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Trunked Radio Tracking Scanners The latest batch of hi-tech scanners from Uniden allow you to follow 800MHz trunked communications using the Motorola protocol. Others have jumped on the bandwagon and are allowing reception of GE/Ericsson (EDACS) and Uniden/Johnson (LTR) as well as multiple frequency bands. Many facts and many rumors...read on for the complete low-down! Check the bottom of this page for net resources on various models.

Uniden BC898T

• An upgrade to the original BC895XLT, the new 898 looks nearly identical while including TrunkTracker III technology
• Memory channels are bumped up to 500 (but still only 10 banks) while trunking IDs per bank is raised to 1000 broken up into 10 scan lists each
• This is also the first Uniden model to include instant decoding of CTCSS/DCS rather than the laborious search method they've been using for years
• Uniden released this model in July 2004 for a street price around $200
• Visit our BC898T page

• Replacing their mobile BCT-7 BearTracker with the new BCT-8 has provided listeners with the ability to track trunked systems
• This is TrunkTracker III technology only allowing for reception of analog Motorola, Ericsson and LTR trunked systems
• This model appears at the very beginning of 2004 and hovers at or below the $200 mark
• Visit our BCT-8 page

• Not wanting to be left behind in the 9600 baud digital trunking market, Uniden pushed hard to get out their latest scanners as soon as possible after the introduction of the PRO-96
• Dubbed TrunkTracker IVs, the new 296 and 796 were almost identical in appearance to the models they replaced
• Unlike the 250 and 785, these new models come equipped with the digital card to handle Phase 1 9600 systems (both C4FM and CPQSK) right from the factory
• Initial pricing was in the $520 - $550 range for both models
• The first 296s arrived at the end of November '03 with the first batch of 796s following in the first week of December '03
• Visit our BC296D and BC796D pages

• RadioShack kicked off its digital trunking scanner models with the handheld PRO-96
• Unlike the Uniden models it competed against, the PRO-96 did not need an optional decoder card but this also means that it is more expensive for those who want the scanner but not the digital tidbits
• Similar in size and appearance to the PRO-95, its face was colored silver to give it its own distintive look
• The PRO-96, while advertised as handling Phase 1 APCO P25 9600 baud digital systems, it can only handle C4FM signals and not CQPSK signals
• Initial pricing was at $500
• The first 96s arrived at the end of September '03
• Visit our PRO-96 page

• Uniden made it official at the January 2002 CES that they were working on APCO 25 digital scanners for introduction late in the year
• The BC250D handheld and BC785D base/mobile would operate as typical scanners until the BCi25D slot card is installed which gives them APCO 25 digital-decoding ability
• The BC785D looks to be nearly identical to the BC780XLT while the BC250D looks all new and quite compact
• Both models will be basically identical in features to the BC780XLT. This is great news for the handheld market since the BC250D will put in one package nearly all of the tools demanded by today's hi-tech listener
• Initial pricing is in the $350-$370 range for the radios and $300 for the slot card
• The BC250Ds arrived in the first week of January 2003 while the BC785Ds are expected around mid-January
• Visit our BC250D and BC785D pages

• First mention of this upcoming Dual Trunking Scanner came from RadioShack's web site on August 9, 2002.
• Similar in appearance and function to the current PRO-93, the only known difference at this time is that the new PRO-95 (Cat.#: 20-525) will have 1000 channels.
• Its price is also the same as the PRO-93 ($249.99) so I think it's safe to assume what will be happening to the PRO-93 once the PRO-95 hits the shelves
• Visit our PRO-95 page

• Base/mobile version of PRO-93
• Arrived at dealers in late Oct '01
• Visit my PRO-2053 page

• Handheld unit made by GRE
• 2nd generation follow-up to PRO-92
• Tracks Motorola and Ericsson
• Price: $250
• Arrived at dealers in middle of Oct '01
• Visit our PRO-93 page

• In the May '98 issue of Monitoring Times it was reported that Uniden had officially denied development of this radio - so much for that hogwash!
• This radio was released Christmas, 2000!
• It is a base/mobile and is marketed as the TrunkTracker III
• It tracks Mot, EDACS (narrow & wide) & LTR
• 500 channels (10 banks of 50 channels)
• Freq range: 25-512, 806-1300 MHz
• 2 lines of 16 character alpha-numeric text
• CTCSS/DCS decode/squelch
• Rotary control
• 10 search ranges with alpha-tags
• Computer control & cloning
• Backlit keypad
• SAME weather alert with FIPS
• Memory channel attenuator
• AM, FM & WFM
• Price: $350 (typical)
• Visit our BC780XLT page

• Mobile unit made by GRE
• Simply a repackaged PRO-92A (firmware version 3.25)
• Price: $350
• Arrived at dealers last week of May '00
• Visit our PRO-2067 page

• Handheld unit made by GRE
• Tracks Motorola, Ericsson and GE/Johnson in all bands
• Price: $350
• Original units had many bugs and used subaudible tone tracking
• "PRO-92A" was released to solve all bugs and use control channel tracking (firmware version 3.25)
• "PRO-92B" was released to solve a few obscure bugs (firmware version 3.28) and unit was then made in China (PRO-92 and PRO-92A were made in Japan)
• PRO-92 arrived at dealers first week of Nov '99
• PRO-92A arrived at dealers last week of Jul '00
• PRO-92B arrived at dealers first week of Oct '00
• Visit our PRO-92 page

• Base unit made by Uniden
• Track Mot & EDACS
• 1000 channels
• Freq range: 29-54, 108-512, 806-960, 1240-1300 MHz
• PC interface
• S.A.M.E. weather alert
• Price: $370
• Arrived at dealers the 1st week of Dec '99
• Visit our PRO-2052 page

• Handheld unit made by Uniden
• Track Mot & EDACS
• 1000 channels w/20 banks
• Freq range: 29-54, 108-174, 216-225, 380-512, 806-960, 1240-1300 MHz
• S.A.M.E. weather alert
• Service Search w/police, fire, weather, aircraft, marine and ham
• 4 AAs
• Price: $300
• Arrived at dealers last week of Oct '99
• Later upgraded ("PRO-94A") to allow it to scan both trunked and conventional systems at the same time
• Visit our PRO-94 page

• Rosetta Laboratories has finally released a software upgrade package which allows any of their models to track certain trunked radio systems
• Shipping began in late Oct' 99/early Nov '99
• Web site link

• An upgrade of the BC235XLT
• Will be able to handle GE/Ericsson as well as Motorola
• Will be able to do trunked and conventional simultaneously
• Is nearly identical in appearance to the BC235XLT
• Covers 29-54, 108-174, 406-512, and 806-956 MHz (less cellular)
• 300 channels
• 10 banks
• 50 search-skip frequencies
• 100 trunking ids/bank
• Computer control
• Squelch-controlled backlight
• Like marine and CB, railroad service search will display the official railroad frequency number instead of the actual frequency
• Pricing $210 - $250
• Arrived at dealers first week of July '99
• Visit our BC245XLT page

• Showed up the last week of October '98
• 150 channels like the PRO-91
• Receive performance is like the PRO-90 though
• Metal case
• Din E size radio fits dash
• Doesn't come with antenna
• Only comes with bare lead, fused DC cable
• Visit our PRO-2066 page

• Handheld model made by Uniden?
• Functionally identical to the BC235XLT
• Takes 4 AAs
• Has service search for police/fire/EMS, ham, weather, marine and air
• Production shipments began May '98
• Visit our PRO-91 page

• Base model made by Uniden
• Functionally identical to the BC235XLT
• Production shipments began Dec '97
• Visit our PRO-2050 page

• Handheld model made by Uniden
• Functionally identical to the BC235XLT
• Supplied with one ni-cad and AC charger
• Production shipments began Nov '97
• Visit our PRO-90 page

• Physically modelled after the BC890XLT
• Covers 29-54, 108-174, 216-512, and 806-956MHz(less cellular)
• 300 channels
• 10 banks
• Built-in CTCSS with search
• S-meter!!!!!!!!
• RS-232 port for computer control!!!!!
• Weather alert
• Pricing in the $270 - $360 range
• Production shipments began Sep '97
• Visit our BC895XLT page

• The one that started it all!
• Physically modelled after the BC230XLT
• Covers 29-54, 108-174, 406-512, and 806-956MHz(less cellular)
• 300 channels
• 10 banks
• 20 search-skip frequencies
• Triple conversion!!!
• Slightly more sensitive than BC230XLT
• World-class interefence rejection
• Pricing in the $250 - $300 range
• Dealer shipments started the third week of May '97
• Visit our BC235XLT page

• BC245XLT
• BC246T
• BC246T
• BC250D
• BC780XLT
• BC780XLT
• BC785D
• BC895XLT
• BC898T
• OptoCom
• OptoCom
• PRO-2052
• PRO-2053
• PRO-2066
• PRO-2067
• PRO-92
• PRO-93
• PRO-94
• TrunkCom

Copyright © 2004 by Richard J. Wells