this message, there was only your initial post. Now I see you said he wants a table top. I'll still PM you, just in case.

 

[p238shooter]

I do not know the radio systems in his area, most likely if he was able to hear what he wanted using an older one, he was not in the metro area. One of the lesser expensive ones most likely will work. Most of the larger cities have gone to what is called a "trunking" system which takes a special type scanner and can be much harder to set up. In my area the SO has gone to a system that no scanner will or will ever be able to listen to. Uniden has been a very reliable brand name for many years. Many of the Radio shack scanners used to be made for them. If you can get a good Radio Shack employee close to where he lives, you might get some help. Good luck to you.

 

[p238shooter]

I see you are getting multiple posts. the Bearcat mentioned is Uniden Bearcat. Above average units in my opinion.

 

[travisstorma]

What county does he live in? Since the scanner was so old, I'm guessing what he wants to listen to is conventional channels and no trunked and / or digital. I'd recommend one of the cheaper Unidens. (I'm sure it can do more than the old scanner ever thought possible!)

What happened to the old one? Does it not power on?

 

[Fyrtwuck]

What scanners will work anymore? A lot of departments have gone to digital trunked encrypted frequencies. There is very little I can pick up on mine anymore.

 

[Poke78]

Buy nothing before you go to www.RadioReference.com and look for the area where he lives so you can understand the type of scanner he's going to need. That website also has an excellent Wiki that will answer a lot of questions as you are studying the area systems. If you care to share where he lives and what he is interested in monitoring, I'll spend a moment to look over the basics to give you some pointers and things you'll need to consider.