I am looking at purchasing a mobile digital scanner. I already have the 396XT, but its digital performance isn’t as good as I'd like, but the other features of the Uniden I do like. Is there already a comparison of the 2 scanners, GRE PSR600, which I am told is the same as the Radio Shack Pro-197, and the Uniden 996XT here RR? Thanks in advance.
Uniden vs GRE Comparison
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Yes - in the Wiki. You can go to the PSR600 page and see the list of features, and compare that to the 996XT page. Performance on digital is pretty much the same.
Yes, I knew those were available, but they are just spec's. I'm looking for an objective review by sombody that has actually used both to give a real world compairison.
RadioDaze
Member
Hopefully our fine sponsor ScannerMaster will forgive me for this (what a swell bunch of folks) but this is lifted straight from their PSR500 page:
The GRE is better if these are most important to you:
* Better digital decoding, especially on simulcast systems.
* You prefer a radio with better audio.
* If you prefer separate volume and squelch controls.
* If you don’t want or need the extra features of the BCD996XT
* If you are not bothered by excessive strong-signal interference.
* If you need higher sensitivity.
* You like to have Virtual Scanners available to you.
You will want the BCD996XT if these are more important:
* You prefer a simpler but more detailed display.
* If you want the amazing feature-set of the BCD996XT
* You prefer the Banks/Systems/Groups method of programming.
* You need or want the GPS features.
* You will use the radio in a high interference area.
* You want to have a lot of channels available all the time.
* When fire tone-out capability is important.
* You monitor a large networked system with multiple sites.
Ref: http://www.scannermaster.com/GRE_PSR_600_Police_Scanner_p/30-501186.htm
The GRE is better if these are most important to you:
* Better digital decoding, especially on simulcast systems.
* You prefer a radio with better audio.
* If you prefer separate volume and squelch controls.
* If you don’t want or need the extra features of the BCD996XT
* If you are not bothered by excessive strong-signal interference.
* If you need higher sensitivity.
* You like to have Virtual Scanners available to you.
You will want the BCD996XT if these are more important:
* You prefer a simpler but more detailed display.
* If you want the amazing feature-set of the BCD996XT
* You prefer the Banks/Systems/Groups method of programming.
* You need or want the GPS features.
* You will use the radio in a high interference area.
* You want to have a lot of channels available all the time.
* When fire tone-out capability is important.
* You monitor a large networked system with multiple sites.
Ref: http://www.scannermaster.com/GRE_PSR_600_Police_Scanner_p/30-501186.htm
In addition to RadioDaze's summation, be sure you read what comes in the box with each radio. Since you want it for mobile use, you might note that Uniden mobile radios usually come with DC power cords. I have the Pro-197 (same as PSR 600) and Uniden 996T, and I like them both very much (I use them inside the house). Both radios are good on 800 and UHF. The Uniden seems a little better on VHF, and the audio has more bass (which I like, but some others don't). The 197 sometimes seems a little quicker to latch onto a frequency/talkgroup (but I haven't tested this scientifically), and it's biggest negative in my opinion is that digital encrypted noise isn't muted. So if you monitor any partly encrypted freqs/TGIDs, you will enjoy the Uniden much more. I bought the 197 on sale and it has definitely grown on me, although I didn't like it very much at first (hard to program). In my large urban area, they both handle unencrypted digital signals satisfactorily. I know these aren't exactly the 2 radios you are comparing, but I hope this helps a little.
dugan
Member
What I like most about the GRE is the thing most people seem to dislike. I really like the object oriented approach with scan lists. It gives me a great deal of flexibility in arranging my “scannable objects” in scanlists rather than placing them in banks and realizing later that I should have arranged them differently. It is an organizational thing. It is like having a hard drive full of MP3’s and using a music player to create playlists for different situations.
If that isn’t enough flexibility, you can create virtual scanners full of your objects for other locations or a duplicate set of objects with other settings active or different scanlists. All I can say is, “wow”. Things sure have come a long way since my first crystal controlled four channel scanner. My GRE PSR500 works beautifully where I live and tend to visit. I listen most in small town rural settings, picking up three or four towers and lots of P25 talk groups along with any conventional stuff I might like to hear.
Having said that, I wouldn’t complain if someone wanted to give me the Uniden product. I bet I would put it to good use and have very few complaints.
If that isn’t enough flexibility, you can create virtual scanners full of your objects for other locations or a duplicate set of objects with other settings active or different scanlists. All I can say is, “wow”. Things sure have come a long way since my first crystal controlled four channel scanner. My GRE PSR500 works beautifully where I live and tend to visit. I listen most in small town rural settings, picking up three or four towers and lots of P25 talk groups along with any conventional stuff I might like to hear.
Having said that, I wouldn’t complain if someone wanted to give me the Uniden product. I bet I would put it to good use and have very few complaints.
Thanks for the replys. This scanner would be used indoors. In my area (San Mateo County, California) the only P25 system that I would be monitoring (for now) is San Mateo County Public Saftey. I've read that P25 reception is better on the GRE/Radio Shack than on the 996XT. I know that the P25 reception on my 396XT isnt that great. I am leaning towards purchasing the Uniden 996XT since I do like and use the many other features it offers, not to mention since I already have the ARCXT Pro software for the 396XT, I'd just copy the same files to the 996XT.
JoeyC
Senior Member
The only valid objective review of 2 scanners would be one that you conduct, under your operating circumstances, location, antenna config, etc. Otherwise, there are plenty of threads that give peoples impressions of the 2, and the results are as varied as ones preference for Coke or Pepsi.
That's why I have both
dugan
Member
After reading all sorts of debates I figured it was apparent that both excellent units and someone who knows what they are doing could get good results with either. That is why I just went with the cheaper one, because I am already heavily invested in several hobbies and I wanted to save money. I am not dissappointed with my purchase.
N8IAA
Member
You do realize that the 396XT and the 996XT are the same basic radio? Just as the 500 and 600 use the same guts. If you just want to get a base/mobile radio, get what you are familiar with. My 106 performed at an airshow I was at yesterday, as well, as my friends 396XT. The 396 needs tweaking to get it to perform like the 106, as does the 996. The best way to make your decision is to find people in your area that have either the GRE or Uniden and see how both scanners work on what you want to monitor. You just may need to make slight changes on your 396 to make it perform better. Maybe asking in your state forum would get better answers.
HTH,
Larry
The quality of digital decoding seems to vary because of firmware version and scanner model. If you want another scanner that works just like the one you have (at least as far as this one issue is concerned) then you should get the 996. But if you want to have something that works differently, even if it does not have all the features you like, then I'd get a PSR-500. Yes it means two different programs, cables and the like. It also means learning to operate radios that are quite different in that aspect. But it might mean having a radio that works when the other does not.
Warthog1
Silent Key
I also have both, and one little feature on the PSR-600 that the Uniden doesn't have is the assignable multi-colored LED. I am running 10 base scanners, and when you have that solid or flashing LED assigned to important frequencies, it's easy to pick -out which radio is talking. This doesn't effect the performance, but when running multiple radios, it sure is helpful.
dugan
Member
I agree about the multi-color programmable LED. It is a stroke of genius. I rely on it all the time and that is with just one scanner running. If I am busy doing something for moment, I can just ignore a call if it is not local or something of particular interest based on the color of the flashing light.
Drafin
Member
Yes, the GRE/Radio Shack has the LED, but the Uniden has a multicolored backlight that can be set to flash in any of its colors to any channel you set it to. There is also various tone to accompany the flashing display if you so desire.
Isn't that basically the same thing?
Isn't that basically the same thing?
dugan
Member
It is very similar. The advantage I can see in the flashing LED is that it has programmable brightness, color, flash or solid and a low current draw. It seems petty, but I have my tac channels flash and the other talk groups are solid and identified by color. I get quite a bit of information depending on how this one little LED behaves. It is not like you are going to base your descision on this one feature, but it is handy.
AMEN! How many times have I used the "Coke vs Pepsi" or "Chevy vs Ford" example over the last few years?
Everyone has their personal choices & Biases as to which one works best for them.
Marshall KE4ZNR
One other aspect is the software support. I recommend downloading the various programs for both radios and see what you like. The complexities and capacities of the new radios make programming software a necessity.
Reading about a scanner's memory structure is one thing. Playing with the scanner is something else. And visualizing the structure from a computer program provides another insight. Personally, I find I learn more about the radio by playing with the programming software.
I'll admit my Uniden bias, my latest 'programmable' radio is the 396T/996T (not XT). And my latest GRE is the Pro-96. The one thing I really like about the Uniden is memory layout, automation features and user menus.
The Uniden Dynamic Memory Architecture, let's you have an almost unlimited number of channels in a system and an almost unlimited number of systems. The GRE OOP method essentially segments your memory into a fixed 20 bank scanner. You have a bunch of channels that you can slice and dice up to 20 ways.
I like the ability to program the Uniden for automatic search and store for frequencies and TGIDs. I can have the radio soaking up data while I'm doing something else. I can also have it autostore the nearfield receive function (e.g. Close Call / Signal Stalker, and I don't think GRE can do this).
And finally, I don't like the GRE UI. Fn-this and FN-that. I never really got the hang of some of the esoteric functions. With the Uniden, it's all text based menus.
Having said all of this, the GRE has much nicer audio. Better digital decode and reverse tone decode to remove squelch tails.
Reading about a scanner's memory structure is one thing. Playing with the scanner is something else. And visualizing the structure from a computer program provides another insight. Personally, I find I learn more about the radio by playing with the programming software.
I'll admit my Uniden bias, my latest 'programmable' radio is the 396T/996T (not XT). And my latest GRE is the Pro-96. The one thing I really like about the Uniden is memory layout, automation features and user menus.
The Uniden Dynamic Memory Architecture, let's you have an almost unlimited number of channels in a system and an almost unlimited number of systems. The GRE OOP method essentially segments your memory into a fixed 20 bank scanner. You have a bunch of channels that you can slice and dice up to 20 ways.
I like the ability to program the Uniden for automatic search and store for frequencies and TGIDs. I can have the radio soaking up data while I'm doing something else. I can also have it autostore the nearfield receive function (e.g. Close Call / Signal Stalker, and I don't think GRE can do this).
And finally, I don't like the GRE UI. Fn-this and FN-that. I never really got the hang of some of the esoteric functions. With the Uniden, it's all text based menus.
Having said all of this, the GRE has much nicer audio. Better digital decode and reverse tone decode to remove squelch tails.
Thanks for everyone’s input. I purchased the Uniden 996XT. It looks like I have enough scanners to last me quite some time. Now that I have my ideal setup, I bet the Public Safety agencies in my area will now move to encryption or for non P25 systems, do most of their work from the CAD terminals. Oh well, that the world of technology.
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