Cheapest unit that will decode various digital protocols?

[L3altimore]

I've been on Amazon, and from what I've seen it looks like they start at around $300? Any other cheaper alternatives outside of SDR? That's what I've used so far to receive IDAS, NXDN, DMR, etc

 

[jonwienke]

No. You can get radios that do one digital format for less than $300, but you give up a lot. For example, the AnyTone 878 is about $230 and does DMR, but not tier 3 trunking, and it only scans about 5 channels/second (compared to 80 on a Uniden 436).

 

[L3altimore]

No. You can get radios that do one digital format for less than $300, but you give up a lot. For example, the AnyTone 878 is about $230 and does DMR, but not tier 3 trunking, and it only scans about 5 channels/second (compared to 80 on a Uniden 436).

Thanks for the info... I just don't get it though, a $35 repurposed TV USB dongle & 2 computer programs will get me multiple protocols. Uniden has the nerve to charge for each 1 as an additional "upgrade"

Where are the semi-good/inexpensive chinese knockoffs when u need them??

 

[jonwienke]

The SDR software isn't paying license fees to ETSI and so on. Uniden is.

 

[alcahuete]

The newer Kenwood radios (i.e. 5300) do multiple protocols (DMR, P25, NXDN, though not all at once), but they certainly aren't cheap.