This is what they shut down GRE's factory for?

[GrumpyAeroGuy]

Originally Posted by W9RXR

While final assembly may be mostly manual, I feel quite confident that the circuit boards are populated and soldered by machine, the cases and other plastic parts are injection molded by machine, and many other component parts are made by machines.

All true....BUT

Chinese injection molding plants don't have the same environmental regs to concern themselves with and industrial waste disposal regs to worry about and emmissions regs to worry about and and and and and.....

Even where machines pre-dominate, and if one assumes and/or agrees that the machine cost is the same here as it is "there", there are still humans that exist in the plant, if indeed relatively few of them. The overhead of a human in our country vs. "there" is still a factor of 10+ in terms of cost.

There will always be a premium assosciated with american made vs. chinese made --- though, this may indeed be minimal in this case of a product such as a scanner.

Don't get me wrong, I PREFER, and am happy to pay a premium for an american made product. The reality is, however, if one is engineering to cost, no penny under a rock will be left undiscovered.

The irony: at the end of the day, the savings are short lived if the world is looked upon as the control volume. The luming, immense, health crisis facing the chinese population is as significant as the "bubble" presented in the OPs posted links. When this all blows, the shock wave will be felt globally.

In fact, the environental catastrophe that is china is already impacting our west coast. It is pay now, or pay later. At this moment, we are still in the "later" column.

[trsundstrom]

Wirelessly posted (Moto Droid Bionic: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.0.4; en-us; DROID BIONIC Build/6.7.2-223_DBN_M4-23) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30)

FWIW CNBC and Bloomberg have been covering the vacant city and economy stories for some months now. The Chinese economy has slowed down; imports of coal and copper, other commodities, have slowed down. The Chinese gov't is attempting QE to boost middle class consumer consumption. Gold prices around the world have also flat lined as Chinese consumption has slowed.

[mmckenna]

I was at the IWCE (International Wireless and Communications Expo) today in Las Vegas. I asked the guy at the Alinco/GRE booth what the deal is.

He said he didn't know, they haven't told them anything. He did say that the headquarters in Tokyo had moved to a lower rent building, but that was the extent of his knowledge.

GRE didn't have anything new on display.

Alinco did have some Part 90 radios that looked like cloned Chinese brand radios. Hand held, mobile and dual band mobile. Not high end units. One of them had the same data plug on the front as the Ham radios, so it looks like an updated 2 meter radio certified for Part 90.

[radioman316]

Originally Posted by mmckenna

I was at the IWCE (International Wireless and Communications Expo) today in Las Vegas. I asked the guy at the Alinco/GRE booth what the deal is.

He said he didn't know, they haven't told them anything. He did say that the headquarters in Tokyo had moved to a lower rent building, but that was the extent of his knowledge.

GRE didn't have anything new on display.

Alinco did have some Part 90 radios that looked like cloned Chinese brand radios. Hand held, mobile and dual band mobile. Not high end units. One of them had the same data plug on the front as the Ham radios, so it looks like an updated 2 meter radio certified for Part 90.

If GRE japan HAS indeed moved to a lower rent building, that is good news and just might mean production will pick up again

[zerg901]

If you really want to get into global economics, population control, China, future of the world, (the big picture) etc - check out this 50 minute interview - it is not hard to understand

Charlie Rose - Jeremy Grantham

interview of J Grantham by Charlie Rose

Note - when Grantham says "trend" I think he means "average" or "typical"

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by radioman316

If GRE japan HAS indeed moved to a lower rent building, that is good news and just might mean production will pick up again

Or it could mean that they've pruned the GRE staff down to a skeleton crew, stuck them in a single office in some low rent building, and are keeping them around just to provide support for another couple of years, until they do away with them completely.

I think GRE Japan is done making scanners for good, and GRE America's plan to carry on the business somehow was overly ambitious at best. I'm perfectly fine with eventually being proven wrong, because that would mean more choices on the market and competition for Uniden...but I just don't see it happening.

[radioman316]

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Or it could mean that they've pruned the GRE staff down to a skeleton crew, stuck them in a single office in some low rent building, and are keeping them around just to provide support for another couple of years, until they do away with them completely.

I think GRE Japan is done making scanners for good, and GRE America's plan to carry on the business somehow was overly ambitious at best. I'm perfectly fine with eventually being proven wrong, because that would mean more choices on the market and competition for Uniden...but I just don't see it happening.

I hear you.

GRE America is OUT of psr-800's and they have no plans to restock according to the nice email I got yesterday, so that should give you a clue.

I have also heard that Phase 2 TDMA really won't take a foothold anyways. so whoever bought the 800 for that reason was wrong to do so.

I also hope to be proven wrong but GRE hasn't posted any updates relating to production since the news release back in october, so it may be wise to say the company is really dead.

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by radioman316

I have also heard that Phase 2 TDMA really won't take a foothold anyways. so whoever bought the 800 for that reason was wrong to do so.

Whoever you heard that from couldn't be more wrong. There are new Phase II systems being installed all over the country, with Phase I systems being converted over to Phase II as well. It's pretty much a no-brainer at this point, the Motorola G series repeaters support Phase II out of the box at ASTRO 25 system release 7.11 or higher (they're currently up to 7.13), and the APX line of radios also support Phase II out of the box. A lot of these systems are supporting the Phase I radios, but are offering Phase II talkgroup capability as a way to double voice channel capacity without increasing the amount of frequencies being used.

There are already 21 Phase II systems listed in the database here, and Phase II hardware only started being sold a year and a half ago. That doesn't include systems that are currently being planned or just haven't made their way into the database here, as well as Phase I systems that haven't been upgraded yet or haven't been listed as Phase II in the database here if they're in the process of upgrading. In those cases where Phase I systems are already operating on G series hardware, Phase II is enabled via software upgrades.

Phase II is here to stay, and isn't going anywhere.

[radioman316]

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Whoever you heard that from couldn't be more wrong. There are new Phase II systems being installed all over the country, with Phase I systems being converted over to Phase II as well. It's pretty much a no-brainer at this point, the Motorola G series repeaters support Phase II out of the box at ASTRO 25 system release 7.11 or higher (they're currently up to 7.13), and the APX line of radios also support Phase II out of the box. A lot of these systems are supporting the Phase I radios, but are offering Phase II talkgroup capability as a way to double voice channel capacity without increasing the amount of frequencies being used.

There are already 21 Phase II systems listed in the database here, and Phase II hardware only started being sold a year and a half ago. That doesn't include systems that are currently being planned or just haven't made their way into the database here, as well as Phase I systems that haven't been upgraded yet or haven't been listed as Phase II in the database here if they're in the process of upgrading. In those cases where Phase I systems are already operating on G series hardware, Phase II is enabled via software upgrades.

Phase II is here to stay, and isn't going anywhere.

Just like people saying that EDACS is dead but really isn't???

Come on, A lot of departments can't afford Motorolas and contrary to what's been said on here, there is massive interop problems ranging from the SLERS in florida all the way to California and their P25 systems.

when SHTF, all that encryption is useless anyways as when the power goes, so does the encryption. That is one thing I haven't heard anybody mention yet.

everybody is more concerned with privacy than safety. encryption doesn't save lives and when it boils right down to it, all these departments that are encrypting will have egg on their face.

encryption doesn't equal 100% safety

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by radioman316

Just like people saying that EDACS is dead but really isn't???

Come on, A lot of departments can't afford Motorolas and contrary to what's been said on here, there is massive interop problems ranging from the SLERS in florida all the way to California and their P25 systems.

when SHTF, all that encryption is useless anyways as when the power goes, so does the encryption. That is one thing I haven't heard anybody mention yet.

everybody is more concerned with privacy than safety. encryption doesn't save lives and when it boils right down to it, all these departments that are encrypting will have egg on their face.

encryption doesn't equal 100% safety

What does P25 Phase II TDMA have to do with encryption or EDACS? It's the most recent P25 standard, and it's not going anywhere, trust me. I'm really not sure what you're going on about encryption for, it's a completely separate issue.

[MikeOxlong]

Originally Posted by radioman316

Come on, A lot of departments can't afford Motorolas

Than they should buy Harris, Daniels, EADS, Tait, etc.

It's not just Motorola selling Phase II radios.

[GTO_04]

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Or it could mean that they've pruned the GRE staff down to a skeleton crew, stuck them in a single office in some low rent building, and are keeping them around just to provide support for another couple of years, until they do away with them completely.

I think GRE Japan is done making scanners for good, and GRE America's plan to carry on the business somehow was overly ambitious at best. I'm perfectly fine with eventually being proven wrong, because that would mean more choices on the market and competition for Uniden...but I just don't see it happening.

My thoughts exactly. Usually when a company stops production of an entire product line, they just don't magically bring it back. Not gonna happen IMHO. We have to resign ourselves to the fact that GRE is getting out of the scanner business.

GTO_04

[Exsmokey]

Originally Posted by zerg901

If you really want to get into global economics, population control, China, future of the world, (the big picture) etc - check out this 50 minute interview - it is not hard to understand

Charlie Rose - Jeremy Grantham

interview of J Grantham by Charlie Rose

Note - when Grantham says "trend" I think he means "average" or "typical"

This discussion was fascinating to watch. My thinking on finite resources and population started in my late high school and early college years (1968-1972) , with business types disagreeing strongly with it. Events, education, observations and experience since then have in some ways modified, but overall strengthened, my basic hypothesis. Now here is a business type agreeing with that hypothesis. Fascinating too, that he mentions the loss of biodiversity as not only a threat to human survival, but to economies as well is fascinating. This coming from a financial CEO is fascinating. More discussion belongs in the Tavern, however, discussions don't occur there, just a lot of shooting from the hip of ideological believes, using the vilification of someone who has an idea rather than evaluating the idea itself, of trying to place every idea in some little black and white cubbyhole. Sounds like the Congress and political campaigns, does it not?

I'm real disappointed in this development with GRE. How will innovation result if there is no race to win? Scanners seem to be just a minor effort to the big picture for Uniden and will they continue to hold up a standard to the benefit of hobbyists if they have a monopoly?

Many people have said that the choice between GRE and Uniden was a type of Coke vs. Pepsi, Chevy vs. Ford preference. When I used to drink carbonated beverages, I liked 7 Up. I don't like Sprite and Sierra Mist. I could not get 7 Up in most places because Coke and Pepsi made restaurants carry only their products so I ended up with something I perceived as inferior and a knock off due to a monopoly. Monopolies = no choice, less innovation and motive to improve.

I have learned some things following the links presented here. The Chinese bubble being predicted from many different sources and I first heard it here on RR. What other electronic brands and products will follow suit? I'm not one to desire or "need" the latest electronic devices, with the exception of receivers and ham radios so I will be affected as well. Could more essential products be involved, such as commercial communication systems?

[radioman316]

Originally Posted by MikeOxlong

Than they should buy Harris, Daniels, EADS, Tait, etc.

It's not just Motorola selling Phase II radios.

Oh really??? I know for FACT that Harris does not currently have Phase II radios in production. Harris doesn't want to lose the money they now make by ending EDACS systems.

If you people really think that VOIP is great for police radios, maybe you need to ask West Palm Beach.

Harris is a big employer here in Brevard County and judging by what I have seen on RR and out in the real world, encryption isn't going to last much longer, that is a 100% fact.

I am not going to name my sources but we here in florida have rallied up to get encryption stopped by 2016 with our own proposals.

Our sheriff will not encrypt period, he sees no need to. and with him being that way, the other departments are going to find it hard to connect with brevard county.

there are plenty of LE agencies that think encryption is not the way to go.

FHP is getting tired of having to make phone calls to Brevard everytime they need a local municiplaity

[bigcam406]

i know this is off topic,but what you are stating maybe the case where you are located,but not where i am.encryption is going to be the norm soon in alot of municipalities in my area.within a year to be exact.

[StereoScout]

Originally Posted by radioman316

GRE America is OUT of psr-800's and they have no plans to restock according to the nice email I got yesterday, so that should give you a clue.

Here is another clue.

GRE PSR-800 Scanner Radio Receiver, PSR800

[Ronaldski]

Get back on topic please TY!

[Smokey4176]

Need some info please. I ordered a PSR 800 to replace my old PRO 94 through Amazon and was informed it would take 4 to 6 weeks to receive. Now my question is do they still have the 800 to sell or did they quite making them and I should cancel my order and find another scanner that will receive the P25 system?

[IowaGuy1603]

Originally Posted by Smokey4176

Need some info please. I ordered a PSR 800 to replace my old PRO 94 through Amazon and was informed it would take 4 to 6 weeks to receive. Now my question is do they still have the 800 to sell or did they quite making them and I should cancel my order and find another scanner that will receive the P25 system?

As of this date, the company is no longer making new scanners. Amazon is most likely trying to find one through one of their suppliers.

there are several threads about this situation on this forum

[UPMan]

Harris Corporation Fully Integrates P25 Phase 2 Technology with VIDA Network

I also regret the events surrounding GRE and honestly hope that they can recover...I am friends with several current and ex-GRE employees (but we never discuss work), and wish only the best for them.