Uniden BC355N Radio Scanner Review
When it comes to the best and most affordable police scanners, the Uniden BC355N is the pick of the bunch. It’s the ultimate low-cost analog scanner that can pick up police and emergency transmissions.
If you’re new to the world of mobile scanners, the BC355N is the perfect entry-level scanner for you – it’s easy to use and has a great set of features. In addition, it can pick up analog receptions from 6 service banks, including the Police and Fire Department, Emergency Services, Marine, Air, Weather, and even CB frequencies.
The layout of the device is pretty simple too. There’s a backlit LCD screen on the top right side, with 13 buttons and 2 knobs around it for easier use. The best part about it is that it can be used both as a base and a mobile scanner, meaning you can use it at home or install it in your vehicle so you can listen to transmissions while on the go.
So, now that you know what the Uniden BC355N is all about, let’s dive deeper into its amazing features.
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Best Features
Close Call RF Capture Technology
Close Call is a feature exclusive to Uniden scanners that enables you to search for stronger nearby signals and instantly tune into them, all while monitoring other frequencies. When you press the Close Call button, you can activate three different functions:
- Close Call Do Not Disturb – the scanner will check for transmissions only when it’s not receiving other audio.
- Close Call Priority – the scanner will check every 2 seconds for nearby transmissions.
- Close Call Only – the scanner will only try to find Close Call transmissions.
Seven Banks
The Uniden BC355N comes with seven banks, six of which are pre-programmed and one standard private bank that includes the police, fire, and emergency services. This allows you to quickly search and tune in to active frequencies with the push of a button!
There are more than 4.000 pre-programmed frequencies, of which 1769 are for the police, 280 for fire and emergency, 2280 for air, 90 for marine, 7 for weather, and 40 for covering CB communications.
Besides, there’s still plenty of room (300 channels) for you to save any additional frequencies you need.
Vehicle Mount for Mobile Use
Thanks to the mounting bracket, you can easily use the scanner in your vehicle and take it with you on the road. Just connect the mobile antenna and you’ll get a clear reception without any transmission interruptions.
In addition, the Uniden BC355N comes with three power options (AC adapter, DC power cable, and an automotive power outlet plug), so you can use it just about anywhere.
Technical Specs
- Frequency Coverage: 25-54 MHz; 108-174 MHz; 406-512 MHz; 806-956 MHz
- Scan Rate: 50 channels/second
- Search Rate: 180 steps/second
- Scan Delay: 2 seconds
- Number of Channels: 300
To see the full list of technical specifications of the Uniden BC355N, click here.
What’s in the Box
The Uniden BC355N comes with the following items in the box:
- Telescoping Antenna
- Flexible Window-Mount Mobile Antenna
- AC Adapter
- Vehicle Power Adapter
- DC Power Cord for hard-wiring power from your car to your scanner.
- Bracket
- Screw
What Users Love the Most about It
The Uniden BC355N certainly lives up to its potential, and all the positive customer reviews are proof of that. People who’ve bought the scanner are full of praise for its compact design and reliability. Let’s see what one satisfied customer had to say.
“This is a fantastic scanner! I had a similar one before and I missed having it. This model has a lot of channel capacity and I can save everything I need for my county. I’ve read that some people had trouble with the programming, and while it has a small learning curve, once you get the hang of it it’s no big deal. Overall, a very compact and reliable scanner. I recommend getting the antenna outside of your house or car for better reception. I personally use the provided glass mount antenna at home and hung it on my patio, around 10ft off the ground.” – William B. Hall
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of external antenna connector does it take? I want to use it in my RV and I have a car type push-in plug, does that work?
The car type connector will not work. The name of the connector is a BNC connector, the kind you usually find on handheld scanners and such. Also, it does come with a decent car window antenna.
I hear different opinions of programming this scanner. Is it really hard to program?
Not any harder than any other device as with your cell phone. Not having a keypad is just a little different. Don’t be intimidated by that. Make a list of frequencies you want to put in or use the computer. It’s not a big deal since Radio Reference and other sites have the frequencies easily available.
Is this P25 capable?
No, it’s an analog scanner only.
Conclusion
If you’re in need of an affordable and easy-to-use scanner, then the Uniden BC355N is the one to have. It still has all of the features you need for basic use at home or on the go, and with all the pre-programmed channels, you’re getting a complete package to enter the amazing world of police scanners.
Final rating: 4/5