Hey all,

Just got my Uniden Bearcat BCT-12 police scanner / weather radio. I figured I'd report on how well it works for me - an absolutely unbiased consumer test. If anyone is interested in future reports then just reply and I'll post them as I get to know the scanner.

Part 1: Day one

The scanner looks like a radar detector (no dim mode, so placement in car is more of a challenge) and runs from the cig lighter or can be hard-wired with supplied cable. There's a rubber-sucker windshield mount and a visor clip - neither srike me as being really good places. There are two antennas supplied and I'm using the basic rubber antenna for now, but there is a more stealthy wire antenna in the box too.

The principle this works in is that it is only sensitive enough to pick up signals from within 3 miles. It can scan Highway Patrol, Local PD, DOT, News, Weather channels etc. It's greatest asset for me is the 'Mobile Extender' technology in use in Ohio. Each cop has a radio in their car, but also a radio they wear on their uniform. The uniform-radio is not powerful enough to send a signal back to dispatch, so it's radio signals are relayed through a box in the cop car called a 'Mobile Extender'. When the officer keys his radio, or (more importantly) the dispatcher keys the radio all the Mobile Extenders in the cop cars in the district star transmitting the radio signal up to 3 miles, in case the cop is outside the car. In Illinois the mobile extender only xmits if the cop is ACTUALLY outside the car, but nearly all the rest (here in Ohio included) xmit all the time. The BCT-12 picks up this mobile extender signal and displays a warning "HP" for Highway Patrol, with a signal strength from 1 to 9. There are radio signals often enough that 3 miles range is more than enough. It doesn't have to be that particular cop on the radio - just the dispatcher - who does a lot of talking (Columbus PD is very noisy)

The BCT-12 comes wth all frequencies preprogrammed in by state, so I selected my state "OH" and set it to "HL" mode (Highway Patrol AND Local PD). In the city this turned out to be too noisy, so I reverted back to "HP" mode Highway Patrol only. Speeding is more of a freeway activity anyway.

Then was the first real test of this virtual Cop-detector... (remember ur radar detector won't detect a cop with Laser, but if there's any radio comms anywhere in the whole district when you are within 3 miles of the cop then you'll know about it)

I was driving on I-71 and the scanner was quiet. Then suddenlly I heard the alarm. "HP" "01" That means there's a Highway patrol car near here, and the signal is strength 1 (of 9). Probably a distance away. I slowed to 65 and noted the odo reading. Then it happened... BEEP! "HP02".... BEEP! "HP03".... BEEP! "HP04"....
All the way up to HP09 (max)

Then I saw him. State Trooper playing laser tag with my lane. I passed him at a sedate 65mph and then checked my ODO. I had been given over a mile's notice. The BCT-2 counted down from HP09 back down to HP01 and then fell silent. I gassed it back up to my regular cruising speed...

So day one, test one - PASSED! I'll be reporting on future encounters with Ohio's finest... Hopefully today's result will be the start of a very successful set of tests. I'l going to be driving a couple-hundred miles on Monday, returning wednesday. I would normally pass about 15 cops between now and then so I hope to have more useful figures by then.

 

Nice!

How much does this scanner go for? How many channels? I take it you need to program the frequencies? Its a great idea but i wouldnt reply on it to detect cops.

I still use my portable hand held scanner (100 channels) and leave it scanning. Maybe its time to retire it and play with something new (hint thint).

 

It already has frequencies programmed in. Just select ur state, and then select Highway Patrol and/or Local PD. Also gets fire/news vans/weather/etc

It's not a device that would replace a bigger/more complex scanner - it doesn't even show you the frequency as it's scans - it's only purpose in life is to listen to local signals and scream bloody murder when it's within 3mi of a cop car's mobile extender.

Cost me $147 straight from Uniden (refurb)

 

some specs i found...

Specifications
Vintage 1997?
Type Mobile
Range 37.02-46.02 138.345-172.020
423.0-508.4875
806.0125-868.9875
Channels 1583 pre-programmed frequencies
Banks 0
Modes FM
Priority 0 channels
Conversion Double
Sensitivity As specified in the manual:
37- 46 = 0.3 µV
138-172 = 0.4 µV
423-508 = 0.5 µV
Scan 100 channels/second
Search N/A
Audio 1.0 watt
Power 13.8V DC 500mAh
Size 3"(W) x 1.3"(H) x 5.4"(D)
Weight 6.3 ounces, 180g
Interfaces BNC, DC, ext speaker
Accessories Stub antenna, wire antenna,
DC power cords, suction cup
bracket, visor bracket
Features pre-programmed with police,
highway patrol, sheriff, DOT
and news freqs for all 50 US
states & Canada, highway
patrol mobile extender alarm,
weather scan & alert

 

Woe unto you should you run up to a cop with his Radio silent.Good idea though. Am sure this packaged with a Valentine 1 should keep you looking good this year.

 

Ebay has it for as low as $50 right now. However, that item has 5 days left I think. It does look like you could pick it up for about $110 though.

SHUMAX

 

The cop I run into doesn't need to use his radio - as long as the dispatcher does. When the dispatcher xmits all mobile extenders in the district go hot.

I don't see this as being absolute protection from cops (especially as I'm still testing it) - just another tool that will help me if I learn to use it correctly.

This morning on the way to work the HP alarm went off again. One mile later there was a cop talking the drive of a broken-down truck. One mile after that the HP warning shut off.