So I have a TRX-1, SDS100 and a BC125AT. I'll be the first to admit I've gotten a few radios lately. I've also been eyeing the Unication G5 and was wondering what niche it has in everyone's radio room. Is it something you felt like was necessary to complete your radio lineup? I can always find a way to justify in my own mind buying a new radio but just wondering if I should here.
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Unication Owners
- Thread starter cpohlad
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I bought my g5 for: 1) its actual use as a pager 2) ruggedness compared to a scanner. My vfd is still VHF but I work in the “city” where everything is on a P25 800 trunking system. So I use the pager function at home but can carry to work and use as scanner.
blackbelter
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- Feb 1, 2004
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Per my previous posts, @ 95% of the time,I use my G5 to monitor one P25P2 system and one DMR system. These devices are excellent in monitoring single systems as they are not scanners. Having said that , I can not think of any time that my G5 missed a key up compare to my SDS 200 which occasionally misses 5-10 % of the transmissions. As others have mentioned the Unication products are rugged with excellent audio and support from dealers.
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So I am thinking I'll probably hold off for now. I am not sure that a Unication will be necessary right now for me given the radios I already own.
Sold my two G5's because I never used the DMR or sub bands. Not being a scanner, you have to choose what you will monitor, just one thing. Since I only monitor Police on P25 systems (MPSCS primarily) with my Unication. I now have one G4 for in the truck and a Bluetail for in the shack.
All my other radios take care of other modes and bands.
All my other radios take care of other modes and bands.
Depending on what you want to do with your part of the hobby, I have found my G5 my go to radio for monitoring individual agencies. I have multiple radios set up to monitor what are my interest and use the G5 to follow the transmissions. Phil at East Coast Pagers did an excellent job settling it up. Simulcast is heavy where here.
Just go ahead and get a G5. Learn how to program it and use it. You will love it !!!
mitbr
Active Member
I bought my second Unication, a G4 after testing my G5 which I already had against an SDS100 borrowed from a friend. I did a test driving around town with both in the cup holder of my car. They both performed well but the Unication performed better much better hearing 100 percent on the p25 systems I listen to. The form factor ruggedness and loud audio, sold me to buy a second one. I use my scanners to hear things my Unications don't work on. I always tell others interested in the Unication not to buy one in place of any scanners you have but rather to supplement those radios.
P.S.... the Unication at the time was 200 dollars cheaper than the SDS .
Tim
P.S.... the Unication at the time was 200 dollars cheaper than the SDS .
Tim
whooey
Member
The G5 is tiny compared to most hand held scanners, it has a great belt clip and can be paired with Apple AirPods. Makes a great discrete option for when out and about.
So I realized after reading more that this will only do P25 (and in some instances DMR). My tri-county area is Moto Type II so I'll only be able to monitor STARS but not much else.
The G5 is a dual band, you can monitor much more than just VA Stars. It works perfectly fine on conventional systems as well. Maybe I am misunderstanding your post but the Unciation is definitely not limited to P25 and DMR.
Right. What I meant was, it will not trunk track Moto systems, right? My tri-county system is a Moto Type II.
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Sorry I replied before I read!
A necessity. Yes. After 2 years of NOT hearing the Statewide P25 Simulcast system with my (unnamed) scanner and where my 2004 Pro96 did BETTER than it too? I saw the G4/G5 Pagers mentioned here on RRef forums. Worth it? 2 different trips covering 12 counties and one 9 counties going the opposite directions of the 1st trip showed how PERFECT the Unication Pagers were on such systems. The reception was flawless and worked perfectly just sitting in the drink cup holder with the default antenna. I use it for 700/800mhz P25 Simulcast AND to hear NOAA WX warnings as well as SKYwarn local reports. Having that extra VHF band comes in handy too. Looking forward to the possible Unication SCANNER advertised on the Unication TAIWAN site. Wish I had never WASTED money on that unnamed "scanner" and a bunch of needless antenna tries for it. Thank you Unication. :0)
I'll probably go down the road soon, just not yet.
So I think I am going to pull the trigger after all. Even though my local TRS is still Moto, they simulcast dispatch on VHF. Also, with STARS on P25 I can still monitor that.
The G5 will not do a Type II system, but does so STARS pretty well, you may have to break up the sites into different "systems" since it is so large. My understanding is that the big three are moving to P25 Phase II in the near future, so the G5 would be perfect for that.
It was easy to see early on, resistance is futile.
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