


There is nothing at all wrong with the Uniden 30, it's a perfectly acceptable airband & a bit more scanner.
What you need to realise with a scanner, is that topography is the killer. Range is very variable & depends upon there being clean air between you & the station that you want to receive & even then on UHF don't expect more than say 10 to 20 miles from a decent repeater, or maybe a street or two from a handheld.
On VHF, expect 20 to 30 miles in good conditions maybe more from a decent repeater.
But be aware that hedges, vehicles, trees, especially trees with green leaves on them can reduce range dramatically & be aware that even the smallest mound between you & a station can stop it from be heard.


Try scanning airband in small chunks if possible. I did try & find how your radio searches, but the manual simply tells you it is possible, not how to do it.
If you want a copy of the manual. It can be found at..
http://www.classicinternational.eu/_clientfiles/manuals/30xltci-eng..pdf