I've been looking for a Uniden bearcat scanner to get as a gift for my grandfather who loves to tune into different service stations and channels. It's his past time to monitor the current events in the neighborhood, and his latest scanner recently crashed. So I bought the Uniden Bearcat BCT8 BearTracker Warning System for him and I wrote this review so you can assess if I made a right choice for my grandfather.
Design
Firstly, my grandfather is fond of NASCAR so when I saw the logo, I knew I had to get this model. It also has a nice, compact appearance but very clear and easy-to-use controls. Its dimensions are 7.06'' x 6.10'' x 2.44'' and it weighs as light as 2.7 pounds so my grandfather can carry it wherever he wants without having difficulty, since he's already quite old.
The unit has both a telescopic antenna and a window mount antenna for better reception. It has a black body with rubber buttons and volume control wheel. The buttons are intuitive and every function has a specific button so it's easy to navigate through the machine. You can also set a backlight and remove it whenever you desire. This makes reading the display during certain light conditions easier to do, which my grandfather would very much like because of his poor eyesight.
Scanning and Audio Output
Scanning through this Uniden bearcat scanner is very easy. It has preprogrammed frequencies for different departments including local police and county sheriffs, fire and emergency medical service, news media, weather, CB radio, aircraft, railroads, marine band, and department of transportation. The scanner has 250 channels, and you can save all the frequencies that you want in each channel. Scanning through them is a lot easier with the auto scan function. There are 5 banks which you can store 50 channels each, useful for separating different frequencies according to their category. You also get to set 5 priority channels, 1 from each bank, which are the frequencies that you need to tune in to most of the time.
The scanner is very easy to use especially if you are particular with the frequencies you want to tune it. The direct channel access lets you tune in to the specific channel you want to listen to. The data skip also allows you to jump over frequencies which you find are irrelevant to your search. There are also preprogrammed highway patrol frequencies for every state so even while travelling, you can tune in to the current active frequencies in your present location.
Other Features
The BearTracker warning system keeps you updated to any activity on Highway Patrol link frequencies so that you know if there is activity within about 3 miles of your current location. The preprogrammed frequencies for every state make it easy to search channels even in different locations. The trunk tracking lets you follow public service systems just like two-way communication systems. The multi-track system also lets you scan through multiple trunks at one time. This is a plus because my grandfather really likes to listen to highway patrol systems.
Conclusion
If this Uniden bearcat scanner isn't great for my grandfather, then I don't think any other model will be. I am confident that he will love this and enjoy using it every day. I'm even thinking of getting one for my own use. So if you're also interested in a scanner which you can either use as a personal item or give as a gift to someone you know who likes to stay updated with current events, the Uniden Bearcat BCT8 BearTracker Warning System is the unit that I would definitely recommend for you.
