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Trunking Radio Models (all radio systems in metro Denver are trunked except Boulder County)
Not all scanners can receive all radio systems.                                                                     
  • The listed radios can only receive a system if  YES  is shown in the table.
  • To see if a digital scanner is needed for your area, see Colorado Radio Systems on this site.
  • Digital scanners, which are needed to monitor the Colorado State Digital Trunking Radio System (DTRS) including the Colorado State Patrol, and most counties, and for Colorado Springs and El Paso County, are highlighted in yellow. 
  • If a handheld scanner also has a base/mobile version, they will both be listed with a "+" between.
  • For more info on various scanner models than you can imagine, see Strong Signals.

  • To download a scanner manual (free), go to Accessories and Manuals on denver-radio.com.

 

System or Agency

to be monitored

A

 

Bearcat BC-245

BCT-8

Radio Shack PRO-90/91

B

 

 

Bearcat

BC-780

 

 

 

 

 

C

 

 Bearcat BC-296

+796 (with digital card)

 

 

D

 

 

 Bearcat BCD-396T+

BCD-996T

 

 

 

E

 

 

Bearcat BCD-396XT +BCD-996XT

 

 

F

 

Radio Shack PRO-

92+2067

93+2053

94/95/

97+2055

528+2051

G

 

  

Radio Shack PRO-96

+2096

 

 

 

H

*Radio Shack

 PRO-106+197

*GRE PSR-500+600

 

I

 

Bearcat BC-346XT+

BCT-15X 

 

 

 

 

J

 

Radio Shack PRO-107 **

  I-scan

(new)

 

 

Denver Public Safety

    (Police/Fire/Ambulance)

Lakewood               (ESK

Wheat Ridge        control

West Metro Fire  channel)

   YES-with 3.xx firmware upgrade  

YES

   YES  YESYES 

*Aurora trunk, DIA trunk, *Arvada/Westminster trunk, Denver Public Works trunk

YES   YES   YES  YES   YES YES  YES 

YES  

YES YES  

Boulder County

 (non-DTRS only)

YES   YES  

YES  

 YES  YES

YES  

 YES  YES  YESYES  
Other Metro Counties  

 YES  

 YES  

 YES

 YES 

   
Colorado Springs trunk  YES   YES    YESYES   YES  
Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Digital Trunking Radio System (DTRS)   YES   

 YES   

 YES   

 

 YES   

 YES 

   
Has alpha tags (name of channel you are receiving)

 no

yes 

 yes

yes 

yes 

yes 

yes 

 yes

 yes

yes

Approximate current price (without programming)

 

check Ebay 

 $379 Ebay

396 $500

996 $546

at HRO

$549 HRO

discontinued check Ebay or scanner accessories

discontinued 2009, now available from Denver Radio

 $450 HRO

$500 Radio Shack

$220

 $230**

Any radio not listed, but labeled 'Trunktracker II', or 'Trunktracker III' should have the same receive capabilities as the Radio Shack PRO-92 and others in column F above.

 

** The new Radio Shack PRO-107 uses a new concept in scanning.  It uses an SD memory card like many digital cameras use, and the entire RadioReference.com national frequency database is loaded on the card.  The user must choose from this database the areas and systems desired to receive.  The PRO-107 will not receive any digital radio system, including the DTRS, or the El Paso County trunk system.  Important in the Denver area:  it will receive EDACS ESK radio systems (Denver Public Safety and Lakewood/Wheat Ridge/West Metro Fire) out-of-the-box.  The only other alternative to receive ESK systems is to buy a $450-$500 digital scanner, or a Bearcat BCT-346XT or BCT-15X.  If you don't need digital reception, this radio could be a good choice.  See the Radio Shack information page here.

 

HRO is Ham Radio Outlet, at 8400 E Iliff Ave, phone               303 745-7373         303 745-7373, www.hamradio.com 

For Radio Shack information, go to www.radioshack.com.

Updated March 09, 2010

Personal digital scanner recommendations:  The BCD-396T, BCD-396XT, and PSR-500/PRO-106 are excellent radios.  You would not go wrong selecting either of them.  My personal preference is for the PSR-500/PRO-106 due to to the better receiver sensitivity, better display, and unique V-Scanner function.  The price is also slightly lower.  Your preference may differ.                                            

 

Uniden Bearcat

BCD-396T + BCD-996T

  BC-396T                            BCD-996T

Pros:

  • 6,000 channels
  • Very solidly built, very compact, nice feel
  • Uniden programming software is available for free download with registration.

 

Cons:

  • Radio is shipped from the factory with 1.xx firmware, must be upgraded by the user (or Denver Radio) to 3.xx to receive Denver and Lakewood (ESK systems)
  • Receiver not quite as sensitive as GRE/Radio Shack
  • Display has a blue backlight, which can be difficult to read

Uniden Bearcat

BCD-396XT + BCD-996XT

 BCD-396XT       Pros:
  • 25,000 channels
  • Very solidly built, very compact (same chassis as BCD-396T+ BCD-996T)
  • ESK reception for Denver and Lakewood without firmware upgrade
  • The BCD-396XT adds some functions which the 396T does not have

 

Cons:

  • Display has a backlight which can be customized with different colors for various channels, but it can be difficult to read, especially with some color choices. Each channel can be individually set to display one of several backlight colors for about 5 seconds.
  • No Uniden programming software available yet; third-party software is available (see News dated 4-22-09)

 

  

GRE PSR-500+PSR-600*

(Radio Shack PRO-106+197)*

Pros:

  • Receiver is more sensitive than BCD-396T + BCD-996T
  • ESK reception for Denver and Lakewood without firmware upgrade
  • P25 digital decoder for DTRS works very well
  • Shows ID of radio transmitting on trunk
  • 7-color LED indicates type of agency received
  • Display has an orange backlight, very readable
  • V-Scanner function can back up programming inside the scanner
  • The handheld and base/mobile units have identical electronics inside

 

Cons:

  • 1800 channels (quite a bit, but less than Uniden)
  • Handheld radios are larger than Unidens, have a plastic case

 

*The PSR-500 and PRO-106, and the PSR-600 and PRO-197 models are identical except for slight differences in the faceplate. Otherwise they are essentially the same radio.