Customer Reviews

Uniden BCD396XT Handheld TrunkTracker IV Digital Police Scanner

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought the analog version last year this time, and enjoyed it for a month before I returned it. It was too much money for what it did. This year, I tried again, but stepped up to the digital version. This scanner picks up everything in my area (except my encrypted county). Once I added an external antenna, things came in loud and clear. It takes a LOT of practice. it is very complicated and your knowledge of radios will have to increase. After over a month, I am still practicing daily.

Anyway, its very well organized, picks up the signals well, and is easy on the batteries. Does exactly what its supposed to. Haven't found any bugs either. Finally, this year they have an actual manual. The website that tried to be a manual is horrible.

This scanner has helped me navigate traffic on the interstates many times. I won't send this one back. Eventhough I think its overpriced, I'll be keeping it.

I've owned scanners since the mid-'70s and this little beast is the finest one I've ever owned, hands down. It has more features than I'll ever use (or comprehend), but it's tidy, compact form factor, superlative audio, and superb built quality puts it in a class all its own.

If you decide to get one, please do yourself a huge favor and get a decent USB programming cable...yes, a serial cable comes packed with the rest of the goodies, but how many people have access to serial ports on their computers these days? Don't toss the serial cable, with the optional GPS rig and a null modem, you can enjoy GPS-enabled scanning wherever you go!

And there are several excellent programming programs available; I use Freescan which makes programming ridiculously easy, especially if you subscribe to a site like radioreference...programming digital modes is a cake walk.

Yes, I am delighted with my 396XT and have become a 'true believer' <g>.

Thanks for reading!

de KC5JLA

You will find this scanner hard to use if:
1. You don't know how to use a computer
2. You don't use freescan software
3. You don't know what trunking is and APCO-25

If you do know 1,2, and 3 then the scanner works great, as advertised! I listen to 2 trunked system, one analog the other APCO-25. I figured scanning between 2 systems let alone APCO-25 would be bad but it's quick and very usable. Some forward thinking needs to be done on how you want to program systems and talk groups. Once you have a plan, try it out using freescan.

-OUT

Great Scanner you will need the following to program without frustration.

This is my first scanner and after 1 day I had all the counties in my state programmed. I went with police, sheriff, Fish and game, and state patrol only.

1. Order the car charger, also you will need a 9 pin male adapter with a usb port. The scanner comes with a 9 pin female adapter.

2. Order ARC-XT Basic Software. This is the software that makes programming much easier. It also has an online manual you can click for reference.

3. Equally important under the internet tab you will see the radioreference icon. Click that and order a 6 month subscription for roughly $9.00 create your user name and password and they also accept paypal. This internet site will work inconjunction with your ARC-XT software and allow you to click on your state or where ever your located and you simply scroll through the couinties, then click import, followed by copy to clip board, next you click the upper send icon which is a radio icon. This automatically sends all frequencies and names of the department to your scanner.

4. Lastly, and i blew this the first time dont forget to hit the save icon, and save as profile(i used my first name) this way all your county, state, federal, ect frequencies will be saved on the left side of your profile. At any time you can upload them all, or make changes to them. If you close the window after spending a good hour or two selecting all the frequencies from various counties they will not be saved. So dont make the mistake I did save save save your profile.

If you still have trouble look up scannermasters.com online, they have a live help chat, a remote access to your computer app, and if you prefer you can send your radio in and have them program it.

I am a first time scanner user and took my Uniden BCD-396XT to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. After a couple days of confusion over how to program this thing, I discovered it's a lot easier to use the computer and cable to fill in the frequencies in the regions where I'm traveling. I loaded up the trunked frequencies using FreeScan software plus a subscription to the Radio Reference database. And, listening was FUN!

I picked up conversations on race course preparations from our condo a couple miles away. There was some interesting chatter about fixing icy spots on the course, racer timing intervals, and coordinating the camera coverage. I was able to rely on the scanner to find out whether our events that we had tickets for were going to be on-time or delayed. Just having this info made it a worthwhile purchase! I also picked up several different ski teams and heard Lindsey Vonn giving advice to her team mate while watching from the adjacent public ski run.

The 396XT proved itself as a durable traveling companion with good battery life. Without digital trunking I would have been able to pick up about half of the interesting conversations (e.g. non-trunked would have worked for the race teams but not for the course preparation crew), so I am glad I went for the digital trunking model.

This scanner is awesome! Very easy to program. If you can use a computer you can do this. One thing to remember, it does not come with the cable for computer to scanner. You can purchase this on Uniden website for $30 and the dowload is on their site to ake it go! And the best part if you have questions Uniden is always ready to help. I say spend the money and go for it! You won't regret it! :) And as always Amazon did a great job of packaging and delivery!

I love this scanner. I purchased it to replace my RadioShack Pro 106 and I couldn't be happier. For one, you don't need to take out the rechargeable batteries to charge them, as there is an included AC adapter. It's about half the size and weight of the 106 as well. If you can stand the significantly higher price, you will not be disappointed with this scanner.

I would have given Four out of Five Stars because the supplied (I use that term loosely) documentation is horrible. But why punish the engineers who put together a fantastic product because of the talentless technical writers at Uniden.

Getting back into scanning after a 25+ years absence, I consider myself an old-newbie. And I chose correctly with the BCD396XT. It is more 'scanner' then I need but that's OK. There is a learning curve with this scanner. I have invested about 25 hours thus far learning about the scanner and doing some programming. I'm maybe 3/4 the way there before feeling comfortable utilizing this scanner's capabilities.

Documentation from Uniden is less then pathetic. Unicorns and elves can write a better manual. Nevertheless, as long as you utilize the information at [...] (pay for the $30/yr membership - best bargain around), you'll be in good hands. Don't try to program the scanner manually. Window users can utilize the FREE utility FreeScan - makes programming the scanner a snap!

BOTTOM LINE: This is NOT a plug and play scanner. Documentation stinks but there is plenty of other (friendly) support and user groups out there that will get you going. Don't let the learning curve shy you away from this scanner. Invest the time and you'll have rewards for many years to follow.

Great Scanner,does all i needed it to, Just had to replace the antenna, theirs isn't very good. Nice size, easy to hold. Not crazy about the Menu and Function button placement, but doable.

I Purchased this scanner from onlinebestbuys.com, and was very disapointed in their services, paid for three day shipping and it took a week, Said they would send new scanner with RMA, and only recieved the RMA..NO NEW Scanner.
so I'm Holding Scanner for Ramsum. They also stopped answering E-mails and Phone calls.

The SCanner on the other hand is great, Love it, to bad they have to missrepresent their products by sending used or referbs as new products...

Excellent scanner, especially for those experienced scannists. Wide range of features and most easily setup with a software package called PSREDIT.