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Range of Uniden UBCD396T scanner
OK, I,m looking into getting a Uniden UBCD396T scanner and am wondering what sort of range I will get. How many watts is it? I was hoping to plug it into my work car UHF arial cable. Will I get the same sort of range as when I plug in my 5 watt hand held UHF?
You seem to be confusing a scanner with a two-way radio. A scanner is just a receiver. It has zero (0, goose egg) output Watts. The reception range of a scanner depends mostly on its sensitivity and its antenna system (including the feed line). The sensitivity of the BCD396T is very good. With the stock rubber ducky, my reception range is normally no less than 1/4 mile across all bands. With specialized antennas, I've seen 50 miles or more in narrow band ranges. When I first got it, I initially thought the range was much greater, but that turned out to be from signals being passed along by repeaters.
WARNING: Do NOT plug the scanner and your transceiver into the same antenna cable at the same time, or you might fry your scanner by transmitting directly into it.
I meant what range will I be able to hear other tranmissions clearly. With the standard antenna and with a full size car antenna tuned for 468Hz
Sorry, still too many variables (such as transmitter antenna type, output power, and terrain). A wild guess would be that a properly matched antenna would give 2-5 times the range of the stock rubber ducky, and making lots of other assumptions, that might give you a useful signal over 10-20 miles.
Sensitivity of 396 is OK but not great. Not as sensitive as the Pro-96 and not even close the PSR-500. 10 to 20 miles sounds reasonable with a good automotive antenna. It also depends on frequency range you are listening to! My experience is with 800 MHz and 162.55 NWS. It is surprisingly good on WX with an Antenex rubber ducky picking up the NWS office at Indy which is at least 35 mi. away.
GTO_04
If you want real sensitive reception, try getting a icom or yaesu wideband receiver..Something along the lines of a yaesu vr5000, or a icom 2500..Both real sensitive reception and with a good antenna, its amazing how far you can hear using these things...Reception goes from like 0mghz up to like 2 gigs on most of these things. That covers everything in voice comms from cb to ham broadcasters and everything else..
I have a yaesu vr5000..It was $600 but the reception is ungodly sensitive, I hear stuff I never immagined. Im sure my discone antenna mounted on the chimney helps out %150 too...
These receivers will not trunk a police system though !!
I forget what the links are but, type in yaesu vr5000 in google and give it a look!
BC 396 Range
Scanner isnt a transmitter, it doesnt put out any watts except audio watts through speaker. However, a good external antenna will work wonders. If you are mobile even a cellular antenna on the outside of the car will help.
If you need help or want one built let me know. help doing it yourself is free. I love building and I work CHEAP!
Zork
It would be nice if Yaesu made trunking scanners! Also did you know that Yaesu was bought out by Motorola? I hope they don't ruin them!Originally Posted by Stealth 795
GTO_04
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