Customer Reviews

Uniden BC250D Digital Handheld Scanner

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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The Uniden 250D does a fine job of receiving the digital transmissions of my local police department (CT State PD). You should be aware that as this device ships it is unable to decode the digital signal. You must purchase an add-in board that is essentially the digital decoder. This approximately doubles the cost of the Uniden Scanner.

Perhaps the biggest issue I have with this device is battery life. If I get 4 hours that's a lot. This is fine when you are home bound and near the charger - however when you go on the road it is a pain as the device tends to eat the batteries rather quickly. And since Uniden uses a proprietary battery pack - your power choices are somewhat limited (meaning you can't just pop in AA cells like you can with the Radio Shack devices).

If you can get by the problem with the power, the only other issue I've had is the audio quality. Depending on your location and signal strength the audio on digital signals varies tremendously. It can waiver between a cartoonish pitch and near normal tone. This audio quality can be adjusted to some extent though a competing model from Radio Shack exhibits a much stronger audio quality that does not ever appear to require adjustment.

On the plus side, the 250D will decode I-Call (sort of a private side to the trunked frequencies that many agencies use without realizing how easily receivable they are). Competing similar radios from RadioShack do not offer the I-Call on their digital models (yet).

I would definitely re-purchase the 250D again -- and would be wildly enthusiastic about it if Uniden would chuck that awful proprietary battery pack and just go with rechargeable AA batteries.

A great scanner if you want to monitor digital signals and you have the budget. Read the technical details on this model to make sure it will receive the signals near your house. If you are going to monitor digital - remember you need a special board at an additional (significant) cost. Also the 250D won't monitor certain flavors of digital signals -- if you browse the net you can find plenty of sites with much more detailed techical reviews.

I've owned two of these, first one was stolen. Replaced it with one of the newest models of Uniden scanners and found myself missing the BC250D. Recently purchased and refurbished a used one with the P25 digital card for less than anything available in this caliber of scanner today. Yes this cant Trunk Track at 9600 baud and a few other trunking modes, but it still can receive everything that any other scanner can in conventional mode. Lightning fast scan mode, easy/intuitive controls, well built, and excellent reception. I can receive all police transmissions digital and analog within a 70 mile radius of my home. Some digital can sound choppy and robotic if reception is weak. Otherwise has the absolute best audio of any scanner I've owned. Definitely worth buying used if you get the opportunity. Better than the majority of whats available today.