I'm using a Radio Shack pro164 triple truncktracker scanner.  It has 30 
buttons on it
6 rows with 5 keys in each row.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 1:49 AM
Subject: Re: hand held scanners


> I've not used the sport track before.
> I've still got the old uniden BC245xlt trunk tracker...the first uniden to
> track EDACS trunk systems.
> I had to repare it recently as the jumper wire from the center pin of the
> BNC connecter to the PCB inside had come off the center pin....so I
> resoldered that...and of course while I was dismantling the scanner, I
> managed to break one of the small wires off the internal
> speaker...thankfully not off the board itself but the speaker only...so I
> had to resolder that too...which was a bit of a chore since it was
> exceedingly small.
> Anyway got everything back together and my good old scanner has come right
> back to life.  I thought it had out lived it's usefulness to me as I was
> having allot of trouble receiving signals, even the super strong 800 meg
> edacs system, using an outdoor antenna, with any reliability.
> Now I receive VHF and even air craft communications from the international
> airport, about 35K away, with ease using a little MFJ quarter wave dual
> bander magnet mount on the truck.
> At any rate, I find the layout might be a little confusing for the first
> little while to a new person, but you get a good idea of which are the 
> main
> buttons you need to use all the time and ignore the rest.
> The BC 245XLT just has 4 columns wide, by 6 rows down the front.  The 
> bottom
> row and second row from the bottom have some square buttons that allow one
> to find them a little faster sometimes.
> Out of those 24 individual buttons I use the search and hold buttons which
> are side by side on the second row from the bottom.  The search is a nice
> square button so it is easy to locate quickly.  I use the scan button, top
> left button, and the keypad for both entering a frequency into memory, and
> for turning banks on and off.
> I use the trunk key to take the scanner in and out of trunk mode...this
> makes it a bit easier to listen to conventional stuff and just turn off 
> the
> bank containing the trunk system.
> I use the manual button to stop scan or cycle up through memory channels 
> and
> occasionally the lockout button.  All of these buttons, though all grouped
> together along with the rest of the buttons, are either on or very near 
> the
> edge of the keypad.
> I think with the sport track, after initial programming, you would only 
> need
> to use the scan button, the hold or manual button to stop on a 
> conversation,
> and perhaps some of the number pad to turn banks on and off when you 
> didn't
> want to listen to certain groups of frequencies.
> The uniden scanners really are easy to use for a blind person for both
> programming and regular operation...you just have to want to do it and 
> spend
> a little time with it.
> Get someone to help with the keypad layout so you know what each button is
> for...including its secondary functions.
> Get the manual online...PDF yes but there are easy ways around that as 
> well.
> That way you can learn and understand what each button does and how it
> relates to what you wish to do with the scanner.
> Your a licensed ham operator, you can't let a wimpy little scanner
> intimidate your intelect or ability. can you?
>
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Gary Tillinghast" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 11:32 PM
> Subject: Re: hand held scanners
>
>
>> Thanks Colin,
>> Region Communications Rep. want to sell local governments on Trunk
>> Tracking,
>> but the terrain will not support it.  What they have now is working fine.
>> Would not need to have HF scanning capabilities.  Basically to scan
>> VHF/UHF
>> and 800 MHZ.  I have a Bearcat "Sport trac, but it has so many buttons to
>> remember.  Not laid out in a user friendly pattern. 73 Gary KB2YAA
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 12:20 AM
>> Subject: Re: hand held scanners
>>
>>
>> any of the uniden/bearcat/rad shack scanners are exceedingly easy to
>> program...with the acception of the new touch screen model.
>> Do you require the ability to trunk track? and if so, what types of
>> systems?
>> What sort of coin are you looking to spend?  One of the best scanners on
>> the
>> market right now is the GRE PSR-500 trunk track capable scanner.  It's
>> receive is top of the line and it's not difficult to program using the
>> software or direct entry.  they go for between 2 and 300 used, and are
>> around the $500 mark new I think...
>> other than that, the newest uniden hand held scanners are pretty good as
>> well...the 396T I think it is.
>> also, are you looking to scan mostly VHF/UHF and 800 meg stuff? or are 
>> you
>> looking for HF capability as well.  It's very difficult to find a 
>> scanner,
>> or wide band hand held receiver that will receive HF well, as well as
>> trunk
>> track and the rest of it...in fact, I'm not sure one is made yet that 
>> will
>> do that.
>> The Icom line of hand held wide band receivers are great units if you are
>> looking for HF receive capability.
>> No scanner on the market, that will trunk track or that is a typical hand
>> held has voice readout yet either.
>> In fact, I don't think any hand held receiver has voice readout yet.
>>
>> There are a tonne of options availible to you depending on what your
>> requirements are.
>> regards
>> Colin
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Gary Tillinghast" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 9:52 PM
>> Subject: hand held scanners
>>
>>
>>> Hi All, With some of us starting out as SWLs,  Have anyone used a simple
>>> handheld scanner?  One that will be easy to program.  Gary KB2YAA