So far my PSR500 < my 396XT

[tampatracker]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered a 500. I guess perhaps my expectations on the 500's legendary sensitivity on 800 were too high, because so far the 396XT is outperforming the 500. I got the 500 for pulling in those "distant" county systems about 40 miles out, that the 396 will pull in late at night when all the RF noise dies down, hoping that the 500 would do better, but the jury is not out yet as it's only been a couple of days now. I really like the radio with all it's options so I'm hoping things will improve and I won't feel like I spent $400. on something that isn't any better than what I've already got. But I'm still within the return window from where I purchased it, and I'm having fun learning how to use PSREdit and Win500, so it won't all have been in vain. I did notice when receiving one of the P25 systems that the 500 was working on all eight cylinders with crystal clear reception, which is perhaps where it's strength truly lies.

 

[News_Media_News]

What are you using for an antenna?

 

[tampatracker]

For a "fair and balanced" comparison I've been using the RS 800 MHz. Which is all I've got, no outdoor antenna. I should look into putting one up.

 

[W6KRU]

My PSR-500 has displaced my 396T and 396XT for listening to the simulcast system in use here. The 396s go digital and I miss transmissions but the PSR-500 decode is rock solid. When I hear a transmission go digital on the PSR-500 it is always followed by someone telling the other person that they went digital indicating it was a mobile to repeater problem.

The sensitivity on the PSR-500 also seems quite a bit better on the 800 band but the tests have been far from scientific and YMMV.

 

[tampatracker]

Yes DDan I could tell the unit was outstanding on the decode side too. How do you find your two, (500-396XT)'s, compare side by side for sensitivity? Which one can you hear further with?

 

[W6KRU]

The PSR-500 seems more sensitive on both the 800 and VHF-Hi bands but my tests were very subjective and your results might be different.

 

[Drafin]

The best I can figure is that the two radios (the 500 and the 396XT) are almost equal in terms of sensitivity and it could slightly vary from unit to unit.

The sensitivity thing is over rated at best. I have NEVER had my 500 overload and by the same token my friend's 396XT , in a side by side comparison with identical programming, was almost as sensitive as my 500 with the stock antennas. In fairness my 500 killed his 396 when we used other antennas. I have seen a 396 not receive but about half of what I was getting , but can't say what the programming was like on the other person's radio.

I think truly the difference lies in the features between the two radios, with slight variations in the actual tested sensitivities.

Draf

 

[Ensnared]

As I have stated, there is a huge difference in customer service. If you ever need them, GRE is there. When I was attempting to climb the rather steep learning curve on my GRE PSR 500, GRE bent over backwards helping me understand how to program, etc. I must have received over 15 emails from them. They were very patient with me. I doubt you would get the same type of response from Uniden/Radio Shack.

 

[tampatracker]

That is true. I had to make a cal to GRE C/S already and they were extremely helpful.

 

[KE4ZNR]

To be fair:
Uniden's Product Manager and "Head Scanner Guru" Paul is here at RR.com everyday answering questions and providing customer service beyond of what is required for any company.
I have never seen one person be a one person customer service machine like UPMan.
Marshall KE4ZNR

As I have stated, there is a huge difference in customer service. If you ever need them, GRE is there. When I was attempting to climb the rather steep learning curve on my GRE PSR 500, GRE bent over backwards helping me understand how to program, etc. I must have received over 15 emails from them. They were very patient with me. I doubt you would get the same type of response from Uniden/Radio Shack.

 

[mke65]

Totally agree that Uniden's customer support is good. Please keep it up.

For me the ultimate decision of who gets my bottom line buck is the size. The Uniden offering is so much better when it comes to portability. You cannot put the gre psr 500 in your front pocket without looking like a 70's rock singer in a concert if you know what I mean!!

 

[JoeyC]

Unidens customer service is good ONLY IF you can get the attention of UPMAN on this website forum. He provides excellent customer service here, but is only one man. If you try to get ANY customer support via their webpage, email or phone, it is virtually NONEXISTENT.

I have never had a reason to contact GRE with regards to my PSR500, but have on several occasions contacted Uniden for support/issues that were NEVER handled, although I've never felt the need to summon UPMAN directly on radioreference forums.

 

[W6KRU]

Totally agree that Uniden's customer support is good. Please keep it up.

For me the ultimate decision of who gets my bottom line buck is the size. The Uniden offering is so much better when it comes to portability. You cannot put the gre psr 500 in your front pocket without looking like a 70's rock singer in a concert if you know what I mean!!

I agree about the size but it doesn't matter how small the scanner is if it can't decode digital audio reliably. I'll sacrifice the audio quality and drop a 396 in my pocket for a short hike but if I am in the truck, at home, or on an extended walk the PSR-500 is the scanner in use.

 

[tampatracker]

So is everybody pretty much on the same page that these two units have about the same potential for sensitivity on 800? Because from what I'd read here I got the impression that the GRE was far superior on 800. Although I must admit that the previous statement may very well have been wishful thinking on my part.

 

[W6KRU]

If you want sensitivity numbers there is a link to a pdf entitled PSR-500 Operating Hints towards the bottom of the Easier to Read manual for the PSR-500 manual. The link actually points back to an attachment that is buried somewhere on this site.There is a grid showing sensitivity for several scanners at various frequencies in that pdf file. It does show the PSR-500 as more sensitive than the 396 at 800MHz. The file also has other useful information in it. Here is the link directly to the pdf:
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=19447&d=1230397210

 

[tampatracker]

Thanks DDan, those pages also have a wealth of info on the 500 which I'm sure will come in handy as I trudge up the learning curve. Has anybody been able to compare these two using (the same, for a balanced comparison) outdoor antenna? What were your results, as I am now seriously beginning to consider to pressure the powers that be to let me put one up.

 

[pliquett]

I have found on P25 that my BCD996T out performs my PSR500. They both receive the signal but the 996 does better at decoding, the 500 sounds garbled half the time. Anyone interested in trading a 396 for my 500?

 

[MarMatthias]

Hi,

I can only contribute to the 386XT as I don't own a PSR model but I have spent considerable time reading about them. Coming from the SW/AM receiver arena, the 396XT seemed easier to program by the keypad. Also, with a RS 20-006 antenna and a SW long wire antenna, I have received signals as far as Kansas and with skip, as far as Alabama.

 

[OsloViking1975]

I myself like my Pro 106. When I was younger I and bearcat of sometype from the early 1990's in my Chevy Cavalier 5 speed manual.

 

[k2epm]

Pro-96 is it for me....

First, my debate was which scanner do I like better the Pro-96 or my BC396T. Well, I like the size of the Uniden better but as far as remembering how it works without having to look at a manual and performance...I always reach for my Pro-96... it's just my favorite "go to" hand-held, clunky size not withstanding.

Then, March of 2009 I picked up a PSR-500....I took it on a trip with me and guess what...haven't used it since. I had a 2 year old in the house who is now 4....who's got time to learn how to use a new radio! The good news is...last month the 4-year old wanted to know when the next ham radio club meeting is.

Oh yeah...the PSR-500 did come in handy for something....I have an ACER Netbook that I take with me to surf the web on trips and it doesn't have a serial port...you know the USB programming cable that comes with the PSR-500... well using Don Starr's WIN96...the PSR-500 programming cable will program my Pro-96.