Looking for list of scanners with 5 digits after decimal

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radicalbill

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I am looking for a list of model numbers that have five or six digits after the decimal in there display.

I know most scanners do not have this.

I'm looking for an analog scanner preferably that has the 800 band and this place 5 digits after the decimal place.

I have 2 Phase 2 digital scanners

I am looking for an analog scanner to monitor VHF frequencies that are narrowband and require 5 digits after the decimal and I think there may even be frequencies that require 6 digits now.

The newest scanners better analog don't have 800 band which would be okay if they have the 5 digits after the decimal

I have tried using older scanners that only had 4 digits and they round the frequency off and they do not pick up these five digit and 6 digit frequencies so I need a scanner that does have this capability

If someone can provide a list of the model numbers or a link to where this information is I would be most appreciative

I've done many searches online trying to find a list like this and I've looked on Uniden website and even at photos on Google Images and I have not had any luck in finding an analog scanner that has the 5 digits

Thanks everyone for your help

Bill
 

dkf435

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ICOM and AOR and turn on FM-N anything else the FM filters will be too wide and it will not matter. All the Uniden and GRE radios are a bit wide on their filters

Icom R-7000, R7100, R8500 R8600 PCR-100, 1000, 1500 2500

AOR AR3000A with filter mods, AR5000, AR8200 AR8600 AR5001 and on up the line.

David
 

Ubbe

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Agree. Both reference crystal frequency calibration, filters and discriminators make it useless to have 4,5 or 6 digit decimals. 3 digit decimal (1KHz) are all that's needed for VHF and UHF frequencies.

/Ubbe
 

dlwtrunked

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Agree. Both reference crystal frequency calibration, filters and discriminators make it useless to have 4,5 or 6 digit decimals. 3 digit decimal (1KHz) are all that's needed for VHF and UHF frequencies.

/Ubbe

As long as one is talking about scanning VHF and UHF FM/AM, true. But if one is tuning single-sideband or cw with a radio that can do those, which some do up there on 2-meters or other frequencies, 1 kHz may not be good enough. He is probably though dealing with P25 systems using 6.25 kHz (0.00125 or 0.00625 MHzspacing) and not having digits will compromise reception.
 

radioman2001

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Buy a real radio, XTS-3000's are going for under $100.00. With P-25 conventional under $150.00. You have to look and be quick when they come up. I bought a XTS-3500 800 mhz for $125.00 with battery,antenna, speaker mic and rapid charger.

Quote"
Both reference crystal frequency calibration, filters and discriminators make it useless to have 4,5 or 6 digit decimals. 3 digit decimal (1KHz) are all that's needed for VHF and UHF frequencies.

NYC DOITT trunking and FDNY/EMS conventional uses 6.25 kc spacing on UHF so yes there is a need for that many digits.
 

Archie

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Hey radioman201,

How hard is to program an XTS-3000? Or can you have a radio shop do it if you present yourself for strictly legit purposes??? Phase 2 can be scanned on these?? Asking as some Westchester PD's are going to implement it very soon.

Many Thanks for lovely Westchester County
 

radicalbill

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Which Motorola radio or EF Johnson radio can do 700 band phase 2 digital ?

I may go with a motorola radio to receive the VHF frequencies that are using the 5 and 6 digits. It seems the best solution.

For the trunked simulcast 700 P2 phase 2 system my county has, I was wondering what two way radios can work on this system ?

I know Motorola makes some, but is there any other company that makes a model that will work ?

As I understand it the XPR is the series to get made by Motorola, but what model number would be the least expensive ? I am just looking to monitor one TG as my county has a VHF repeater for fire and ems.

Thanks

Bill
 

IAmSixNine

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APX6000 is a single band unit.So in theory an APX6000 should be cheaper then an APX7000 which is dual band.
Also the BK KNG-P800 and KNG2-P800 will do Phase 1 and Phase 2 as long as the options are purchased and enabled in the radio, just like Motorola units have to be.
 

UPMan

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As mentioned by others, there is no need to do that. Scanners receive such systems just fine, even though you can only see 4 digits after the decimal. Below is a quick and dirty (i.e. not 100% precise, but not misleading) explanation.

857.516250= 857,516,250 Hz

857.5163 = 857,516,300 Hz

50 Hz of tuning difference has absolutely no effect on reception. The frequency provided for programming is the center frequency of the NFM signal. The actual signal is about 2.5kHz wide. So, for a frequency specified as:

862.516250 MHZ

The actual signal goes from:
862.515000 - 862.517500 MHz

The front end of the scanner is about 3kHz. Which completely encompasses the target signal.

An APX7000 is going to set you back $2,000-$3,000 and programming them is generally non-trivial. Instead, buy 5 or 6 BCD436HPs. :)
 

radicalbill

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scanner does not accept .8163

If the scanner would take something like .8163 that would be fine, but it jumps at 12.5 steps, so no way to get near it.

I found that the Pro-197, which I sold when I got my P2 scanners, does do the narrow band and has 6 decimal places and does digital P25.

I never should have sold that. Now I am going to buy one again

I just bought an 895XLT off Ebay to get the ATCS frequencies when I am out doing field work.

I am shocked how much these non digital scanners still cost. They hold their value.

Bill
 

jonwienke

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Look at your band settings. That is where your freq step is specified. Your scanner is incorrectly set to 12.5KHz steps.

If you specified what scanner you have, you could be advised how to change the default frequency step.
 

Ubbe

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RadicalBill, what you are looking for are not the number of decimals on the display, it is the step sizes available. Look for scanners that have a 6,25KHz step and preferable 3,125KHz step if you really would like to have the frequency spot on for some reason.

Upman, I guess you didn't want to say "front end of scanner is about 3KHz" as it is the final IF filter and demodulator that have the deviation limit. Also the carson rule states that 2,5KHz modulation probably have a 11KHz frequency deviation and 5KHz modulation have a 16KHz deviation. (G8B06) Carson's Rule - Ham Radio School.com

/Ubbe
 

radioman2001

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Quote"
50 Hz of tuning difference has absolutely no effect on reception. The frequency provided for programming is the center frequency of the NFM signal. The actual signal is about 2.5kHz wide.

While I don't really believe the 50 HZ makes a difference in a scanner receiver since they are so wide in their reception, a real radio MUST be set with accuracy of as close to 1HZ as possible especially on a Phase II radio, and Phase II signals are not NFM. Maybe that is why scanners have so much trouble decoding Phase II signals since their accuracy is so poor. Buying 5 of them is still not going to get the reception of a real radio.

There are few Moto radios that do Phase II and they are the APX line, some are available on fleabay, but be careful what you buy.. I suspect as more systems come on line there will be other series which are lower priced especially since there is some competition.

Programming real radios requires some relearning also some extra cash. Cables can be had for as little as $25.00 , and the software, well that is some thing you will have to find on your own. It's not hard but non one is going to give it to you.


In respect to Westchester County New York , I know the FD's have said they are not moving off the T-band no matter what (per one of the last Chiefs meetings) they are happy with what they have and it works. I also suspect that any agency that goes on the new 700 (many years from now) will go to the dark side. So basically a no starter for me.

I presently use Astro Spectra's, XTS-3000 and 5000's for all of Westchester Counties PD. FD and EMS and they work just fine. They work great on NYC DOITT system's (800 and 480mhz) and the conventional channels (FDNY NYPD) too.

I am not knocking scanners, IMO they don't have the stability or decoding power needed for today's systems. I havn't used one in over 15 years, and are all stacked in a pile in the basement.
 
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jonwienke

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Lol.

1Hz tuning accuracy is not possible outside a lab with carefully calibrated equipment referenced to an atomic clock.
 

radioman2001

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Quote"
1Hz tuning accuracy is not possible outside a lab with carefully calibrated equipment referenced to an atomic clock.

Maybe you should check out some of the newer test equipment specs used in 2-way service. The very expensive Aeroflex 3920b in my shop has an accuracy down to 1HZ. How do you think the simulcast stations are tested and set in the field.
 
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jonwienke

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Maybe you should check out some of the newer test equipment specs used in 2-way service. The very expensive Aeroflex 3920b in my shop has an accuracy down to 1HZ. How do you think the simulcast stations are tested and set in the field.

You just proved my point.

The subscriber units are not accurate to 1Hz. And they do not need to be to receive properly. Simulcast reception problems are due to the receiver having issues with multiple signals on the same frequency interfering with each other, not tuning accuracy.
 

Ubbe

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It is absolutly no problem decoding 12,5KHz 2-slot DMR and 25KHz 4qpsk 4-slot Tetra signals using a SDR dongle that are several KHz offset in frequency.

What needs to be accurate are the transmission in a real digital radio so you do not transmit outside of your assigned timeslot. Tetra radios calibrate themselfes to the control channel of the tetrabasestation, which is under GPS frequency control, and take into account that the radiowaves take some time to travel between basestation and radio and the transmission must start a bit early to arrive at the proper time at the basestation. A receiver-only scanner do not need to consider that.

/Ubbe
 
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