Q: Which scanner is the best for use around the house a portable or a stationary scanner?? Which one gets the best reception ??? Thanks I'm not talking about Computer Scanners, I'm talking about Police, Fire etc scanners. Thanks
A: It depends on the scanner and what you want to do with it. Most portable scanners have external power jacks so they can be used as a base or a portable unit. However, base scanners have a bigger speaker for better audio (although you can hook up one to most portable scanners), are easier to open up and tap the discriminator if you need to for digital decoding, and the best scanners are base scanners because there's more room for the circuitry. Unless you're looking at a scanner in the $500+ price range, the differences are probably minimal. For best reception, use an outdoor antenna as high up as possible no matter if you have a portable or base scanner. Look at the specifications for sensitivity ratings. This will tell you how good a specific model hears. Make sure it covers the frequency ranges you need. You might need a scanner capable of trunking or digital trunking depending on the system the police use in your area.