I have always used a Uniden race scanner for staying updated with NASCAR events, and I have never been disappointed with one. That's why when my old unit died, I decided to get the Uniden SC230 Scanner featuring Pre-Programmed NASCAR/Busch Frequencies. This is a new device for me, but I immediately loved it. So I wrote this review to inform others about the benefits of using this product.
Design
The unit is a nice handy scanner with the dimensions of 2.9'' x 1.4'' x 4.6'' and a weight of 0.49 pounds. It's very lightweight, portable, and easy to use. The appearance in general is alright, I even like the orange face of the scanner. It adds aesthetic value to the device. Apart from that, the controls are very intuitive and you won't have a hard time navigating through it.
You have the choice to operate this device through rechargeable or alkaline AA batteries or through AC/DC power source. It's really a great Uniden race scanner and it even has the NASCAR logo on its front panel which makes me like it more. It even has a belt clip and a wrist strap so wherever you want to keep it, it's always safe.
Scanning and Audio Output
This Uniden race scanner has a whole lot of functions, and a lot more channels. It has 1600 typical channels and a maximum of 2500 - how could you ever get bored with this thing? There are ten services searches that make searching for your frequencies easier, whether you're looking for the frequencies for public safety, news, amateur radio, marine, railroad, air, CB radio, FRS/GMRS, racing, and other searches. You can find the specific frequency that you want to listen to and search through certain categories faster and more efficiently. You can even set priority channels which you can search easily if you need to know if there's activity on those certain frequencies.
As for race car fanatics like me, there's the preprogrammed race frequencies which all you have to do is search through. There are frequencies specially preprogrammed for NASCAR Nextel, Busch, Craftsman, Indy, ARCA, and Champ series races. There's also the quick race programming function that lets you easily enter specific race information. The quick car select function lets you listen to a specific car exclusively by simply pressing a single button. The scanner also has quick keys functions, much like speed dials which let you instantly set the frequency to a specific car, race, or system with a single touch of a button.
The audio output of this device is 320 mW through the speakers, and you can also use headphones which produce an audio output of 30 mW through 32-ohm headphones, or 6 mW on 64-ohm headphones. You'll definitely find this scanner excellent in producing sound so you'll have the best time while you're tuned in to your favorite race channels. Other Features
The backlight of the display has a special feature when it's nighttime, and it's called Backlight-On-Squelch, which is a trademark of Uniden. The light only illuminates when there is activity in the frequency that you're tuned in to so that you'll be alerted and it can also save energy. The attenuator eliminates the interference of other signal sources in your location. You can even set the delay of your scanner from 0-5 seconds so you can shorten or lengthen the waiting time of response before the device continues scanning through other channels. You can also lock-out frequencies which you don't want to scan or search through, and you can lock-out up to 200 channels, saving you time during scans and searches. There's a channel alert function which you can use to be always alerted whenever there is activity on the frequency that you specify. The different channels, race channels, groups, and other frequencies can even be named using the text tagging function, which lets you input names for important frequencies up to 16 characters. Key lock, low battery alert, and other custom Uniden features are also added in this model.
Conclusion
If you're a race car fanatic and you want a Uniden race scanner, there's no better model for you to get than the Uniden SC230 Scanner featuring Pre-Programmed NASCAR/Busch Frequencies. It's really great and you just have to love it. I even love it more than the older model that I had, and that was a Uniden, too. So if you're looking for a good suggestion for the best race scanner, this is the model that I would definitely recommend to you.
