New Scanner Purchase

Just wondering if I should upgrade from my Pro-96/2096? With all the police agencies going encrypted and moving into the 700mhz would an upgrade be a good move. I currently live in Oxford County, Woodstock City Police are encrypted. If I were to upgrade what Radio Shack/Whistler scanner should I be looking at? I'm not to familiar with the Uniden line of scanners but might consider them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The GRE PSR-500/600/ RadioShack Pro-106/197 and Whistler versions WS1040/1065 are the equivalent / newer versions of your radio.

I have a couple.. pm sent to you

Do yourself a favour and familiarize yourself with the Uniden line. If the 996xt can suit your listening needs, this would be worth looking into...

For the OPP you'll need a digital scanner.

I would make 700/800MHz P25 a requirement for a new scanner, plus keep in mind
new P25 systems either use Phase II or have capability to be upgraded to it, which
narrows down the choice to a few. Many systems, public safety and otherwise are
using TRBO (DMR) or NXDN/Nexedge; no sense waiting for a scanner with these as
it might be awhile if ever, and there are other methods for these.

Dave

I like both the Home Patrol 1 and the PSR800 that I got for my HP1. I don't know what the new Whistler scanner part # is for the above scanner. The new Home Patrol has P25 Phase 2 capabilties and the Uniden 436/536 do that as well.

That said, out in your area, what out your way is expected to change? The OPP, MTO, MNR, EMS, etc on Fleetnet are still able to scan in your area. You don't HAVE to upgrade right now but it is as good a time as any to upgrade.

Torontokris mentioned he has or had some GRE/Whistler family scanners.

I too had the Pro96 for many years. The Trunked Systems I listen to are too noisy and intermittent with the Pro96 the last 2 years. It's a great scanner and I still have it but it was time to upgrade since our area went to Phase II TDMA. I made some Youtube videos so people wondering about the Whistler WS1080 could get an idea what it can do. I'm pretty happy with it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9tA1n1NRXLGUTINWXX1v_w/videos

My concern isn't so much about what's going to change in my vicinity but what is changing in the GTA and what will Waterloo Region be doing? I don't see the province doing to much other than maybe encrypting the OPP but with that being said they just poured a ton of money into computers in their cruisers.

Personally I wouldnt buy another scanner , unless its dirt cheap ,..eventually almost all police & fire ,..& I'm sure a lot of other things will all be encrypted ,..considering the cost of a scanner ,..& the fact that right now there is alot of switching to other modes ,..I would look at a small laptop & SDR , at least that would give you a little time being able to monitor some of the other modes ,...Unless you absolutely need the portability , to me this would be the best value for money along with keeping your older radios ,..

Im just getting back in to listening, I knew I needed a upgrade because my old 785D could not hack it anymore and all though I wanted the 536 badly and still do, I really dont need all that right now for my area. I agree on the 996XT nice unit and took care of my needs as well as best part way cheaper than a 536. I could not listen to Sheriff and PD Disp before a big no no I needed the upgrade.

For me upgrade if you need to and not look so much to what if, Wait to see what happens then react and then see what your scanner options and capabilities are IMO. If you got stuff you really want to listen to and your current scanners cant but there are options that will let you then go for it but look for something that fits the bill may not need to be the flagship models.

Their not all digital, 412.8875 -107.2 pl tone,and 410.8625 -123.0 pl tone are a couple freqs.thats still analog and covers all of ontario"

Yes... but you will only hear activity on those if you are near a cruiser with its VR on.

Well in SW Ontario that freq. is being relayed with a repeater that covers at least from Windsor to London

No, as Forts said, it's a vehicle mounted repeater and you will only hear it if a cruiser is close and has it turned on.

Forts said:

Yes... but you will only hear activity on those if you are near a cruiser with its VR on.

Click to expand...

Not necessarily,the beat repeater (412.8875) is receivable using only the stock scanner antenna in the majority of Essex county.
The beat repeater will get the activity on the regular ops channels but but during some special events and those rare occasions when dispatch is off the tac channels you wont hear the activity.
Still worthwhile to have a newer digital scanner tho IMHO

MikeOxlong said:

No, as Forts said, it's a vehicle mounted repeater and you will only hear it if a cruiser is close and has it turned on.

Click to expand...

In other words when they're behind you calling your tag in?

VE3LPU said:

Well in SW Ontario that freq. is being relayed with a repeater that covers at least from Windsor to London

Click to expand...

I live very close to where the 403/QEW/407, Hwy6/8/5 all are and I have height, over 100 feet in the air.

The Aurora Talkgroup 8656 has the 407 5 Lima units on it. If there is a 407 Lima unit in the area, on the 407 I am going to hear the activity on this talkgroup, from Aurora units. If there is no car with its repeaters up I will not hear them on the repeater frequencies. Same thing with Burlington and Niagara OPP cars. If there is a Burlington OPP unit with its repeater on and he is close enough to me, within 5-10 km's I will hear the acitivity of not just the car in Burlington but all the radio calls, even the Niagara cars.


So there is no actual antenna in the area only a OPP car with its repeater on.

Picture this: You are in Chatham, and you hear a C/Kent OPP car on the Mobile frequency, if it is close enough to you, you will hear the activity from this car as well as other cars on this talkgroup as well as anything patched on that talkgroup. If C/K is patched with Elgin then you will hear Elgin cars. That gives the illusion of an antenna for the area for the repeater.

EJB. Thanks for clarifying that info.