Best Digital Trunking Police Scanner (2024 Updated)

Never heard of Whistler brand until I researched digital trunking scanners and found it to be a top contender. Public Service transmissions are understandably more complex and require a more sophisticated receiver to follow transmissions coherently in real time.

I was concerned about how complex one of these devices would be to operate. Bottom line: If you can run a smartphone youll have no problems getting this scanner up and running in 5 minutes. Intuitive quick start menu lets you enter a location by Country, State/Region, County, City, Zip Code, and allows what services you want to monitor: police, fire, public safety, and automatically programs those in.

Hit Scan and youre off. Then you can have it seek other frequencies not yet programmed. All that and I havent even read the manual yet. so theres more. Best handheld Ive EVER owned. I honestly dont know how it compares with Bearcat or Radio Shack-branded competition, so take that under advisement.

That said, I live in an extremely rural setting and now know if a neighbor needs help or if a local emergency is occurring, which is the whole point of having a scanner. Very thankful for this device; if youre considering a scanner in this category, Ive found its worth the money, easy to start using, and effective.

Good luck in your search for a handheld digital trunking scanner!!! EDIT TO ADD: This unit does not come with an AC adapter or batteries. I got Panasonic ENELOOP NiMH rechargeable batteries to use in it, but wanted to have external power options, for obvious reasons.

The scanner has a single large USB port for an external power source and data transfer, if you already have an appropriate 5V 2. 1 amp adapter and the right USB cable, youre good to go, I purchased a separate AC power supply and cable that powers the unit AND charges the batteries, so you might consider the same.

I also have a 12V 2. 1 amp adapter for cigarette lighter/power ports on my vehicles and save battery life for times when no external power is available.

I am not new to scanning. I wanted to get the best scanner possible for under $600 US. I did some research and found that while the Uniden’s are great scanners. this one seemed to be what I wanted in a scanner.

It is fairly easy to set up and run. I had a Radioshack Pro 668 and this scanner is similar to that one. same procedure to program from your computer. Can be programmed via keyboard but computer to mini SDXC card is faster and better.

Can also program by just entering in your zip code. very easy. Some people say they have problems with the AP25 1 & 2 systems. I found that after I understood what this scanner can do and how to adjust it to perform at its best, those AP25 problems were a thing of the past.

I also find that many people complain about reception but use the factory supplied rubber duck. The best thing to get for this or any scanner is an outdoor antenna like the Omni-X. That alone with help greatly with reception.

I am now getting signals from police departments up to 70 miles away. I can receive signals that I could not in the past by putting an outdoor antenna up. This hobby can get real addictive. and it keeps me up too too late at night.

I am going to have to sell this scanner as it is keeping me from getting a good night’s sleep! I highly recommend this scanner. It works well, sounds great especially when hooked up to powered speakers and after understanding what everything does.

all the problems that people seem to have are no longer a problem. you just have to use it and figure it out.

After the first week, the on and off button quit working. I tried to turn it off, and it no longer will work. The on/ off is a push button set up. Whistler should have made it with a turn knob. Only other thing I don’t like is it doesn’t have a volume button to turn it down.

It works great other than that. The above problem doesn’t make it a good value. Costs too much to have those problems.

I LOVE THIS refurbished WS1040 as I canNOT tell it from a factory new one (and I’m an old retired Electronic Technician)! It looked NEW!! All accessories came with it (apparently new). I took about 10 minutes to put in my local Police P25 Trunking Frequencies and Talk groups, then hit scan and was listening to my local police! I’ve hand-jammed a bunch more (turning on other features like priority for my local, Audio Boost for all P25 Systems (I recommend this on ALL P25 systems)).

I am SOOOOO very happy I bought this refurbished WS1040 – II saved hundreds; I hope your experience is as good as mine. I also (a week later) purchased the Whistler Recommended Software (PSREdit500) to Program by computer (and no hand-jamming all the frequencies if you have a radio reference subscription.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!.

I use this scanner at work. It is programmed for my local sheriff’s department and does great. I don’t use batteries, I use it plugged in. There are numerous YouTube videos that describe how to use it.

There are better scanners for a few hundred dollars more but there much worse scanners for just $100 less. this scanner started out at 500 when it first came out. It has dropped in price dramatically, not because of its quality but because it’s selling so much and because it does not have some high-tech displays like other scanners (like a magnetic display that you could snap right off), but these fancy displays don’t make a difference with frequencies.

It’s definitely not a turn on and get going system even though you can hit the scanner and start to pick up a lot of stuff. However the key to good scanning is knowing the frequencies you like and separating them from the others so the others don’t interfere.

You don’t have to get rid of the others and you could still listen to the others but you want them separated or you will take the risk of having everything come in together and creating an unclear signal.

The best and easiest way to program them is by hooking your scanner up to another exact model that has already been programmed and you could transfer everything over. I believe you could do this with the ws1040 and the ws1065 as well.

I think the ws1065 is the best deal cuz you could get them at about the same price, but having a handheld is an extreme advantage; unless you’re a sit home alone all day type of person, you will find more use out of the handheld with traveling and so forth, whether it’s to your job, to the store, or on a vacation.

I’ve had this scanner for three years and I am satisfied with it. Many people seem to complain about programming it but as an amateur to scanners, I had no problem with it. I love that I don’t need to use a computer to program it.

I bought it because I could manually do everything. I’m sure there are many better ones but for $200-$300 I’d say it’s a good choice. The only downside is the belt clip. It’s not a swivel type so if you move a little fast then it’ll fly off your belt and fall on the floor.

I had to buy a separate belt clip with a swivel design at an extra cost.

The Uniden BC75XLT police scanner receive signals good on batteries only. The police scanner does not receive signals very good when I use the USB cell phone power supply to power the scanner like the manual said.

The receive signals are very Scratchy and static when I use the USB power supply. But it receive very good on batteries only. Have to change batteries in it every 6 to 8 hours to listen to it all day.

I tried 3 different USB phone charger to power the police scanner and all 3 did the same thing. The scanner was still scratchy and static. It get expensive running it in batteries all the time. But it play good on batteries.

The Uniden Bearcat is good value and provides a wide range of frequencies. As with most scanners the programming is not easy, however the instruction manual is comprehensive and with careful study programming is achieved in short order.

The weak point is the audio. Obviously a small speaker in a compact scanner does suffer from lack of clarity. Use of headphones improves matters, and indeed is to be recommended for security in use. A plus point is the easy handling and lightness of the scanner, ideal when carrying around air shows for example.

The charging time is 14 hours from empty batteries which is typical of type in my experience. So far I have not had enough time to see how long the charge lasts. A second set (2) of batteries would be useful, besides it will take standard non-chargeable although you have to select with a tiny switch in the battery compartment.

So far I am pleased with the product and look forward to a long trouble free future. My previous scanner gave me over 25 years service!.

I purchased this for listening to the railroads and fir the weather-bands so it more than fills my needs I didn’t need 300 channels. However as my needs expands I will be ready with the room to add extra channels.

It’s beautiful to look at and gets great comments from everyone. I would purchase again it’s great. Almost forgot the battery options are great. You have option of using regular AA battery or rechargeable, if using rechargeable there is a switch inside battery compartment that needs to be changed to rechargeable and if using rechargeable user has option to charge battery’s inside scanner with supplied cable.

Ok folks here is the straight scoop! This is a GREAT scanner that takes time to understand. It is not like the scanners from back in the day. This scanner “MUST BE PROGRAMMED USING A PC, NOT AN APPLE.

” My first advice to the would be buyer is go to “A VIDEO SITE” and watch the videos on this scanner, especially the videos done by “K4DPS. If you decide to purchase, my suggestion is to program as you follow along with the videos.

The Sentinal software is easy to use and quickly allows you to program. Once you get the hang of programming, you will be able to go back and edit what you want to monitor. For example, you download your state’s Highway Patrol or State Police.

You will see that you have the entire agency in you scanner (EX: Detectives, Truck Units, Patrol Units etc). Depending on what you want to listen to, you can edit and remove the unwanted items. Here in NJ, I removed all the extra items from my State Police bank.

I only have patrol related channels. I would further say that if you can pick one up used, under $385, get it. If you are thinking about buying a BCD996P2 because it is cheaper, I would pay the extra money and get the BCD536HP.

I own both, as well as the BCD-996XT. The scan rate of the 536HP is far superior to the 996P2. I ran a side by side comparison with both radios, scanning the NJ State Police on the same antenna. Both radios were loaded identically and the 996P2 could not keep up with the 536HP.

The 536HP was on frequency 5+ seconds before the 996P2 could find and lock on. The photo of my messy shack shows my receivers and scanners. As you can see, I have way to much stuff. I am attempting to create a nice listening post along with my Ham station (KB2KBC) that is not pictured.

If you have any questions, please drop me an email. Take care and happy scanning. Written on 1-26, 2020.

Fast shipper. Very good scanner well worth the money so easy setup just put zip code in and a range of 20 miles upto 50 miles. I’m very happy. I bought the whistler scanner 1065 and we even took it in to program it in and THEY would not do it so many steps to take and many problems, so I took that one back and got this one.

WAY WAY BETTER ITS LIKE DAY AND NIGHT!! yes, I paid more but like I said Well worth it no headache from this one. very happy thank you !!.

Easy to use. Unbox it, put in your zip code and you are ready to go. I think this radio has a very good front end as it receives very nicely. The audio and speaker quality are quite good. The display is also very clear/sharp.

There are many adjustments that can be made if one desires. If you want DMR, NXDN you have to pay extra for an upgrade. There are other scanners that do this out of the box. Overall great scanner.

Overall, this is a very good scanner. It is not a simple device like the ones from a long time ago – there is a definite learning curve. One of the reasons that it lost a star is that the user manual is terrible.

Be prepared to look online for better sources of documentation. The other reason for losing a star is the included cable for connecting to a computer. This is 2018, not 1998, the vast majority of computers do not have db-9 serial ports.

Most people who want to use the feature will have to get a USB to serial adapter. One other thing to note, when it is first powered on, the “Bear Tracker Alert” tone may be set to the highest volume, which is not controlled by the volume knob.

Be prepared to be startled. Search youtube for “BCT15X Start Up” for info on fixing this.

I think that this is a quality product but I would not recommend it to anyone who thinks that they might have difficulty programming electronics. The manual (online) is near impossible to comprehend for the layman.

It is written in terms that only a ham operator would understand. This radio has way more features than I will ever use or even comprehend. After almost a week of trying to make sense of the manual and also reading an online simplified version of the manual.

I was able to program one of the buttons to our local emergency channels which is all that I was looking for in a scanner. I would not purchase this scanner again. It really has a whole lot of capabilities that I don’t need.

If you are looking for a basic scanner to monitor your local emergency providers, I recommend something that is more user friendly. That said, I do really like the quality of this scanner.

A very capable scanner. It is difficult to program as standalone but once used with Freescan it was a breeze to program. Very fast scanning and using close call pulls in the signals within the locality.

Has picked up weather and ham satellites using a wide band antenna and should result in getting better results once I build dedicated antennas.

This scanner is exceptionally capable and has features in it that I will probably not live long enough to learn. Uniden packed in so many features and ways to scan & search that you really, really, need to take the time to learn it all otherwise you may find yourself enabling something somewhere in the menus only to have inadvertently locked yourself out somewhere else.

So many times I have the scanner telling me it has nothing to scan because I flipped off an agency type or a scan group or didn’t enable the quick key or whatever. If you’re used to the old school scanners – this scanner is NOT that.

However, that all said, if you have patience or are otherwise an expert the scanner is very good. I have P25 phase 2 systems, simulcast systems, conventional systems around me and I can get it all with reasonable consistency.

The speaker is a little weak if there’s a lot of background noise but its workable. One big upside is the fact that you can download updated national database via the Sentinel software for free and you scan that entire database without having to key in any data on the radio itself.

In short, happy with the radio but could do without some of the fancy gingerbread features that make the radio more complicated for me than it needs to be.

This scanner is perfect for picking up nearly all police fire DPS and sheriff scanner frequencies. I think most people have some difficulty like I did picking up certain channels but using a website like radio reference is perfect for locking on to specific channels.

This scanner produces a very clear sound from those frequencies and no static. The only issue with this radio is sound. It has a 3. 5mm jack but any speakers or ear pieces are extremely low volume no matter how high the physical volume knob is.

You need an amplifier type speaker for it to be loud. Otherwise excellent radio.

Best scanner I have owned in my lifetime of many many models. This little wonder can do so much already and I haven’t yet mastered its many features, I do recommend doing your research by reading the manual and watching videos to help you figure out the much different methodology for programming and using this scanner effectively, but after you gain a basic understanding of how it works it is a very useful instrument for monitoring many many different agencies and users.

I especially like the ability to program specific radio or unit numbers into the talkgroups, although it is a very time-consuming task to get done. The audio quality and receptive qualities are outstanding for its size and a much improved feature is the public safety-grade heavy plastic used in the case construction naking it drop-damage resistant.

I would recommend using a plastic screen protector to avoid scratches, in my case I used a short strip of clear packing tape and it has prevented scratches to the screen several times already. Overall this was a pricy purchase but the scanner does everything it claims to do and more, Great purchase decision.

Bought this scanner to get rid of the boxes upon boxes of files that’s been piling up in my home office. It was real easy to set up and my first impression was that it couldn’t be this simple and don’t know why I had waited this long to finally make the decision to purchase.

It’s a bit more expensive but it’s well worth it. I found that feeding different types of paper and quality of paper was not an issue. Everything fed through nicely.

Just received my scanner today. Very impressive looking machine. Easy to follow instructions regarding how to unpack. This is my very first scanner, I could have used a bit more written instructions such as the first few pages of the the user manual.

I pulled the user manual up on-line and reviewed pages 9-13,then I learned the user manual was on the set-up DVD. I fully understood what I was doing and from there everything was a breeze to set up the scanner.

At this point that is all I have done with it. Next step is to read the manual to see how I need to set up my file folders to scan my documents into. I am looking forward to getting away from the paper files in my home office.

This scanner takes out blank pages, automatically rotates upside down pages to the up right position, which is Great, but we were suppose to get scanner than could scan or continue scanning when there are over the “allotted” amount of pages.

If the office doesn’t need to scan over 80 pages at a time then this would be ideal and I would recommend this scanner. Our office usually needs to scan over 100 pages and once I had to scan over 1000.

Therefore I would not recommend this scanner to anyone needing to scan more than the “allotted” amount of pages. We have only had this product half a day. Also I could not find the owners manual on the CD as the website said it is.

Purchased in December 2021 and have scanned maybe three dozen documents and photos. Initially worked great and easy to use, but a few days ago, I started getting an error that the ‘scanner isn’t connected’ even though it’s physically connected via the USB cord and the popup box appears in the lower right corner of the screen indicating the Epson scanner is connected.

After waiting several minutes, it eventually scanned. However, today, this happened over and over again. Tried unplugging, re-plugging, connecting to WiFi, waiting several minutes, etc. Continued to get the same error message after messing with it for over an hour.

It’s now in the trash.

Makes scanning multiple pages quick and easy! I have multi-page sales contracts for my personal business and needed something fast to scan and collate all of the pages into a pdf document to save. I can scan a 4 page document in less than one minute.

It’s lightweight, portable and uses a standard usb plug. I had to go to the Epson website to download the driver and install the product on my computer but it’s very simple and instructions came with the product.

The only downside is you have to do each page at a time (you can’t stack and have it pull each page as it scans) but for the price and scanning quality, it’s worth the manual feeding.

With all digital going encrypted there is no use for a scanner at this price. Forget the upgrades also as encryption has killed most of that as well. The radio pops and skips P25 on many freqs. NXDN barely works and I am in a big city.

Total waste. About the only thing that works good id DMR and thats if you like to listen to taxis and garbage trucks all day! Save your money.

I ABSOLUTLY LOVE THIS SCANNER, EASY TO SET UP AND PICKS UP SIGNALS I NEVER DID ON OLDER MODELS. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD MAKE THIS SCANNER THE BEST IT COULD BE. IS IF IT HAD BLUETOOTH CAPABILITY TO CONNECT WIRELESSLY TO EARPHONES AND SPEAKERS.

The entire USA is going encryption so even after you buy the overpriced radio and all the (not included) 250 dollar upgrades you still won’t receive much besides analog! Just buy a cheap scanner or wideband receiver and save your cash.

It’s a good scanner with the proper outdoor antenna installed. The supplied antenna is only adequate for short-distance receptions. Most public safety (police) transmissions are encrypted in some fashion.

My particular area (southeast Michigan) is encrypted with OpenSky 9600 baud technology. Making it impossible to receive ANY police transmissions with the WS1040, or any present-day manufactured scanner.

Non-encrypted transmissions are good-to-go with the WS1040.

Looking for a small hand held portable scanner. This fit the bill. A little bit larger than a Kenwood tk3180. Will upgrade antenna to get better reception. It does eat batteries so get some rechargeable ones.

Have not used the sentinel software yet to upgrade and program. It works good enough out of the box. Listening to local fire, police. Very cool. Happy with my purchase.

One of the lowest best prices for the radio. I got the newer run of the models and it is great. I have discovered many talkgroups and unlisted frequencies in my area and I have department issued equipment that did not have it all.

If your use to old scanners it may seem confusing at first but you’ll learn quick. It is very handy with the store and record discovery options. The reception is on mine at least equal to my issued APX and xts portables.

It really surprised me. I even pick up a NOAA station almost 100 miles away. Trunking is really good for a scanner. Very satisfied. I only reccomend to download the online pdf you can find while purchasing waiting so you can learn it.

Then if needed read the included manual when it comes. Another advantage is the the optional pro voice key and DMR key from uniden which is a paid upgrade but worth getting it now as both are about 50 each and they are more of if you live in areas with DMR and Pro Voice which isn’t all over.

But out of the box the scanner is good and great to go if you do not use those 2 formats. Included is p25 formats phase 1 and 2. Nac tone and ctcss decoding. Overall 10 of 10 rating. Only minor issue I have is no squelch tail elimination but not many scanners ever have that feature which is a commercial gear feature inconventional analog however trunking and digital does not have squelch tail so it’s good.

If your finicky about that minor irrelevant analog squelch tail in conventional a whistler would be your choice but the bcd436hp has a keypad while whistler brands do not. The custom search features is smoother to me then whistler models.

Just make sure when getting your scanner to copy all the sd card data to a folder on pc so you have a backup. Then after that use the free uniden software found on uniden site with the included usb charging cable to edit or add banks which now are called favorites lists.

Also update connected to the internet your uniden sentinel software and frequency database to latest. Trust me it’s nice to have a entire known database where you just enter the zip code. Also update the firmware on scanner to latest using the free software from uniden website.

Overall I love this scanner as I can leave my work radios off while off duty now and just use the scanner to monitor more in my area. If your a leo I would suggest the bcd436hp handheld and the bcd536hp desktop mobile for office home or unit to monitor clear trunked systems.

Ymmv depending on how well your agencies system is built but I am very happy and I think you will be too.

The BCD996P2 is another high quality Uniden scanner radio. But it’s designed for an advanced scanner radio listener who has plenty of experience programming other Uniden radios. If you are new to scanner listening it pays to learn how to program it via computer using the cable that’s provided in the box.

There are multiple software programs available including freeware such as Freescan where it’s easily done, but you need to download drivers from the Uniden website to accomplish this. Take your time and you will love the radio.

Getting a free radio reference membership is also most helpful if you want to learn more about the hobby and how to program scanners like this one. Read the manual that come with the radio also helps.

I own six of this model radio and do a lot of listening at the same time. The build quality of the radio is outstanding and you are not likely to experience problems with it for many years. If you need Uniden repair service they have a fast turnaround.

Many options in the way of programming exist with this radio and are outlined in the manual and in the multiple software programs for it. Keep in mind if you want a radio to use without first programming it, this one is not for you.

If you are not sure whether to purchase the radio or not researchuser opinions about it on E-Bay and on Radio Reference before you spend the money for it. Purchasing it from a dealer that has a return policy is also something to consider in case you buy it and are not happy with the product.

Such dealers do exist and you can find them by searching for them on the internet. I have always liked Uniden quality in its scanners and have purchased Uniden products for as long as they have been making such products.

I have no regrets in purchasing this radio model and would do it again if I felt the need for a seventh one of this model.

I was surprised with this scanner. I have a 436 and 536 scanner and when I got this it really shocked me. The scanner does better than either of the more expensive and more feature rich scanners. It scans much faster and does P25 phase 1 and phase 2 fine.

It also works on 3 different simulcast systems in my area quite well. Conventional is not a problem either. Even though its an old scanner it works better than the fancier ones and I am really impressed.

My next scanner won’t be an SDS 200 but another of these. Does the job and does it better than the more expensive ones. I have it in my car on a simple mag mount mobile scanner antenna and have no problems with anything.

I completely recommend this radio to anyone who is looking for an excellent scanner. I have had a million of them over the years and this one is one of the best.

Pros: This is a professional grade radio and it compares with my best amateur radio equipment. The Uniden BCD996P2 has good sensitivity and selectivity. The audio and clarity for analog and digital signals is very good.

I think this radio rivals some of the commercial digital trunking radios. It is a rock solid radio receiver that will add value to anyone’s radio shack/computer room. Cons: This scanner is unlike the analog scanners we have had in the past that are intuitive and easy to get setup for operation.

Preparing the code plug and programming the radio takes diligent research or prior experience with a trunking radio. There are some aids to help a newbie that can be found by searching the internet for programming Uniden BCD996P2.

Software and program resources are readily available. Some radios may or may not come with a USB cable so verify that before the radio is purchased. My receiver dame with a cable and I had it programmed and ready for use in about 15 minutes.

Of course it took time to unpack it and connect the power cable and antenna. The speaker is on the bottom of the radio which under some circumstances could be an issue especially if it is set flat on a desk.

Speakers can be found on the internet that will enhance the audio of your radio. The user’s manualis more of a primer on Trunked Radio Systems and not necessarily how to get the most from your Uniden BCD996P2.

The print is small so be patient as it takes time to read the manual and if need be prepare your own code plug. This is a great radio receiver and I’d recommend it to anyone for professional or personal use.

After owing every scanner made since the 1970’s I can tell you this radio is impressive. Receiver is very sensitive. The display gives lots of information. Having the ability to change colors which indicate something to the user is a real plus.

Now lets be honest. This is not a tunable or crystal scanner. Its not plug and play. Read the manual. Read marksscanners it explains the radio very well. Watch the YouTube Videos. Find a friend who has one and sit down for a while.

Yes, it is pricey. However, you do get your moneys worth. The keys for DMR and NXDN will add to you listening pleasure. Uniden did a good job listening to the users. Thanks to the late Paul Opitz for giving us what we asked for and then some.

Uniden SDS200 is probably the BEST scanner I have every owned. I’ve had Many scanners through the years. This is the Easiest to program. The last 3 scanners I had professionally programmed. This time I did it myself, just by imputing my zip code.

Custom searches are done on the fly, where it would take a whole series of steps and complicated instructions with previous Uniden or other mfg scanners. The SDS200 you can simply hit one button. You can scan nationally, or change the range of your scan down to 1 mile! There’s 3 main buttons on the display, System, Dept & Channel.

You simply push channel and your holding on that one channel. Push the Dept, and unpush the Channel, your now scanning everything in that selected Department. Works the same for type of System. Best screen I’ve ever seen and it’s completely customizable with so many colors.

Audio is extremely good. I’ve noticed that some of the Negative reviews were listed last year and I believe Uniden probably addressed them since them, because I didn’t have any issues with mine. Absolutely the best Scanner out there, well worth the money!.

No doubt about this scanner being the best. Somewhat complicated programming but read instructions several times until perfectly clear what is required and you will succeed. Does everything manufacturer states about its features.

Expensive , but if you want the best that will give years of service you can’t go wrong on this scanner. PS. Highly addictive you be listening more than ever before!.

This is my dream-come-true scanner. Using the ARC Pro XT software and a subscription to RadioReference I was able to download all of the Public Safety channels and other radio services in my area in very little time and with very little effort.

The software makes a real difference because it does all of the programming of the scanner for you. The BCD996P2 has above average audio quality, and the chassis itself is metal not polymer so it has a nice solid feel to it.

Moreover, the ARC Pro XT logs all received transmissions into a file which cycles out at a monthly rate. Also, if you tag a particular service or frequency it will also record the audio! This truly is the dream scanner.

Previously I owned a Whistler portable scanner but the LCD was too small and the audio to poor in quality. This is a great scanner.

This is not an old school scanner. It picks up digital transmissions and the P25 transmissions. Easy to program with the free scanner software at Radio Reference. Pre-programed with services search and has a close call feature.

A good thing to have if something is going on up the street or a few blocks away. With this radio you will be aware of the amount of crime that happens in your neighborhood that does not appear on the evening news.

Its much more sensitive than any scanner I have owned and I have had several uniden scanners. With its standard antenna I often receive signals over sixty miles away. It`s built like a tank and it is meant for installation in a vehicle, but It`s set up to be a base radio as well.

Uniden radios have always been good quality, which is why they command a premium price. It`s pricey, but properly programmed with available computer software you won`t hear one horn or birdy or data burst.

Right nowbthe BCD996P2 its nearly the best of the best. There is a pre-programed model available but self programing will give you the best results as new frequencies are added and others are retired.

This scanner comes with a bit of a learning curve, but once you learn how the computer software works and you get use to navigating the menus in the scanner programing and searching is easy peasy. All in all, a good purchase.

Highly recommended.

Having been a mechanic for many years (retired now), it was quite a surprise to find this analyzer with so many higher-level features such as real-time run data and snapshots – AND at this price! I was able to accurately diagnose my daughter’s vehicle, which had several codes being presented.

With the ZR8s, I was able to narrow down the true cause of the multiple codes to two of the O2 sensors and an intermittent Throttle Position Sensor. Could not have accomplished this with a basic Code Scanner.

Only reason I didn’t give it a 5-Star Rating is due to the navigation menu not being very intuitive to dig into the different levels for advanced analysis – but with a bit of patience you’ll get there.

If you’re a DIY weekend mechanic, initial level access and code resets is straight forward. Great for both the DIY’s & trained mechanics!!.

It is easy to see why this is the most popular handheld scanner. Very compact, but packed with features. Lots of memories to store your favourite frequencies, which can be organised into banks (groups) for easy management and selection.

Programming can be done directly on the handset or via a computer using a USB lead. Lots of software options, including some great free ones. Included are both CIVIL and MILITARY air band frequency ranges, great if you are an aviation enthusiast.

It’s worth getting the extra long, high gain aerial to receive signals from further away.

The Uniden 125XLT is an awesome little radio and I am extremely pleased that I bought it. I have been a radio listener most of my life and wanted to upgrade my scanner to one with alpha tagging and computer programming capability so that I could more easily manage the memories.

I use the highly recommended and free programming software called scan125, and as soon as I had connected the radio up to the PC the software immediately recognised the radio and I was happily programming away in seconds.

I only had one concern when I was choosing this radio and that was regarding battery life which I had read was less the average. I have been using the supplied 2300mah batteries and some eneloop 1900mah batteries and I have been charging them with a quality intelligent charger from technoline, the BL700 and it hasn’t really been an issue for me.

I’m estimating that the current drain of the radio is probably about 240ma with the backlight permanently off. You’ll probably find that the drain is higher if you are scanning frequencies that are extremely active.

But in reality this equates to several days use of the radio using it for about 2 to 3 hours of light use a day. If I were taking it to my local airport or an airshow I would take a couple of sets of charged batteries with me justin case I run out.

It looks awesome, the display is nice and easy to read especially after my Maycom 108, it’s nice to hold being neither too big or too small, and all in all I am extremely pleased with the purchase.

Great scanner! I had a Scan Snap scanner earlier, so I had some familiarity with how to use a sheet fed scanner. The plustek scanner works beautifully, scanning docs both sides easily and quickly; then saves it a pop-up document where I can select the folder for saving, just as any other document I want to save on my Mac.

If I hadn’t had the Scan Snap, I might have been a little confused about what the “set up” options were. I selected. pdf (overwriting the default. tiff)because that’s what I wanted. I also checked the box to eliminate blank pages, and checked the box for “continuous scanning.

” I haven’t figured out all the button settings yet; you can figure them as you want them. Instead, I just double-clicked the “scan” icon on the left side of the master screen, and away it went. I will use this scanner to scan loads of books I’ve been carrying around, onto my computer.

Yippee! It’s also quite a bit cheaper than scan snap. The only problem I had, was with the disk that arrived in the box. My computer wouldn’t read it, so I went to their website and downloaded the software directly (the website was referenced on the disk).

I found the online quick-start guide helpful. Also, I discovered I needed to turn on the scanner (duh) from the back before it would work. I thought it was ON, because lights were displaying, but it wasn’t.

This is my second purchase of a Plustek Document Scanner with ADF. My first scanner lasted about 10 years, performed wonderfully, and I just wore it out in a business environment. This newer model is faster, very efficient, works perfectly with Windows 10, and is absolutely the perfect sheet fed scanner for any home business environment.

I LOVE IT!! Buy with confidence.

Compact, light weight, easy to set up and use. Only issue is with 2-sided docs; you have to load each side & it treats each page as a new doc.

Always wanted one of these and was pleased to get this one at a great price. It works great although I ended up having to buy a programming cable as it seemed much to long winded to input frequencies by hand.

One cable arrived it was was to enter the hundreds of frequencies I had.

Best price , quickest service, these guys don’t play ,tool was perfect, hooked up Cummins isx 15 from kenworth T660 and this thing was moving faster than my fingers could scroll !!! JB !!! Weldone !! And the price?!!! If you get it anywhere cheaper you build it yourself.

Awesome, handy code reader. Works great. Used on several different trucks, read codes, made repairs, and cleared codes quick n easy.

Its a little bit pricey but its one of the best overall code readers entry level diagnostic tool you can buy on the market light cars up to semi trucks and construction equipment

Unit has nearly no programming capabilities. Sure it lists nearly every vehicle made on the home drop diag screen but try using any programming hot functions such as PCM / ECM / Odometer calibration or most basic relearn processes such as PATS programming.

It does none of them. Out of 7 vehicles the only vehicle supported was a BMW 335i. Called Autel and they are useless! My cheap Autel 608 has more capability. You can buy a Blue Driver for a $100 and a Galaxy TabPro S 12″ for under $500 with nearly identical results.

An overpriced pile of dung with limited functionality. I am a master tech with multiple devices. I know one tool can’t do it all but this tool is a boat anchor and JBTools is giving me the runaround on it being activated and trying to charge a restocking fee.

Of course it is activated, you can’t use it for more than a handful of vehicles without doing so. I had hoped that the unit was just missing the updates. NO dice! So $919 to return the unit and I am assuming they are trying to charge me for activating the device where a subscription is expensive as well.

By the time I return the unit, I could purchase a Launch Xtool which I know works 100%. Just insane! Make sure you read through the return policy buried on this website because it is not nearly a 60 day hassle free return IMO.

I do not feel they were up front with the restocking fee and the restrictions they impose just to get basically 75% of your money back. I don’t even have an issue with paying the shipping which is over a $100 but to pay all the other fees for a device that does not operate as advertised does not make any sense.

The unit is in new condition and to pay over a $1,000 for them to place it back on their shelf is absurd. They know this and basically this pushes folks to not pursue a return. I consider this fraudulent to advertise products with a hassle free return when in turn it is anything but hassle free.

If you truly promote customer service and stand behind your products, drop the nonsense and return the unit without all the misc bogus fees. I will be submitting this to the Michigan AG office for review.

Not happy,This tool has a lot of awesome sounding features, but in reality when you get to use them they don’t perform as expected. We tried to erase typical bcm codes in a 2019 ram 1500. Couldn’t do it, secure gateway.

we had another simple project for injector flow rates in a 2018 chevy 3500 6. 6l duramax. couldn’t accurately read flow rates out of the original ecm. it would duplicate the first 2 digits and chop off last 2 making it useless.

we had trouble with the wifi connection between the vcmi and scanner needed for using the scope. restart everything and still no connection, but worked when we got it. some of the back probe connectors don’t even fit in the scope leads.

this is the best scanner autel offers, autel maxisys ultra. usa model and not a clone. very disappointed. We are a repair shop with other autel scanners.

So far this scanner is in a league of its own. With the subscription it allows you to see TSBs and most common fixes. Guided functions and even programming or reprogramming of the ECU/ECM or several other modules that previously were only done by the dealer.

Great purchase and i recommend any ASE Certified technician to own. Cuts diag time in half and allows for thorough testing of all circuits with built in multimeter along with a bunch of other goodies.

All in all worth the money.