The 9 Best Handheld Emergency Scanners (2023 reviews)

If you want nothing short of the best possible scanner for your daily usage, this product is certainly a worthy investment. The SDS200 is a great desktop size and the large customizable screen is striking. It can monitor both analog and analog signals with ease. It provides unsurpassed digital performance and also comes with optional paid downloadable upgrades and/or optional software from the mfg. It can be used by california highway patrol cars. It works well and is not a resource hog.

The display is very good and readable, and color clearly makes a large number of fields understandable. It will receive all public service bands currently in use. It can be used by a new user get set up.

Why We Like This:

Easy to set up, lots of customization
Good ability to receive suburban and rural weak signals
Lot of satisfied buyers

Best For Car: Uniden First Scanner

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There is a learning curve, for someone who has never had a scanner. It's a must to get the Remtronix antenna, the extra battery and external charger. The larger battery offers a lower center of gravity so it's more stable standing on the desktop. It has design for improved digital performance in weak-signal and simulcast areas.

This is a feature rich scanner and is fully customizable right down to the display colors. The simpler scanners are better for novice folks to use. You can add a gps antenna and the scanner will constantly update your scanning for the area you are traveling to and from, this is very important if you drive long distances with the scanner running.

Though this is a great little scanner that is feature rich and will last for many years into the future. It is a little easier to use at first than trying to program from the scanner itself.

Why We Like This:

Great p25 phase 2 trunked system reception with the stock antenna
Performs at its peak with an upgraded antenna
Color screen, great reception with better antenna

Best With FM Radio: Uniden Weather Channel

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate scanner. The product is exactly that - it's a simple product that hits all the right notes. Coupled to an Antron 99, this scanner picks up 50 miles or better, a nice job. It is good for novices that want to search on their own. It also has features onboard that help assist those unfamiliar with band assignments by modes that search common frequencies in different catalogories such as police/fire, amateur, airband, marine, etc. It has good volume so you can hear clearly.

This is a really good scanner, simple to use after you read the instruction manual.

Why We Like This:

Easy to set up, clear, high volume,easy to use
A very useful analog, non-trunking radio scanner
Plenty of sensitivity and the sound from the built-in speaker is decent
Reception excellent for in door back antennae

Best With internal speaker: Uniden Good Scanner

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The uniden good scanner should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. You can hear the civilian and military air bands with this scanner. It picks up all frequencies in these bands. It features like advanced dynamic memory system, close call rf capture technology, and gps compatibility. This feature means it will instantly tune to nearby transmitters. It’s a feature packed receiver.

This mobile scanner radio offers 25, 000 channels with an advanced dynamic memory system, trunktracker v technology, and more. It’s very easy on the ears. It’s a breeze to program with the computer. This is really easy to program when using the programming software that you must download from the uniden website, but it is money well spent.

Why We Like This:

Have many 'conventional channels programmed in, and reception is good, using the oem antenna
Different colors and audible alerts for each frequency
Great recp and easy to get codes using computer program

Best For local Police: Uniden Digital Scanner

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The uniden digital scanner might be a relatively new release, but it's still nothing short of impressive this year. This handheld scanner covers just about anything you might want to listen to. As far as the large display goes, the letters are very narrow and very thin and very crowded. The app is limited to your cellular signal, and it doesn't give you the control to fine-tune your frequencies. The range and reception of this unit is great.

The unit will have no issues picking up those frequencies. These are very easy to program, backup and restore.

Why We Like This:

Gps and zip code features make it easy to travel with
Hooked up to a powered speaker via the headphones port it is great
Picks up and receives many police dept

Best For Railroad: Uniden Ham Radio

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate scanner. The product is exactly that - it's a simple product that hits all the right notes. This sophisticated scanner has 300 users. It can be used by police, fire/emergency, marine, racing, civil air, ham radio, railroad, cb radio, weather, and more. It runs on 2 AA alkaline or simple USB charging allows you to recharge your scanner's batteries from a computer, or adapters for many wireless telephones. It features, the orange backlight display is easy to read, even in low light conditions. It has the weather radio channels programmed into it which is nice. It is easy to use, easy to setup, superb sound, and it's a great scanner. It includes a sturdy belt clip as well. It works well, good reception here in mountain valley until recharge requires shutdown.

Why We Like This:

Excellent,must get charger,wears down batteries quickly
Great for airports and nascar frequencies
You can scan for transmissions on the stored channels

Best For cell phone: Uniden specific System

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The uniden specific system is specially designed for your daily purpose and has all useful features. The Uniden Trunktracker V System-Site-Group-Channel configuration is different and requires a little learning curve. If you want to listen to NXDN frequencies, The BCD436hp or the SDS100 are capable of listening to them with an upgrade. This scanner will work on either of these, as well as older analog modes, including both conventional and trunked system applications.

Gps location-based scanning, connect this scanner to an optional gps receiver and it will automatically select programmed systems based on your exact location. The stock speaker is loud enough with road noise and even with an additional radio running. The programming is cumbersome to do manually. It comes with a charger and rechargeable batteries.

Why We Like This:

Super compact and easy to carry around
Great scanner with lots of features
A lot of distortion and very low audio
External power is via the supplied usb cable

Best With Emergency calls: Uniden Bearcat Handheld Radio Scanner

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The uniden bearcat handheld radio scanner is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily usage. The Bearcat Bc125at handheld scanner gives you direct access to over 40, 000 frequencies. It can also pick up police, emergency services, marine, racing, family radios,etc and more. It feels solid like a quality made product. This allows you to choose only those services which you're interested in, and removes scanning of frequencies to speed up what do you do hear.

This area is full of hills and valleys, but this little radio is still able to pull those signals in. The buttons are very responsive and feels good. It is great with emergency calls in the two county area. It will save you time and frustration. The free programming software is nice and simple, also.

Why We Like This:

Works great, easy to program, and sound is clear
Easy to program with pc free software
Give you the flexibility to choose what you want to tune in to

Best premium: Handheld Emergency Scanner

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If you often find yourself confused about a first-class scanner, this product should be your first option for buying. The Bearcat Bc125at handheld scanner has a feature called close call technology. It is compact and features weather alert technology and is capable of attaching to civilian and military air bands. Listen in and stay informed, this sophisticated scanner has 500 alpha-tagged channels in a convenient compact design with loads of features. It is used for police, fire/ems, aircraft, radio, and marine transmissions. The Close Call RF Capture instantly tunes to signals from nearby transmitters and the Close Call Do Not Disturb Mode prevents close call checks during a transmission.

The Bc365crs is a multi-featured conventional channel scanner. The Built in alarm clock lets you wake to your favorite fm station, a weather channel, or scanning.

Why We Like This:

Tagged channels in a convenient compact design with loads of features
Easily search bands commonly used for police, fire/ems, aircraft, amateur radio, and marine transmissions
Good investment for long term

The 9 Best Handheld Emergency Scanners (2023 reviews)

Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Uniden Nice Scanner

Best For Car: Uniden First Scanner

Best With FM Radio: Uniden Weather Channel

Best With internal speaker: Uniden Good Scanner

Best For local Police: Uniden Digital Scanner

Best For Railroad: Uniden Ham Radio

Best For cell phone: Uniden specific System

Best With Emergency calls: Uniden Bearcat Handheld Radio Scanner

Best premium: Handheld Emergency Scanner

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