Will the Uniden BC125AT work where I live?
Probably not for police. The BC125AT hears only analog radio, and most police now use P25, a digital standard it can't decode. In only 79 of 3,138 US counties do the police and fire licenses show analog radio alone. Type your ZIP to see which agencies near you it can and can't hear.
Why most counties need more than a BC125AT
The BC125AT is an analog scanner. Uniden says so plainly: “The BC125AT is not a digital scanner and is not capable of Digital Radio system monitoring, (e.g. Project 25, DMR, NXDN).” Most police and fire now use P25 digital radio. We found P25 licenses in 91% of counties. An analog scanner hears digital radio as a buzz, or not at all.
It still hears something in many places. In 2,964 counties at least one licensed agency, often a fire department or a public works crew, holds analog-only licenses. The check above lists them.
Where the BC125AT works best
States with the largest share of counties where every agency we found is analog:
| State | Analog-only counties | Counties | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| SD | 15 | 66 | 23% |
| IA | 15 | 99 | 15% |
| AK | 4 | 29 | 14% |
| NE | 11 | 92 | 12% |
| AL | 8 | 67 | 12% |
| VT | 1 | 14 | 7% |
| ID | 2 | 44 | 5% |
| MS | 3 | 80 | 4% |
From 109,091 FCC public safety licenses, October 11, 2026. Licenses show the radio type an agency may use.
If it won't work here, buy this instead
The cheapest new scanner we found that hears P25 Phase 1 and 2
Uniden BCD325P2
- Hears the P25 digital radio most police use (Uniden).
- Handheld, like the BC125AT.
Watch for
- About $260 more than the BC125AT.
Keep it if your county is analog, or for air, rail and weather
Uniden BC125AT
- Covers the aircraft band, 108 to 137 MHz (Uniden manual).
- Sold by Amazon itself.
Watch for
- Analog only. Check your county above first.
Amazon prices as of October 14, 2026, 10:00 PM Pacific. Prices change; Amazon shows the current one.
Questions people ask
Is the BC125AT digital?
No. Uniden says: “The BC125AT is not a digital scanner and is not capable of Digital Radio system monitoring, (e.g. Project 25, DMR, NXDN).”
Can I add digital to a BC125AT later?
No. Digital decoding is built into the scanner's hardware. To hear P25, buy a digital scanner such as the BCD325P2.
What can the BC125AT still hear?
Analog radio: some fire, EMS and public works channels, aircraft, railroads, marine, and weather. Uniden lists these preset groups: “Police, Fire/Emergency, Ham, Marine, Railroad, Civil Air, Military Air, CB Radio, FRS/GMRS/MURS, and Racing banks”. It also has a weather alert: “Weather Alert Standby - the scanner allows you to monitor for weather alerts broadcast on NOAA channels.”
Why is the BC125AT so popular if it can't hear most police?
It's the cheapest well-known scanner, and the listing leads with “40,000 frequencies.” Frequencies aren't the problem. The problem is that most police now talk in digital, which an analog scanner can't decode.
More: Which scanner works in my area · Best scanners by radio type · Scanner hears nothing?