New purchase questiom
- Thread starter Cubspack1
- Start date
- Status
Recommendations on which models to look into really depend on what you need for your area. I would be happy to look into models if you told me the county and state you live in. I would recommend supporting any local stores you may have that sell them, otherwise bearcat warehouse, scannermaster or through Uniden.com are good places to find them.
Unication G5 if you actually want to hear anything from complex digital simulcast systems.
mitbr
Active Member
I will second this. I just bought the Unication g5 pager and it just works everywhere I use it. If all you are going to listen to is p25 systems that is.It is not a scanner but a pager that has scanning ability. You can buy this pager from Rays pagers on sale now for $565.00.
Tim
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
My daily carry is a G4. I use a Home Patrol 2 when traveling and a BCD996XT for my feed.
I would like to listen to Pottawattamie County Iowa, also maybe some stuff in Douglas County Nebraska. I believe there both on the same system. Any help would be great.
Thanks
From Uniden, I would recommend the SDSD100 since it seems your phase 2 system is simulcast. The BCD436hp would be the other recommendation if it isn't simulcast.
Neither the G4 or G5 is a scanner. Like Uniden Support said, SDS100 to eliminate any potential simulcast problems. Otherwise, the BCD436hp.
If you do any traveling, it's the SDS100. It works well with the GlobalSat GPS antenna.
If you do any traveling, it's the SDS100. It works well with the GlobalSat GPS antenna.
safetyobc
Member
SDS100 would be the way to go for digital. Amazon has them for $649 with free shipping and no tax (usually). Scannermaster or Universal-Radio are both reputable dealers as well.
hardsuit
Member
Cubspack1 - depends on what you want to Listen to and Spend.
for BASIC analog scanners for General Scanning , I recommend the ICOM R6 (Analog).
its a Contininous coverage scanner from 25-1300 MHz NO Gaps in coverage (cell blocked).
AM, FM, CW, USB, LSB. Analog modes included. has Mutiple scan modes. Great VHF Airband and Marine band scanner, plus more. NOTE - does NOT trunktrack or Digital modes.
for a Little more serious scanning is the ICOM R30. this one does Digital as well as Analog.
it has 100Khz - 3.4 Ghz range Continious, (cell blocked ) widest range of ANY hand held Scanner.
All Analog mode reception as well as P25, NXDN, and D-star for Digital. - note, this Scanner does NOT Trunktrack. but receives Digital BETTER than modern Uniden and Whistler scanners, plus it can Receive AM broadcast stations Extremely well.
Whistler scanners are your BEST in value as the TRX-1 demodulates NXDN and DMR for FREE.
and it can Trunktrack P25 Digital. its also a good Receiver for VHF air and Marine.
NOTE - Whistler scanners are NOT full coverage Scanners and have Frequency GAPS missing.
but they Receive public safety no problem. except for P25 Simulcast. get a SDR like ICOM.
Uniden is a good scanner as well. but the SDS100 is Expensive and Expect to Pay extra for " upgrades" in to Receive all Digital modes. Whistler gives DMR and NXDN for FREE. like the Whistler scanners , Uniden is NOT a Full Coverage scanner with Frequency GAPS in coverage, but Receives public safety well and handles P25 Simulcast pretty well, NOT as good as ICOM but its good.
for BASIC analog scanners for General Scanning , I recommend the ICOM R6 (Analog).
its a Contininous coverage scanner from 25-1300 MHz NO Gaps in coverage (cell blocked).
AM, FM, CW, USB, LSB. Analog modes included. has Mutiple scan modes. Great VHF Airband and Marine band scanner, plus more. NOTE - does NOT trunktrack or Digital modes.
for a Little more serious scanning is the ICOM R30. this one does Digital as well as Analog.
it has 100Khz - 3.4 Ghz range Continious, (cell blocked ) widest range of ANY hand held Scanner.
All Analog mode reception as well as P25, NXDN, and D-star for Digital. - note, this Scanner does NOT Trunktrack. but receives Digital BETTER than modern Uniden and Whistler scanners, plus it can Receive AM broadcast stations Extremely well.
Whistler scanners are your BEST in value as the TRX-1 demodulates NXDN and DMR for FREE.
and it can Trunktrack P25 Digital. its also a good Receiver for VHF air and Marine.
NOTE - Whistler scanners are NOT full coverage Scanners and have Frequency GAPS missing.
but they Receive public safety no problem. except for P25 Simulcast. get a SDR like ICOM.
Uniden is a good scanner as well. but the SDS100 is Expensive and Expect to Pay extra for " upgrades" in to Receive all Digital modes. Whistler gives DMR and NXDN for FREE. like the Whistler scanners , Uniden is NOT a Full Coverage scanner with Frequency GAPS in coverage, but Receives public safety well and handles P25 Simulcast pretty well, NOT as good as ICOM but its good.
mitbr
Active Member
If the G5 can hear the P25 data signal it will decode.I can hear a county east of me approx 30 miles or so reliably sitting on my couch using the stubby ant the G5 comes with. I am really impressed with how well it receives.If the data signal gets as low as 1 bar on the pager it will decode.
Tim
It could be a hundred miles or maybe 30 blocks. It depends on the strength of the transmitted signal, the antenna on the receiver and the amount of interference (buildings, electrical lines, terrain, etc) between the transmitter and the receiver.
All that said, they're supposed to be pretty good receivers,
As has been stated already, look at the Uniden SDS 100 and the Unication G5. Both have pros and cons. You may also want to ask this question in the forum for your state. There is probably someone in your area that has knowledge of which scanners work well for the systems there.
If the area can be received well with a Uniden x36 series scanner, that is a cheaper option... and honestly maybe better than the SDS100, in some cases.
The Unification G5 is on sale currently. Eastcoastpagers.com is another option for Unification dealers.
Are you saying the Icom R30 designed to properly decode P25 LSM simulcast transmissions like the Unication G4/G5 pagers and Uniden SDS100 are?
I have not seen any confirmation of this. Also the R30 does not receive P25 Phase II (only Phase 1) or DMR.
Also, my question is does this do trunking? If not, let's not over complicate the issue.
hardsuit
Member
SteveSimpkin - NO, what i'm saying is, the ICOM flat out has a Superior Tuner and Superior reception of Analog, NXDN and P25 (I). that said , the ICOM Does not Trunktrack or do Phase II Simulcast, I don't think P25 Phase I has simulcast. but this scanner is great for Listening to HF - 3400 MHz transmissions. Its a very Selective Receiver and rejects Interference quite well, it also Pulls in fringe transmissions as well with the Right antenna.
hardsuit
Member
tglendye - as I posted , R.T. F.P. , the ICOM does NOT Trunktrack, It can Demodulate P25 (1) and NXDN as well as D-Star. I own several Digital trunktrack scanners , they do quite well. but I also have been Listening to Trunking for Decades using JUST a Communications Receiver like ICOM.
the ICOM radios have multiple scan modes , including Reverse order scan and Voice scan. all of which make it possible to Monitor Trunking without a Trunktrack scanner.
the ICOM radios have multiple scan modes , including Reverse order scan and Voice scan. all of which make it possible to Monitor Trunking without a Trunktrack scanner.
Yep, sorry. I missed the part where you said it did not trunk track. Personally, that’s a deal breaker for me, though. It would be too frustrating not to be able to easily follow the conversation.
- Status
Similar threads
