Railfan Technology > Uniden Bearcat BCT 15X Scanner

Looking at this unit to replace the hand held one I use in my truck. Easy to program ? Any pros or cons ? Thanks Vinnie

I have been using it for 2 years now. I paired it with a RR band antenna (can't remember which one) and have gotten great results. In around Topeka I can hear a train crew 10-15 miles away now. Where as with my hand held I could only get 5-6 miles out. Yes it is easy to program.
later...lilwes

Wes Chiles
Topeka, KS

Thanks Wes. Do you need to use a PC to program RR channels into the scanner ?

PC programming isn't necessary. I use the eraser end of a pencil to tap the tiny buttons, though. It goes quickly once you learn the rhythm.

Thanks grahamline. Ordered the BCT 15X today from Scanner Master in MA and they are going to program the 100 AAR channels into the radio for me. Got an E -Mail 2 hrs after I ordered it that it was programmed and shipped. Excellent service. Vinnie

Be sure to let us know how it works for you.

Sure will. Thanks everyone 

With the splinter channels that are now available, there are actually over 180 analog radio channels available to the railroads.  And, of course, then there's NXDN digital that this scanner (and all others with about one exception--a $1,000+ exception) won't decode.  My point, repeated often, is that the current crop of analog scanners (if it is a very good one) and amateur radios are an inexpensive way to monitor the RR's UNTIL the RR's go to NXDN in a few years--then those analog radios are doorstops for railfanning.  I use NXDN in my work, so I have NXDN radios.  I do still carry an analog portable for railfanning, but I know that its long-term future for railfanning is limited.

This is a handy link as to what the railroad channel plan looks like.  Ignore the far left ("25 mHz") column.  That went away in 2013.  Note that many amatuer radios and many older scanners will NOT even tune the splinter analog channels.

http://www.dpdproductions.com/page_rrfreqs_newplan.html