I'd buy a digital scanner now. No matter where you live. The cutover to digital is happening fast and the various digital scanners, while expensive, will not be obsolete as fast.

Don't say that until you try it. I did. It was very very not good.

I've lived in the country and, while it does introduce a whole different set of problems to deal with on a regular basis, I still prefer the country life. It's not for everyone, especially those who aren't too handy with tools, but a handy person can get through most problems without paying a repairman. My constant bane was the well pump.

I hear the theme to "Green Acres" playing in the background on my scanner. Could be someone is transmitting some wishful thinking again...

benjammin! Now I'll have that tune stuck in my brain for the rest of the day!

Might just have to get me a ~100$ handheld to hold me over for one of the more $$ units in the future.

Be careful with plucking down big bucks for a digital scanner without first determining the system the agency you wish to monitor is using. There are different digital algorithms for different systems. But that's only the half of it. Some agencies use digitally encrypted systems. The best I have been able to investigate, there is no scanner on the market that can monitor these systems as it is most likely illegal.

The digital systems are predominantly located in larger urban areas, while trunked systems are becoming the norm in mid-sized metropolitan areas. However, there are still alot of of analog repeater systems out there in small municipalities and rural areas.

This is definitely an area where local research will save you from wasting money.

Craig.

I have the Radio Shack versions of the GRE-500 and GRE-600 digital scanners. With being able to download all the local frequencies from files on radioreference.com (check the forum for a Win500 file for your area), it was pretty easy to get up and running, and the quality of those scanners is excellent. I picked up a hard leather case for the handheld scanner (I think it was from scannermaster.com), and it was also excellent. I read somewhere that the GRECOM 500 or 600 scanners may even have dropped in price $50 or so lately.

Well let's see.... I have one scanner in the living room, three in the computer room, one in the bedroom, one down the basement, one in the car, plus a hand held one....

Yet it's NOT a habit ! lol

This past Dec. when we had the worst ice storm in a century and it crippled the whole North Central part of Massachusetts.... that hand held one was a life saver....

Having a portable radio was no help at all because all the local AM & FM stations had no generators and were off the air....
The hand held, working on battery power, it allowed me to hear everything that was going on in the area... what roads were closed, shelters open, progress being made etc etc.
Everything I needed to know I got from the hand held....

I'd like to see someone come out with a crank scanner !

Sounds like it could have been a "LIFE SAVER" for you