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Chautauqua County
New York · USA
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Chautauqua County, NY

Scanner Comparison

ScanCHQ vs. Broadcastify vs. Hardware — Features, Cost & Value

Hardware Option
Uniden BCD996P2
$538.92
$499.00 retail + $39.92 tax (8%) + programming software ~$40 + antenna upgrade ~$50–100 No archive. No mobile app.
Online Option
Broadcastify Premium
$30/yr
$30/yr web premium removes audio ads Free tier: audio pre-roll ad every feed change Grouped feeds — no per-talkgroup control Mobile app $39.99/yr separately
▶ Best Value — This Site
ScanCHQ Pre-launch Rate
$36/yr
FREE through June 30, 2026 Pre-launch: $36/yr or $5/mo from July 1 Regular: $60/yr from Sept 1, 2026 Mobile app included. Display ads only.
Break-even vs. hardware: The BCD996P2 at $538.92 (with tax) — before programming software (~$40) and an antenna upgrade (~$75 avg) — totals roughly $653 fully operational. At ScanCHQ's pre-launch rate of $36/yr that is approximately 18 years of equivalent coverage for the same cost. At the regular rate of $60/yr, still over 10 years — and ScanCHQ includes features the hardware simply cannot match.
On ads and the listening experience: Broadcastify's free tier plays a 15–30 second audio commercial before the feed starts — every time you change feeds. On a public safety scanner, that means missing live radio traffic while a commercial plays. Broadcastify Premium ($30/yr) removes these audio pre-roll ads.  |  ScanCHQ uses display ads only (Google AdSense banners and sponsor placements, when available) — nothing that interrupts the audio stream or scanner interface. The Rdio Scanner mobile app is ad-banner supported with no interference to playback or the GUI.
Advantage Partial / Limited Disadvantage / Not Available
Feature Comparison Matrix Updated 06/13/2026
Feature Uniden BCD996P2
$538.92 w/ tax		 Broadcastify
Free / $30/yr premium		 ScanCHQ ▶ BEST VALUE · $36/yr pre-launch
Cost & Access
Entry costTo start listening today $538.92 hardware + tax $0 free tier available $0 — Free through June 30, 2026
Year-1 all-in costFully operational estimate $653+ hardware,
software & antenna		 $30/yr web
+ $39.99/yr mobile app		 $36/yr pre-launch
Mobile app included
Setup requiredBefore first listen Hours — programming,
antenna, software		 Account signup 1 click — zero setup
Mobile appiOS / Android ✕ None $39.99/yr — separate cost ✓ Included — no extra fee
Ad experienceWhile listening ✓ No ads (hardware) Free: 15–30 sec audio pre-roll
every feed change
Premium: no audio ads		 Display banners only
Zero audio interruptions
Coverage — Chautauqua County
CHQ Sheriff dispatchTG 8001 Antenna-range limited Via ScanCHQ-hosted feed
(grouped — no TG control)		 ✓ Direct SDR — fiber
Jamestown Police & FireTG 8007 / 9009 ✓ Via ScanCHQ-hosted feed
(grouped — no TG control)		 ✓ Individual talkgroups
Chautauqua Fire / EMS dispatchTG 9023 / 9031 / 9032 ✓ Via ScanCHQ-hosted feed
(grouped — no TG control)		 ✓ Individual talkgroups
Public Safety South coverage ✓ Via ScanCHQ-hosted feed
(grouped — no TG control)		 ✓ Full talkgroup directory
Feed reliabilitySource consistency ✓ Hardware is yours Dependent on host uptime Fiber + UPS infrastructure
Live status indicator ✕ Listener count only ✓ Live / Offline badge
Talkgroup Control
Select individual talkgroupsToggle agencies on/off ✓ Full hardware control ✕ Pre-mixed grouped feed
no per-TG control		 ✓ Per-talkgroup toggles
P25 Phase I & II decode ✓ TrunkTracker V Node-dependent ✓ Professional SDR
Multi-site trunked tracking ✓ TrunkTracker V Calls platform only ✓ Handled server-side
Talkgroup directoryWith live status LEDs On-device 4-line display ✕ ✓ 30+ entries, color-coded
live status on dashboard
Archive & Replay
Audio archive available ✕ None ✓ 365 days (premium) ✓ 30 days standard
Up to 3 yrs (research fee)
Archive granularityHow past audio is accessed ✕ No archive 30-min MP3 blocks
all agencies mixed		 Per-call / per-talkgroup
searchable on-demand
Dashboard & Context Resources
10-code referenceOn same page while listening ✕ Separate tab required ✓ Inline on dashboard
Local news RSS feedCHQ-filtered headlines ✕ ✕ ✓ Live — filtered to CHQ
Agency website linksPolice, Fire, EMS organized ✕ ✕ ✓ Organized by agency type
Coverage map ✕ ✕ ✓ Embedded CHQ county map
Community chat room ✕ ✕ ✓ Live open chat room
Public safety articlesCurated local topics ✕ ✕ ✓ Curated on dashboard
Practical Considerations
NOAA weather alertsS.A.M.E. / severe weather ✓ Built-in S.A.M.E. alerts ✕ ✕
Portable / in-vehicle use ✓ Mobile mount kit ✓ App ($39.99/yr) ✓ Mobile browser / app
included free
Technical expertise needed High — programming,
antenna, software required		 Low None — 1 click to listen
National feed accessBeyond CHQ county Antenna range only ✓ 6,500+ feeds worldwide CHQ-focused by design
Cost Summary
Year-1 all-in cost $653+ one-time
(fully operational)		 ~$30–$70/yr
(web ± mobile app)		 $0 now → $36/yr pre-launch
Mobile included
Break-even vs. hardwareYears of ScanCHQ = scanner cost — ~9 yrs vs. scanner ~18 yrs at pre-launch rate
~10 yrs at regular rate
Uniden BCD996P2 retail $499 (Amazon / Home Depot, April 2026) + 8% NY sales tax = $538.92. ARC Pro XT programming software ~$40. Aftermarket antenna estimate $50–100. Broadcastify free tier plays a 15–30 sec audio pre-roll commercial before each feed load, on every feed change. Broadcastify Premium $30/yr (360-day plan) removes audio pre-roll ads. Broadcastify mobile app (Broadcastify Pro) $39.99/yr — purchased separately from web premium. ScanCHQ hosts Jamestown Police/Fire, Chautauqua Fire/EMS dispatch, and Public Safety South as Broadcastify feeds; those feeds are grouped (no per-talkgroup control) and subject to Broadcastify's standard ad policy on the free tier. ScanCHQ display ads (Google AdSense banners / sponsor placements) are non-audio and do not interrupt scanning or the GUI. ScanCHQ pre-launch rate $36/yr or $5/mo effective July 1, 2026; regular rate $60/yr from September 1, 2026. Free through June 30, 2026.
Early Bird — Pre-launch Rate

Listen Free Through June 30th

No credit card. No personal details. One click to hear Chautauqua County police, fire, and EMS live — with a full dashboard built around the county, not a generic multi-city platform. Pre-register now to lock in the $36/yr pre-launch rate before the window closes.

▶ Pre-Register & Listen Live Back to Live Feed