20 Best Police Scanner For Home Use (2023 Updated)

I LOVE THIS refurbished WS1040 as I canNOT tell it from a factory new one (and I’m an old retired Electronic Technician)! It looked NEW!! All accessories came with it (apparently new). I took about 10 minutes to put in my local Police P25 Trunking Frequencies and Talk groups, then hit scan and was listening to my local police! I’ve hand-jammed a bunch more (turning on other features like priority for my local, Audio Boost for all P25 Systems (I recommend this on ALL P25 systems)).

I am SOOOOO very happy I bought this refurbished WS1040 – II saved hundreds; I hope your experience is as good as mine. I also (a week later) purchased the Whistler Recommended Software (PSREdit500) to Program by computer (and no hand-jamming all the frequencies if you have a radio reference subscription.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!.

I use this scanner at work. It is programmed for my local sheriff’s department and does great. I don’t use batteries, I use it plugged in. There are numerous YouTube videos that describe how to use it.

There are better scanners for a few hundred dollars more but there much worse scanners for just $100 less. this scanner started out at 500 when it first came out. It has dropped in price dramatically, not because of its quality but because it’s selling so much and because it does not have some high-tech displays like other scanners (like a magnetic display that you could snap right off), but these fancy displays don’t make a difference with frequencies.

It’s definitely not a turn on and get going system even though you can hit the scanner and start to pick up a lot of stuff. However the key to good scanning is knowing the frequencies you like and separating them from the others so the others don’t interfere.

You don’t have to get rid of the others and you could still listen to the others but you want them separated or you will take the risk of having everything come in together and creating an unclear signal.

The best and easiest way to program them is by hooking your scanner up to another exact model that has already been programmed and you could transfer everything over. I believe you could do this with the ws1040 and the ws1065 as well.

I think the ws1065 is the best deal cuz you could get them at about the same price, but having a handheld is an extreme advantage; unless you’re a sit home alone all day type of person, you will find more use out of the handheld with traveling and so forth, whether it’s to your job, to the store, or on a vacation.

I’ve had this scanner for three years and I am satisfied with it. Many people seem to complain about programming it but as an amateur to scanners, I had no problem with it. I love that I don’t need to use a computer to program it.

I bought it because I could manually do everything. I’m sure there are many better ones but for $200-$300 I’d say it’s a good choice. The only downside is the belt clip. It’s not a swivel type so if you move a little fast then it’ll fly off your belt and fall on the floor.

I had to buy a separate belt clip with a swivel design at an extra cost.

We live in a backwater community just off a busy highway. Our little walkie talkie style scanner was forever needing control adjustments, was staticky and finally died. In shopping for. replacement I was taken aback by the price, but liked the zip-code tuning feature.

This puppy really works! Reception is clear and non staticky. We have had to narrow the geographic range, because it brings in signals we formerly missed. We love it.

This scanner is the perfect scanner to bring you into the digital age of emergency services. Pricey? Yes But put in your zip code and within minutes your listening to what’s happening in your neighborhood.

No searching for frequencies or downloads from the internet. Ease of use 100%. Anybody can use this product model.

I haven’t had it long enough yet to really give a good review, but i pretty much just plugged it in, charged up the batteries and started listening. I have a metal roof, and I i’m looking for a 25′ piece of the small diameter coaxial cable to get the antenna above my roof line where it should pick up 10 times what i’m getting now.

Other than that i’m looking forward to years of listening. Patrick.

First target market. Basic FM/Aircraft scanner. Does not handle trunking or digital radios. The receiver has okay sensitivity, but isn’t nearly as sensitive as my old Radio Shack scanner or hand-held radios.

So far, front end overload hasn’t been a problem. The good: 10 banks of 50 channels plus 10 search banks. Close Call to find nearby transmitters. Each channel allows you to set the scan delay, name, frequency, CTCSS/DCS code.

The display shows a lot of information to help you understand what you’re listening to. The free software works reasonably well, but does not allow importing channels. The bad: The charger has a timer which can be set for how long you want the charger to run.

This means that it doesn’t charge your radio, then stop when full. This is a very bad design, but it is reasonable for the price. The sensitivity isn’t as good as other radios, but it’s good enough to listen to an airport 5 miles away, local ham repeaters and police.

The included mini-USB cable can be used to either charge (radio off) the batteries or run the radio. The included antenna appears to work fairly well. There is a better software package, but ARC125 costs $24.

75 for a download.

First off, the Bearcat line has been around a long time and they build a good product. I’ve know a lot of people that would agree with me on that point. I like this model for a number of reasons. First off, the 500 channel capability is more than I would ever need.

I wouldn’t even come close to using a quarter of those in my opinion. The frequency range is another. It can pick up a lot, air, military, police, etc. It’s a multi-use item as far as that goes. The small size is also nice as I like to keep my gear to a minimum.

But, it also can be bad. I have big hands and sometimes that proves cumbersome when pushing the buttons on the front side. Nothing major though, just something that takes a little getting used to. I also like that you can use either the USB plug to power/and or charge it up if using rechargeable batteries.

Another nice feature is that you can plug it into a laptop or computer and using the software from Uniden, pre-program your channels and download to the scanner. A whole lot easier than messing with it manually.

Overall, I think it is a great value, new units from Bearcat cost around 125. 00 or so which I think isnt a bad price. I bought mine as an almost new condition and it was a steal at less than 80. 00.

I don’t think you could go wrong with getting this unit. Hope this can help out!.

The BC125AT is a great basic alphanumeric analog scanner that includes full VHF and UHF coverage, including Air and Military Air channels, as well as full alpha tagging for all channels. PC programming software makes it very simple and easy to program for daily use, or for specific events (car races, air shows.

etc. ). Close Call RF Capture technology including Do-Not-Disturb makes capturing those unknown frequencies a snap. The BC125AT includes all the feature enhancements you’d expect from Uniden, including Temporary Lockout, CTCSS/DCS decoding, per-channel dropout delay, and complete search features, all in a compact, easy-to-carry chassis.

This is a great little scanner. I’ve used scanners since 1975, and this is one of the best basic analog scanners I have ever owned. There are many BC125AT Features. Too many to list here. If you are looking for a basic, simple scanner, then consider the BC125AT.

This scanner does not include capability to monitor APCO P25 digital or trunking signals or higher bands in the 700 and 800 MHz range. Do your research before buying a scanner of this type. While it is sophisticated and well built, it just does the basics in monitoring the VHF and UHF bands.

The price is affordable too.

Never heard of Whistler brand until I researched digital trunking scanners and found it to be a top contender. Public Service transmissions are understandably more complex and require a more sophisticated receiver to follow transmissions coherently in real time.

I was concerned about how complex one of these devices would be to operate. Bottom line: If you can run a smartphone youll have no problems getting this scanner up and running in 5 minutes. Intuitive quick start menu lets you enter a location by Country, State/Region, County, City, Zip Code, and allows what services you want to monitor: police, fire, public safety, and automatically programs those in.

Hit Scan and youre off. Then you can have it seek other frequencies not yet programmed. All that and I havent even read the manual yet. so theres more. Best handheld Ive EVER owned. I honestly dont know how it compares with Bearcat or Radio Shack-branded competition, so take that under advisement.

That said, I live in an extremely rural setting and now know if a neighbor needs help or if a local emergency is occurring, which is the whole point of having a scanner. Very thankful for this device; if youre considering a scanner in this category, Ive found its worth the money, easy to start using, and effective.

Good luck in your search for a handheld digital trunking scanner!!! EDIT TO ADD: This unit does not come with an AC adapter or batteries. I got Panasonic ENELOOP NiMH rechargeable batteries to use in it, but wanted to have external power options, for obvious reasons.

The scanner has a single large USB port for an external power source and data transfer, if you already have an appropriate 5V 2. 1 amp adapter and the right USB cable, youre good to go, I purchased a separate AC power supply and cable that powers the unit AND charges the batteries, so you might consider the same.

I also have a 12V 2. 1 amp adapter for cigarette lighter/power ports on my vehicles and save battery life for times when no external power is available.

I am not new to scanning. I wanted to get the best scanner possible for under $600 US. I did some research and found that while the Uniden’s are great scanners. this one seemed to be what I wanted in a scanner.

It is fairly easy to set up and run. I had a Radioshack Pro 668 and this scanner is similar to that one. same procedure to program from your computer. Can be programmed via keyboard but computer to mini SDXC card is faster and better.

Can also program by just entering in your zip code. very easy. Some people say they have problems with the AP25 1 & 2 systems. I found that after I understood what this scanner can do and how to adjust it to perform at its best, those AP25 problems were a thing of the past.

I also find that many people complain about reception but use the factory supplied rubber duck. The best thing to get for this or any scanner is an outdoor antenna like the Omni-X. That alone with help greatly with reception.

I am now getting signals from police departments up to 70 miles away. I can receive signals that I could not in the past by putting an outdoor antenna up. This hobby can get real addictive. and it keeps me up too too late at night.

I am going to have to sell this scanner as it is keeping me from getting a good night’s sleep! I highly recommend this scanner. It works well, sounds great especially when hooked up to powered speakers and after understanding what everything does.

all the problems that people seem to have are no longer a problem. you just have to use it and figure it out.

After the first week, the on and off button quit working. I tried to turn it off, and it no longer will work. The on/ off is a push button set up. Whistler should have made it with a turn knob. Only other thing I don’t like is it doesn’t have a volume button to turn it down.

It works great other than that. The above problem doesn’t make it a good value. Costs too much to have those problems.

Unit is difficult to operate, manual is unclear, and worst of all it suffers from a hardware issue that makes it useless – search stuck in loc out for this model to see. It locks out all frequencies and wont scan, and resetting the unit will not help.

This issue usually arises after a year of use, so warranty and Uniden support will not help. WASTE OF MY HARD EARNED MONEY.

One of my favorite scanners. This scanner easily fits into any large pocket and makes it the the best portable scanner. This scanner has a very good balance of sensitivity in all modes. A real bonus is the ability to add DMR.

The display is very easy to read even when mobile. Audio is loud enough and with little distortion at higher levels. Key pad layout is simple enough to operate but lacks backlit keys. The 325P2 is powered by two AA batteries and I get about 4-6 hours on a set of alkalines.

Now here is something that takes this scanner to the next level , it’s a programming and computer controlling software called ProScan. So simple to use that you can operate most functions with a click of the mouse.

On a scale of 1-10 I give the 325P2 a 9. It’s a proven scanner with so much to offer.

For the Bearcat SR30C model. the above comment applies to particular locations where municipalities are scrambling frequencies, making it useless. My brother thinks he likes, but I do not like this model since it does not have “ALPHA TAGGING” capabilities.

I prefer the Bearcat model BC125AT that has far more features and with an exterior Dipole antenna which is far more functional.

Ok folks here is the straight scoop! This is a GREAT scanner that takes time to understand. It is not like the scanners from back in the day. This scanner “MUST BE PROGRAMMED USING A PC, NOT AN APPLE.

” My first advice to the would be buyer is go to “A VIDEO SITE” and watch the videos on this scanner, especially the videos done by “K4DPS. If you decide to purchase, my suggestion is to program as you follow along with the videos.

The Sentinal software is easy to use and quickly allows you to program. Once you get the hang of programming, you will be able to go back and edit what you want to monitor. For example, you download your state’s Highway Patrol or State Police.

You will see that you have the entire agency in you scanner (EX: Detectives, Truck Units, Patrol Units etc). Depending on what you want to listen to, you can edit and remove the unwanted items. Here in NJ, I removed all the extra items from my State Police bank.

I only have patrol related channels. I would further say that if you can pick one up used, under $385, get it. If you are thinking about buying a BCD996P2 because it is cheaper, I would pay the extra money and get the BCD536HP.

I own both, as well as the BCD-996XT. The scan rate of the 536HP is far superior to the 996P2. I ran a side by side comparison with both radios, scanning the NJ State Police on the same antenna. Both radios were loaded identically and the 996P2 could not keep up with the 536HP.

The 536HP was on frequency 5+ seconds before the 996P2 could find and lock on. The photo of my messy shack shows my receivers and scanners. As you can see, I have way to much stuff. I am attempting to create a nice listening post along with my Ham station (KB2KBC) that is not pictured.

If you have any questions, please drop me an email. Take care and happy scanning. Written on 1-26, 2020.

Fast shipper. Very good scanner well worth the money so easy setup just put zip code in and a range of 20 miles upto 50 miles. I’m very happy. I bought the whistler scanner 1065 and we even took it in to program it in and THEY would not do it so many steps to take and many problems, so I took that one back and got this one.

WAY WAY BETTER ITS LIKE DAY AND NIGHT!! yes, I paid more but like I said Well worth it no headache from this one. very happy thank you !!.

Easy to use. Unbox it, put in your zip code and you are ready to go. I think this radio has a very good front end as it receives very nicely. The audio and speaker quality are quite good. The display is also very clear/sharp.

There are many adjustments that can be made if one desires. If you want DMR, NXDN you have to pay extra for an upgrade. There are other scanners that do this out of the box. Overall great scanner.

Overall, this is a very good scanner. It is not a simple device like the ones from a long time ago – there is a definite learning curve. One of the reasons that it lost a star is that the user manual is terrible.

Be prepared to look online for better sources of documentation. The other reason for losing a star is the included cable for connecting to a computer. This is 2018, not 1998, the vast majority of computers do not have db-9 serial ports.

Most people who want to use the feature will have to get a USB to serial adapter. One other thing to note, when it is first powered on, the “Bear Tracker Alert” tone may be set to the highest volume, which is not controlled by the volume knob.

Be prepared to be startled. Search youtube for “BCT15X Start Up” for info on fixing this.

I think that this is a quality product but I would not recommend it to anyone who thinks that they might have difficulty programming electronics. The manual (online) is near impossible to comprehend for the layman.

It is written in terms that only a ham operator would understand. This radio has way more features than I will ever use or even comprehend. After almost a week of trying to make sense of the manual and also reading an online simplified version of the manual.

I was able to program one of the buttons to our local emergency channels which is all that I was looking for in a scanner. I would not purchase this scanner again. It really has a whole lot of capabilities that I don’t need.

If you are looking for a basic scanner to monitor your local emergency providers, I recommend something that is more user friendly. That said, I do really like the quality of this scanner.

A very capable scanner. It is difficult to program as standalone but once used with Freescan it was a breeze to program. Very fast scanning and using close call pulls in the signals within the locality.

Has picked up weather and ham satellites using a wide band antenna and should result in getting better results once I build dedicated antennas.

this is a nice little scanner. if you don’t live in a large city or surrounding area, pick this over the bcd436hp or sd100 units. simple to scan. simple to use. almost HALF the price of the others. i have a bcd436 and bcd536 and i use this scanner for in the car.

This scanner only receives amplitude modulated airwaves. Most police, fire and ambulance services use frequency modulated or digitally modulated signals. The only transmissions I heard were aircraft and the weather forecast.

I was unable to hear any CB transmissions on any of the 40 channels. This scanner would have been a good choice back in the day before transmitters became highly complex and encrypted.

It’s a good scanner with the proper outdoor antenna installed. The supplied antenna is only adequate for short-distance receptions. Most public safety (police) transmissions are encrypted in some fashion.

My particular area (southeast Michigan) is encrypted with OpenSky 9600 baud technology. Making it impossible to receive ANY police transmissions with the WS1040, or any present-day manufactured scanner.

Non-encrypted transmissions are good-to-go with the WS1040.

This scanner is exceptionally capable and has features in it that I will probably not live long enough to learn. Uniden packed in so many features and ways to scan & search that you really, really, need to take the time to learn it all otherwise you may find yourself enabling something somewhere in the menus only to have inadvertently locked yourself out somewhere else.

So many times I have the scanner telling me it has nothing to scan because I flipped off an agency type or a scan group or didn’t enable the quick key or whatever. If you’re used to the old school scanners – this scanner is NOT that.

However, that all said, if you have patience or are otherwise an expert the scanner is very good. I have P25 phase 2 systems, simulcast systems, conventional systems around me and I can get it all with reasonable consistency.

The speaker is a little weak if there’s a lot of background noise but its workable. One big upside is the fact that you can download updated national database via the Sentinel software for free and you scan that entire database without having to key in any data on the radio itself.

In short, happy with the radio but could do without some of the fancy gingerbread features that make the radio more complicated for me than it needs to be.

This scanner is perfect for picking up nearly all police fire DPS and sheriff scanner frequencies. I think most people have some difficulty like I did picking up certain channels but using a website like radio reference is perfect for locking on to specific channels.

This scanner produces a very clear sound from those frequencies and no static. The only issue with this radio is sound. It has a 3. 5mm jack but any speakers or ear pieces are extremely low volume no matter how high the physical volume knob is.

You need an amplifier type speaker for it to be loud. Otherwise excellent radio.

Best scanner I have owned in my lifetime of many many models. This little wonder can do so much already and I haven’t yet mastered its many features, I do recommend doing your research by reading the manual and watching videos to help you figure out the much different methodology for programming and using this scanner effectively, but after you gain a basic understanding of how it works it is a very useful instrument for monitoring many many different agencies and users.

I especially like the ability to program specific radio or unit numbers into the talkgroups, although it is a very time-consuming task to get done. The audio quality and receptive qualities are outstanding for its size and a much improved feature is the public safety-grade heavy plastic used in the case construction naking it drop-damage resistant.

I would recommend using a plastic screen protector to avoid scratches, in my case I used a short strip of clear packing tape and it has prevented scratches to the screen several times already. Overall this was a pricy purchase but the scanner does everything it claims to do and more, Great purchase decision.

What an amazing device, this is the digital scanner to beat all of the current competition. Super easy to use as long as you have a RadioReference UK login. Simply just go buy it. Super quick response from radio world plus very competitively priced.

Like all radios tho, just attach it to a decent antenna.

Just had this a week and getting lots of frequencies .best looking scanner I’ve seen and performance is great on a tri band antenna am using at moment 👍

This is a very good scanner. Bought it for the fire tone-out feature which works really well. If you need to scan a public safety trunked system this is probably not the scanner for you because it does not receive digital, i.

e. P25, and most systems are moving to P25 digital standard. Programming is also very complicated and will probably frustrate inexperienced scanner user. I find my Whistler (Radio Shack) scanners much easier to program and use.

There is a learning curve with this radio. That said, this scanner is packed with a lot of features for the money if you only need analog.

Programmed easily. I had previous experience with this brand and had frequencies all ready for input so it was up and scanning those within a few minutes. I have more channels available so will add additional channels later.

Fm reception works well. Have not tried weather band since i have a weather radio.

I was reading the reviews. The radios work – but won’t pick up most emergency services because they all switch to digital ,” mode ” and much higher frequency’s than this covers. You’ll be able to get weather , some ham radio – but nothing to exciting on analog any more.

I’m surprised analog radios sold anymore. If digital scanners were offered – tho more expensive sometimes – they would sell my h better.

Looking for a small hand held portable scanner. This fit the bill. A little bit larger than a Kenwood tk3180. Will upgrade antenna to get better reception. It does eat batteries so get some rechargeable ones.

Have not used the sentinel software yet to upgrade and program. It works good enough out of the box. Listening to local fire, police. Very cool. Happy with my purchase.

One of the lowest best prices for the radio. I got the newer run of the models and it is great. I have discovered many talkgroups and unlisted frequencies in my area and I have department issued equipment that did not have it all.

If your use to old scanners it may seem confusing at first but you’ll learn quick. It is very handy with the store and record discovery options. The reception is on mine at least equal to my issued APX and xts portables.

It really surprised me. I even pick up a NOAA station almost 100 miles away. Trunking is really good for a scanner. Very satisfied. I only reccomend to download the online pdf you can find while purchasing waiting so you can learn it.

Then if needed read the included manual when it comes. Another advantage is the the optional pro voice key and DMR key from uniden which is a paid upgrade but worth getting it now as both are about 50 each and they are more of if you live in areas with DMR and Pro Voice which isn’t all over.

But out of the box the scanner is good and great to go if you do not use those 2 formats. Included is p25 formats phase 1 and 2. Nac tone and ctcss decoding. Overall 10 of 10 rating. Only minor issue I have is no squelch tail elimination but not many scanners ever have that feature which is a commercial gear feature inconventional analog however trunking and digital does not have squelch tail so it’s good.

If your finicky about that minor irrelevant analog squelch tail in conventional a whistler would be your choice but the bcd436hp has a keypad while whistler brands do not. The custom search features is smoother to me then whistler models.

Just make sure when getting your scanner to copy all the sd card data to a folder on pc so you have a backup. Then after that use the free uniden software found on uniden site with the included usb charging cable to edit or add banks which now are called favorites lists.

Also update connected to the internet your uniden sentinel software and frequency database to latest. Trust me it’s nice to have a entire known database where you just enter the zip code. Also update the firmware on scanner to latest using the free software from uniden website.

Overall I love this scanner as I can leave my work radios off while off duty now and just use the scanner to monitor more in my area. If your a leo I would suggest the bcd436hp handheld and the bcd536hp desktop mobile for office home or unit to monitor clear trunked systems.

Ymmv depending on how well your agencies system is built but I am very happy and I think you will be too.

I bought this model several years ago. There is a usb cable available that can be used on a laptop with radio reference to quickly and easily program to local frequencies. It will also automatically capture frequencies in range of your location.

I would highly recommend upgrading the antenna for best performance. I have nothing negative to say about this particular radio as it does exactly what its supposed and has additional features you didnt know you need (until you use them).

Very nice scanner but extremely confusing to program and operate. I have a Realistic 800 mhz trucking scanner that is simple to program with the manual. I didn’t have a manual with this purchase but I downloaded it online.

Waste of time, youtube was more informative than the actual manual. It puts in talk group codes on its own, even though you didn’t program them in.

This bearcat operates as designed. No damages & delivered on time. Easy set up, am going to have much listening enjoyment of this unit. Cant wait to try it in the vehicle. Will be testing the GPS feature and among others.

Pretty compact for its size. At most times some scanners come bigger. However this bearcat is a space saver as well. My friends asking questions and they like what they see. So to all out watching I say hurry and get one because these units will be going fast.

As a matter a fact am getting another and so I did. Thank you!.

After owing every scanner made since the 1970’s I can tell you this radio is impressive. Receiver is very sensitive. The display gives lots of information. Having the ability to change colors which indicate something to the user is a real plus.

Now lets be honest. This is not a tunable or crystal scanner. Its not plug and play. Read the manual. Read marksscanners it explains the radio very well. Watch the YouTube Videos. Find a friend who has one and sit down for a while.

Yes, it is pricey. However, you do get your moneys worth. The keys for DMR and NXDN will add to you listening pleasure. Uniden did a good job listening to the users. Thanks to the late Paul Opitz for giving us what we asked for and then some.

Uniden SDS200 is probably the BEST scanner I have every owned. I’ve had Many scanners through the years. This is the Easiest to program. The last 3 scanners I had professionally programmed. This time I did it myself, just by imputing my zip code.

Custom searches are done on the fly, where it would take a whole series of steps and complicated instructions with previous Uniden or other mfg scanners. The SDS200 you can simply hit one button. You can scan nationally, or change the range of your scan down to 1 mile! There’s 3 main buttons on the display, System, Dept & Channel.

You simply push channel and your holding on that one channel. Push the Dept, and unpush the Channel, your now scanning everything in that selected Department. Works the same for type of System. Best screen I’ve ever seen and it’s completely customizable with so many colors.

Audio is extremely good. I’ve noticed that some of the Negative reviews were listed last year and I believe Uniden probably addressed them since them, because I didn’t have any issues with mine. Absolutely the best Scanner out there, well worth the money!.

No doubt about this scanner being the best. Somewhat complicated programming but read instructions several times until perfectly clear what is required and you will succeed. Does everything manufacturer states about its features.

Expensive , but if you want the best that will give years of service you can’t go wrong on this scanner. PS. Highly addictive you be listening more than ever before!.