New hobbyist in BC

[VE7RCX]

Hello and thank you for all the informative posts on here (and even some of the purely entertaining ones). As a brand new radio enthusiast / hobbyist I've been trying to absorb as much as possible before asking 'stupid questions' but I'd really appreciate a sanity check before spending $$ just to monitor the Abbotsford Police dispatch as well as local Fire/Ambulance.

1) Am I too late? Does anyone here know if these communications are already encrypted or soon to be?

2) If they're not encrypted then does this sound like a good start? Since these agencies (or at least the police) are now on E-Comm's EDACS based WARS and using ProVoice, from what I can tell I would need a trunk tracking scanner with a discriminator tap feeding into a computer. I'm thinking of a Bearcat BCD996XT with DSD 1.6 running on a Win7 PC to decode the ProVoice.

Thanks in advance,
Ray

[stuck22]

The Uniden 996XT does not receive provoice audio so you would have to either replace the 996XT with a PSR800 or... you will need a second scanner with a discriminator tap to monitor the control channel and you would run Unitrunker. Unitrunker will control your 996XT. The discriminated audio from your 996 will go to DSD and you have Abbotsford Police.

[EdmontonFireRadio]

Are you saying that the PSR800 will let the user listen to Provoice?

[VE7RCX]

Originally Posted by stuck22

The Uniden 996XT does not receive provoice audio so you would have to either replace the 996XT with a PSR800 or...

I thought that NO commercially available scanner could decode ProVoice?!

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by VE7RCX

I thought that NO commercially available scanner could decode ProVoice?!

That is correct ..

[stuck22]

Sorry I should have been more clear. The PSR800 does not decode Provoice (this is why you have DSD). With a small Firmware Update the PSR800 is able to scan digital talkgroups (removing the need for unitrunker). Plug the PSR800 into DSD and you have clear Provoice Audio.

This is the only reason someone should buy a PSR800, otherwise a horrible scanner.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by stuck22

This is the only reason someone should buy a PSR800, otherwise a horrible scanner.

Depends who you ask .. I think it is an excellent scanner and so do many of my friends.

I haven't owned a Uniden scanner (ie the alternative) since the 246T, one of the last good scanners Uniden has made. Until they improve their scanners .. I am a GRE customer.

[stuck22]

Originally Posted by edmscan

Depends who you ask .. I think it is an excellent scanner and so do many of my friends.

I haven't owned a Uniden scanner (ie the alternative) since the 246T, one of the last good scanners Uniden has made. Until they improve their scanners .. I am a GRE customer.

I am out on the road a lot with my scanners. Can you tell me how to program in a frequency by hand?

[harryshute]

I think you got him. Uniden scanners easy to program on the road. GRE not so.

[VE7RCX]

Originally Posted by harryshute

Uniden scanners easy to program on the road. GRE not so.

That's what my "presearch" suggested which is partly why I went ahead and bought the Uniden 996XT. It should be here next week.

Also, why would I need to run UniTracker with this model? Doesn't it do this already?

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by stuck22

I am out on the road a lot with my scanners. Can you tell me how to program in a frequency by hand?

Is it as easy as lets say a Pro2006 in the 80's. Nope it isn't but it can be done.

On a PSR500 for example .. you would do the following.

1. Press "Prg" key
2. Press "New" item
3. Press "Conv" item
4. Press down arrow to go to "Freq" item.
5. Press the appropriate numbers to enter desired freq .. ie 162.4000
6. Press "Done" item.
7. Press "Save" item.

So you can do it from the keyboard .. but you have to know your scanner a little bit.

But if you just want to monitor a frequency .. I would do the following instead as it is easier.

1. Press "Prg" key
2. Press "Tune" key
3. Enter in desired frequency .. 162.4000
4. Press Ent key.

This is almost as easy as a Pro 2006 (which is one of the best scanners ever made in my opinion).

To enter a frequency on my Uniden 246T isn't a cakewalk .. but it also can be done. So .. overall I would call it a tie between the Uniden and GRE. They are just different animals.

[edmscan]

Hmm ... further to my point. GRE has made some of the best scanners ever made, so to discount them as junk is short sighted and just plain wrong.

As stated by Lindsay Blanton recently in a thread (when talking about GRE manufactured scanners):

"Factually incorrect. The entire PRO-2000 series line of scanners was designed and manufactured by GRE. Many consider GRE's PRO-2006 scanner the best scanner that was ever produced. I think so anyway "

[harryshute]

Where in this thread has the work junk been used in regards to GRE scanners? The only mention I see is someone with a preference for the Uniden 996XT.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by stuck22

This is the only reason someone should buy a PSR800, otherwise a horrible scanner.

Originally Posted by harryshute

Where in this thread has the work junk been used in regards to GRE scanners? The only mention I see is someone with a preference for the Uniden 996XT.

There is reference to the PSR800 being a horrible scanner .. as above.

[harryshute]

Horrible I agree with but calling it junk is unfair. If I found one in someone's garbage I'd grab it in a heartbeat. It may have good batteries and a memory card in it

BTW I was GRE all the way until they got into their trunking protocol. I did enjoy the Pro 92 as it worked well as and LCN finder but when the BC 245 came out I was hooked.

[VE6E0]

Didn't GRE announce last week, they were getting out of the scanner business, laid off the employees, though GRE America is trying to save the line? If it is true, doesn't leave much choice.