Uniden BCD396T TrunkTracker IV APCO Digital Handheld Scanner with 6000 Dynamic Channels

by Uniden

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.5 x 3 inches ; 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000A2RZ7E
• Item model number: BCD-396T
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,313 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #60 in Electronics > Security & Surveillance > Radio Scanners
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 20, 2005

Product Description

Includes 5500 Dynamically Allocated channels (3500 Typical) for plenty of system storage. Preloaded for most major digital and many analog areas. Also has Motorola analog and APCo25, EDACS analog, and LTR analog trunking, Close Call RF Capture Technology, Pager Screen, Fire Station Tone-out, Extended Quick Keys, Service Search, CTCSS/DCS, Repeater Reverse, Alpha Tagging, Data Skip, Weather Search, SAME Wx Alert, Search Auto Store, Close CAll Auto Store, Priority Scanning, Backlit Display, PC Programming and Control, plus On-Air Cloning (software included by download). Includes belt clip, AC Adapter/Charger, PC Data Cable, and 2xAA NiMH batteris. Also comatible with Alkalines. 3.5mm Headphone jack.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great performance after complicated setup, February 17, 2008

By 

vees (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Uniden BCD396T TrunkTracker IV APCO Digital Handheld Scanner with 6000 Dynamic Channels (Electronics)

Whether you buy this as a toy or a tool, this is not a device that is going to spring out of its box ready to use. I consider myself fairly experienced in electronics and radio-related stuff and it took me several obsessive evenings of tinkering with the settings, reading and re-reading the manual, and searching through a half dozen online forums and reference sites dedicated to just this scanner model to get things set up properly.

Most folks who own this scanner are happy to share the files they have created of their own metropolitan areas (I found and downloaded complete Baltimore County files in a few minutes after subscribing BCD396T Yahoo Group) and with the included data cable every feature of the scanner can be controlled and modified from the computer screen.

Now that the unit is completely set up, it works exactly the way I want it to. This is a great portable scanner if you have digital trunking systems in your area, or anticipate your local systems going digital in the next few years. The back-light works great and lights up the buttons along with the display, which makes the scanner as easy to use in the dark as in full daylight.

The included antenna is a wide-band scanner antenna, so expect to have to purchase a band-specific antenna for the unit if you're mostly concerned with listening to 700 or 800 MHz trunking bands in your area and want the best possible performance on those bands.

If you have no digital systems in your area, you may want to check out some of the less expensive alternatives without digital capability such as the UNIDEN BC-246T Compact Hand Held Scanner.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have 2 of these fine portables, August 31, 2009

By 

Terri (NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uniden BCD396T TrunkTracker IV APCO Digital Handheld Scanner with 6000 Dynamic Channels (Electronics)

While there is a learning curve to this scanner, once you get started, and it does require patience, this is the best of the best! While I was waiting for this radio to come out, I bought the 246T, similar to this one to learn the new programming procedure. I only put in the control channels of the trunking systems I usually monitor (I recognized the voices of those I heard). When the 396T arrived, I sold the other radio on the popular auction site for nearly what I paid for it. I like the fact that there is no wasted space like there was with the bank-based scanners of the past. I listen to trunking as well as conventional frequencies and have them set up so I can press one button to change from one county (or town) to another. I would like to be able to monitor a priority channel within a trunking system. I now notice that Uniden has a 396XT out. I'd like to compare that to the 396T and hope to be able to clone the T to the XT if I was to go for it. Would also like to have the portable be a one-handed radio or have a delay between button presses. But as it is now, I cannot press the side controls and the front ones at the same time while driving. With that in mind, I have it set up for only one-button press to control what I need to listen to. Would like to have a better battery charging system, 14 hours is too long for most of us, I use an external charger daily so I have fresh batteries (have 2 sets of 3). I mostly monitor traffic in the local areas traveled thru while on the job. This works for me and has for the last 30-plus years that I've been scanning. All things considered, I give it 5 stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great scanner, April 27, 2010

By 

C. Lanci "Charlie" (Sherman, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Uniden BCD396T TrunkTracker IV APCO Digital Handheld Scanner with 6000 Dynamic Channels (Electronics)

It took me a little while to setup this unit the way I wanted but it has many nice features. One great feature is subscribing to one of the web site's for scanner frequencies, install the software, plugged the scanner cable into the USB port and away you go. Search for any frequencies and program the scanner instantly. Nice.