troymail
Silent Key
Has anyone else decided to try out the GRE PSR-500? I'm interested in hearing how it's working for you...
http://radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84307
http://radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84307
Any PSR-500s in the central Maryland Area?
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ScanManQSL
Member
This is a big surprise to me! I was not aware there was a new scanner coming to the market.
troymail
Silent Key
ScanManQSL said:
Oh that's horrible - I've been watcing this coming since at least early May this year (probably actually earlier than that).... that tells me I spend WAY too much time on RR....
:roll:
ScanManQSL
Member
Well two more months till the holidays. Looks like I might have to add this to my wish list.:wink:
troymail
Silent Key
ScanManQSL said:
That's probably the best thing... I've had a BC-296 for quite a while andwhen the BC-396 and PSR-500 were announced, my initial thinking was that I'd wait because I really didn't need it "right now"... but, in both cases, I got caught up in the hoopla of a new wonderful radio coming out and of course, I had to have one... in the case of the 396, it was an improvement ver the 296 for at least 2 reasons - the 396 took regular AA batteries vs. the special battery packs (which was huge for me) and the dramatic reduction in size of the radio between the 296 and the 396...
So far, the improvements (or lack of) going from the 396 to the PSR-500 haven't proven to be "worth it" (but I'm only 24 hours into playing with it). The PSR-500 is bigger than the 396 (it's pretty much in the case of the PRO-97 - which is improvement over the PRO-96)...
ScanManQSL
Member
troymail said:
lol I know what you mean. I have been wanting to replace my Pro-2053 with the new Pro-2096 ever since they announced the release date. (3 years ago think) I never got around in doing so in thinking a different manufacture might announce a better scanner to the market.
freqhopping
Member
Right now I have no reason to get a PSR. My 396 does everything I need. I've even considered buying a second 396, though I'll most likely wait to see what the next generation of Uniden brings.
I would like to know how the PSR handles the federal 380mhz systems.
I would like to know how the PSR handles the federal 380mhz systems.
troymail
Silent Key
freqhopping said:
It's doing great on the Fort Meade 380 system....
If the 396 had the same reception and digital decoding/voice quality as the PSR500, I'd be really happy....
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
Software wise, it appears- at least so far - that GRE still doesn't get it. From what I've seen with PSRedit and possibly Win500 as well, you still can't log and record. If you're scanning a new system or working with milair, that's a major minus. Bummer. Hopefully Don's software will prove me wrong.....73s Mike
A
ACU1000
Guest
The small form factor of the 396T is enough to make me stick with that until Uniden improves it. Maybe someone in metro area with a PSR-500 can have a show and tell somewhere soon?
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ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
I've seen some mention on the Scan-DC server that someone is hosting a meeting around Mid November around Gravelly Point. Unfortunately I'm on call that weekend (my birthday too, damn it...) but you never know.... 73s Mike
Psr-500
Received mine yesterday from R&R Communications in Delaware. This is the 1st time I've dealt with them and they provided excellent service. Now, if I could just figure out how to use the PSREDIT software. I guess I'm too use to using the ARC programs since all of my previous radios have been Unidens.
Received mine yesterday from R&R Communications in Delaware. This is the 1st time I've dealt with them and they provided excellent service. Now, if I could just figure out how to use the PSREDIT software. I guess I'm too use to using the ARC programs since all of my previous radios have been Unidens.
troymail
Silent Key
don333 said:
Hey Don - how's that radio working out?
I sent you a PM....
ScanManQSL
Member
don333 said:
Well Guys in 3 days I will have a new baby in my hands.
TinEar
Member
Here's what I'm most interested in with these new GRE radios...can you quickly switch from one conventional channel to another? And I stress *quickly* since it's something I cannot do with the new Uniden dynamic memory radios. I managed to keep my 996 for only two weeks before getting rid of it because of that problem. My interest is primarily military air, so as an aircraft switches quickly from frequency to frequency, I've got to be able to get to that new channel very fast. That can be accomplished with all the older bank/channel scanners where I just have to punch in the channel number and I'm there. If you have to start pressing function buttons, make menu selections and then start scrolling, it's already too late. I'll be interested to see if GRE managed to do what Uniden could not do.
I see Butel will have the ARC software available before year end for these radios according to their web site. http://www.butel.nl/
I see Butel will have the ARC software available before year end for these radios according to their web site. http://www.butel.nl/
troymail
Silent Key
TinEar said:
I'm not sure how the 996 works but in the 396, the closest thing I know to do what you are describing is to have each of the freqs programmed in your radio very close to each other in a "group" ... then when there is a conversation that does a channel/freq change, if you hit HOLD and then use the knob on top to step over to that other channel/freq. This can be made a bit easier if you use a DELAY value greater than 0. In any event, if the radio has already left that channel/freq, it doesn't work well (this is even worse for TRS - the radio will tend to jump to the control channel freq when you hit hold).
On the PSR500, a nice thing that has returned that the 396 took away -> if you hit MAN or PSE, the radio goes directly to the last "object" (frequency/talkgroup, etc.) that was active. So what this means even if the conversation ended and the radio went back to scan, when you hit PSE the radio, it remembers what channel was last active. So if you arrange your freqs in some sort of clustered fashion, you can do the same thing as I mentioned above - stop the radio and "step over" to the freq they changed to...(even if the radio had already left the original channel - as long as another channel didn't become active already).
The PSR500 puts channels/frequencies into specific "objects".... so, in theory, if you can remember which "object id" you have the alternate channel/frequency in, you CAN jump directly to that object (the downside is that there are up to 1800 "object ids").
The PSR500 also give you a TUNE function that lets you enter a freq and go right to it without have to save it somewhere first.
I know this isn't the same as being able to go directly to a specific programmed slot....
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TinEar
Member
troymail said:
The "grouping" idea doesn't really solve the problem. Most often, the new frequency would be in a different group. And with several hundred (I guess I've got 700-800 MilAir freqs programmed), the methods available to get to new groups didn't allow the necessary quick change.
However, the "object ID" idea sounds promising. If there's a method to identify a specific conventional frequency with some kind of "tag" that can be directly accessed, that would certainly solve the problem. I'll have to start reading to find out what the "object ID" actually is - whether it's something similar to a channel number or not. If so, problem solved. It's something that a Uniden rep told me couldn't be done when I suggested just such a system to them shortly after release of the 396/996 radios and I realized that shortcoming. I had suggested they allow each conventional channel to have an arbitrary tag of some sort that could be directly accessed through a keyboard function.
Thanks Troy. I appreciate the thoughtful response.
troymail
Silent Key
TinEar said:
The object ID is essentially a memory location where you enter information about a SYSTEM, CONVENTIONAL freq, SEARCH range, etc. There are roughly 1800 objects available.
When you enter the information through the PSR500 UI, the ID is automatically assigned. I'd like to believe it's one-up but I don't think that is the case. I'm not sure what the logic is for 'object ID' assignments through the UI. If you keep adding "objects", I think the objectId is just the next available "higher" ID so they appear in the radio based on when you entered it (last one is at the end of the list).
However, software in development like Don Starr's (starrsoft.com) Win500 program allow you to "select" the objectID you want to use for "objects" that you program (limited of course to unused objects). Right now, the software assigns the next "available" object ID but it allows you to change it to something else.
I've already used Win500 to change the object IDs for the AA County TRS such that the fire talkgroups are all in order - just to see how it would work... it's a bit tedious but it can be done with the software today.
I've been in touch with Don and I understand that in a future version of Win500, you'll be able to select an option that not only allows you to "sort" in the software on TGIDs or talk group names, it will also allow you to reassign the objectIds to keep them in that order in the radio itself...at least, that is what I believe he said.
Right now, the objects appear in the radio in order of their object ID so whatever was added last most likely will be at the end of the objectID list (unless you deleted something before adding something new - then it might stick it in that empty slot and not at the end).
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TinEar
Member
Okay, we're getting warmer. Let me pose a hypothetical situation to try to get to a specific action with the scanner..
You're using your PSR-500 to listen to an Anne Arundel TRS police talkgroup. You hear them say the MD Transportation Authority Police are going to pick up the car chase you're currently following. You've already entered that conventional MDTA freq somewhere in your scanner. How do you switch to it? I'm trying to get at what, specifically, the "object ID" is and how you currently select it in that radio to get to the new freq. Or, alternately, how do you go directly to that conventional freq you want to listen to?
You're using your PSR-500 to listen to an Anne Arundel TRS police talkgroup. You hear them say the MD Transportation Authority Police are going to pick up the car chase you're currently following. You've already entered that conventional MDTA freq somewhere in your scanner. How do you switch to it? I'm trying to get at what, specifically, the "object ID" is and how you currently select it in that radio to get to the new freq. Or, alternately, how do you go directly to that conventional freq you want to listen to?
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