Uniden SR30C VS BC125AT: Which is the best?

Having a police scanner can be beneficial not only to police or journalists but also to civilians. Police scanners inform you about the potential dangers around your area and keep you alert all the time. Among many other brands in the industry of radio scanners, one name that should come first is the Uniden. Uniden is an American company founded in 1966 by Hidero Fujimoto. Since that year, Uniden is restlessly doing its duty by bringing high-quality electronics such as CB radio, marine radio, radio detector, and police scanner. In this article on the Uniden SR30C vs BC125AT, we will be doing a comparative discussion on the Uniden Bearcat BC125AT and SR30C Handheld Scanners. 

Top pick
Uniden Bearcat SR30CHandheld Scanner
Top Ratings
Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner
Product
Product
Uniden Bearcat SR30CHandheld Scanner
Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner
Difference of Cost
Difference of Cost
If you are tight on budget, the SR30C is a great deal too.
The BC125AT is more expensive but it is surely worth the price.

A radio or police scanner is a great device that can pick up radio communication transmission to alert you about the latest emergencies, storms, or traffic accidents. Uniden’s scanners come with a variety of designs and features. But quality service and durability are what every Uniden’s police scanner guarantees. All of these scanners are super easy to set up and operate. They can pick up nearby frequencies from police and fire departments, ambulances, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and aircraft. If any occurrence or any type of accident happens near your place, the police scanner alerts you before the television does. So, undoubtedly it is a great device to own.

Uniden itself is a proud producer of police scanners and you will find literally a bunch of Uniden’s scanners in the market. It must be a hard decision to make as each and every Uniden product is promised to offer outstanding service. There are, however, some Uniden products that demand extra acknowledgment, and the Uniden BC125AT and SR30C Handheld Scanners are two of them. In this Uniden SR30C vs BC125AT, you will know which of them will suit you the most.

Uniden SR30C VS BC125AT: Face to Face Comparison

Uniden SR30C

Uniden BC125AT

  • The Uniden SR30C does not have the Alpha Tagging and only shows the frequency while scanning
  • The Uniden BC125AT comes with an Alpha Tagging feature allowing you to name the channels
  • The SR30C model seems a little complicated to program, especially for newbies
  • This police scanner is very simple to program and has a quite straightforward setup
  • The scan rate of the SR30C is 90 channels per second
  • On the other hand, 80 channels per second is the scan rate of the BC125AT
  • This model from Uniden has a two-level display backlight to help you see in the display in low light
  • The display backlight of this scanner comes with one brightness level
  • The SR30C comes included with a USB cable but you have to buy the rechargeable batteries separately
  • Where the Uniden BC125AT comes packed with a USB cable and 2 AA rechargeable NiMH batteries
Check Price On Amazon Check Price On Amazon

Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Review in Detail

The Bearcat BC125AT is an entry-level police scanner from Uniden that only supports analog signals. This scanner is very lightweight and comes in a portable design. It means you can carry it wherever you want to enjoy its service. The building quality is also very sturdy. It may be built of plastic but you will never question its durability. 

This scanner has 10 storage banks that allow you to save up to 50 channels in each bank meaning you can listen up to around 500 frequencies. On top of that, the Alpha Tagging feature lets you organize channels by their categories. You can name the channels so that you can quickly find them.

Uniden Bearcat SR30CHandheld Scanner

With the Close Call Capture Technology integrated into the scanner, you can tune in to nearby transmissions. Along with it has the Close Call DND (Do Not Disturb) so that Close Call does not work during transmission and prevents interruption. You will also be provided with a lockout function. This lockout function allows you to skip certain channels while searching. You can either temporarily or permanently block the channels of your choosing. 

Check Price On Amazon

The operation procedure of the Uniden Bearcat BC125AT scanner is very simple. It can be programmed manually and via computer too. There is a USB port on the right side of the scanner that you can use to connect the scanner with your PC to enjoy the included Uniden website. You can download this free software from Uniden’s site. This software not only gives you easy programming but also lets you personalize the scanner and get control over every function of it.

The Uniden Bearcat BC125AT has a large display that shows your alpha tag, PL Tone, mode, frequency, and signal strength meter. This screen comes with a blacklist that can be turned off and on as you wish. This backlit LCD lets you read the screen even in the dark. Moreover, you will be provided with 2 NiMH AA batteries. belt clip, flexible BNC antenna, and a USB Cable.

Pros
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Features 500 channels
  • Has Alpha Tagging
  • Large blacklist screen
  • Features Close Call RF Capture with DND
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Supports both civil and military bands
  • Has Priority Scan feature
Cons
  • Only receives analog signals
  • Battery life is not that great

Uniden Bearcat SR30C Handheld Scanner Review in Detail

With a conveniently compact design, the Uniden Bearcat SR30C is a basic handheld scanner loaded with lots of amazing features. Like the previous one, the Uniden SR30C is also an analog scanner meaning it can only receive analog signals. This scanner supports 500 channels. These channels are divided into 10 storage banks so you don’t need to spend endless time searching your needed channels. 

With this police scanner, you can listen to up to 32,000 frequencies. You can easily find these frequencies as they come preset into 10 service bands. These service bands include police, fire, marine, racing, civil air, HAM radio, railroad, CB radio, and others (FRS/GMRS/MURS). You can also program the scanner with your computer. You just need to connect the scanner to your PC using a USB cable and program the device. You can customize your scanner using your computer.

Uniden Bearcat BC125AT Handheld Scanner

Uniden’s exclusive Close Call technology is also present in the Bearcat SR30C Police Scanner. With this feature, you can instantly tune in to strong signals coming from nearby transmitters. However, Close Call DND (Do Not Disturb) is also here to prevent interruption during transmissions. Other than these, the scanner consists of the lockout function that skips over a certain channel while searching or scanning for quick access to your needed channel.

Check Price On Amazon

The SR30C comes along with the Priority Scan feature. This special feature scans important channels more frequently so that you don’t miss any messages. You can set one channel as the priority channel from each bank in order to capture important signals instantly. The delay function also comes in handy because it prevents miss reply from any two-way conversation. 

This model from Uniden also has a blacklist display to provide better readability. If you want you can dim the screen as well. The package includes a flexible BNC antenna, a USB charging cable, an attached belt clip, and a manual. One thing that sets the SR30C apart is its multiple power options. The scanner can be powered using a USB cable, two AA alkaline batteries, or two rechargeable AA Ni-MH batteries.

Pros
  • It has over 32000 frequency
  • Multiple power options
  • Lightweight and portable design.
  • Supports 500 channels
  • PC programmable
  • Features Close Call RF Capture, Delay
  • Function, and Priority Scan
  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Has blacklist display
Cons
  • Only supports analog signals
  • Programming is tough for the beginners
  • The device is not waterproof

Uniden SR30C VS BC125AT: Which One to Pick? 

As you can see both of these radio scanners have much in common. They are analog scanners and receive only analog signals. Both of them have the same power source, range, and frequency. They are handheld scanners and it is incredibly easy to carry them wherever you want. These two have the Close Call RF Capture which is present in most Uniden police scanners. In addition, you will find 10 channel storage banks, lockout function, service banks, and priority scan with DND mode with each of these models. But it must be mentioned that both of them have some unique features too. Even their prices are distinct to each model. 

The best thing about the Uniden BC125AT is its simplicity and ease of use. It definitely comes with more features than the SR30C. On the contrary, the Uniden SR30C can be found a little harder to program compared to the other model. Alpha Tagging feature of the BC125AT is very handy which is absent in the other one. However, the BC125AT is more expensive but it is surely worth the price. This model will provide better performance with more advanced features. But if you are tight on budget, the SR30C is a great deal too.

Final Words

If you are willing to purchase an analog scanner to listen to the local transmissions, the Uniden BC125AT and the Uniden SR30C are two of the best options. Both of these models can prove themselves invaluable in times of emergency. We have tried to compare these two models in terms of their features and specification in this article on Uniden SR30C vs BC125AT. Though these models have very few features that can be distinct, we have tried to figure out their unique features as much as possible. Hope this article helps you find out which of these Uniden scanners is the best choice for you.

2 thoughts on “Uniden SR30C VS BC125AT: Which is the best?”

Leave a Comment