Guys, I need a little bit of guidance...

[RavenII]

I'm stuck, I just purchased an IC-91A (without the D-Star Board) and it should be arriving tomorrow. I currently have a BR330T which I listen too pretty often, and use trunking here in Chicago just as often. I have to pick one or the other, I have a few days left before I have to return the BR330T and don't know which I should keep. I plan on getting my ticket to operate the radio legally, although the idea having no one anywhere near my age to talk to isn't too appealing. I know right off the bat I'm losing trunking, unless some miracle leads icom to release an update to enable it...

I wish I could keep both...

What are some of the things I should expect with the Icom Vs. my 330T? or vice versa...what would you do in this case?

 

[fineshot1]

The IC-91A is a great portable and is easy to program even without the programing software & cable. It will never get the ability to track trunking so dont hold your breath on that one. If you are going to study & get your ham ticket the uniden wont help you with that. Although I have never had the uniden I would keep the 91A. You can always catch up to a new GRE or Uniden later model down the line and perhaps get more bang for the buck with a newer technology later on. Good luck & happy haming....

 

[ScanDaBands]

Might be silly of me to ask and if it is forgive me - why can't you keep both ? If you have a BR330T and you've ordered the Icom ??

 

[RavenII]

See my reasoning is this...

The BR330T is the only wideband trunking scanner known to date, and I like that about it. I only paid $235 for it, and although the 396T is available, it's at least double the price. I like the 330T, and wouldn't mind temporarily getting rid of it, but they're harder to find.

The IC-91A is smaller, still wideband but no trunking. I got it for $225.95 shipped, which is damn good if I may say so. I haven't played with any ham radio so i don't know how the scanning speeds are, receive (I'm hoping they're better in receive), etc...but I'll find out tomorrow. Plus, I'm building a cable for it and already have the software.

Then there's option 3...which you touched on...

Technology changes so much that tomorrow they could release a wideband scanner with trunking, SSB, smaller...etc for under $200...so, why not see what develops? I know that when trunking scanners came out they were a grip.

 

[RavenII]

SDB, I just can't justify having $500 into 2 radios, plus I'm still itching to buy the Magnum 257...I'd like to keep both, but I know I'd just end up using one a lot more than the other.

 

[Tom_G]

Raven,
The Icom 91A is a great radio.
I had a BR330 for a while and I sold it because the audio was pretty bad.
I think you will like the 91A. Take the time and get your HAM ticket and enjoy that.
There are HAMS of all ages. Don't worry about that.
D-Star is very cool also.
You could probably find a cheaper scanner to do trunking for you also.
The 91A also does a very good job on shortwave and AM/FM. (Better then the 330)
Best of Luck.....

 

[RavenII]

Tom,

Thank you for the reassurance, I think I made the right choice the more I think about it, I was also looking into the TH-F6A (Kenwood) for a bit, I think I might pick that up sometime down the line. As much as I love the scanner, I think that there will be something better out there. I have the wideband part in the 91A, I just need simple trunking at this pioint.

I think the only thing really making me want to keep the scanner is that it's hard to fine/rare, but screw it....

 

[kh6idf]

Hi Raven,

Go for the ham license, I got mine when I was in high school (back in the 1970's). I have a friend in our ham club who just got the 91A, seems like a nice radio.

I just got a similar radio a few days ago, a Yaesu FT-60R. I'm having a lot of fun with it. I have never owned a trunking scanner (my 'real' scanner is a PRO-2006) but I found it I put all the frequencies of a trunking site (except for the control channels) into the FT-60R and label each channel with the location of the site, then scan all the channels, I can hear pretty much everything, and usually a conversation stays on the same channel if it's not too long or things aren't too busy. The FT-60R scan speed is pretty fast so even if the conversation moves to a different channel, I don't miss much. Then again, maybe I don't know what I'm missing without a trunking receiver, never having used one.

Today I went for a walk next to the airport scanning the airport frequencies while watching the planes take off and land. It's nice having one little radio that can do all these things and also work as a dual band mobile ham transceiver in the car.

 

[OpSec]

What do you want more...A trunking scanner or an Icom ham radio? Keep the one you will get your money out of.

 

[ScanDaBands]

SDB, I just can't justify having $500 into 2 radios, plus I'm still itching to buy the Magnum 257...I'd like to keep both, but I know I'd just end up using one a lot more than the other.

I feel your pain man....................I just got a MINT Cobra 200GTL to throw in my 4 runner I picked up and lo and behold with all the RX stuff in it I'm not even going to bother...............if you know anybody looking - give'm a deal......GRIN

200GTL for the 330T ????? LOL I gotta go to bed , I'm gettn' silly

 

[zz0468]

In the grand scheme of things, $500 for two radios really isn't bad. I'd almost be ashamed to admit to the amount of money I spend on radios and radio related activities... except I've accumulated a lot of neat toys. The best justification is that you want it.

Have you considered used equipment? You could have your cake and eat it too. You don't necessarily need the latest and greatest, at least while you're getting started.

 

[RavenII]

Well, I have no problem at all with used equipment, at all. As a matter of fact, the 91A that I purchased was indeed used, brand new they're...$329 I believe. The scanner was open box from Fry's Electronics and I picked it up because it was impossible to find for $220 (plus tax) anywhere.

I think the BR330T is going to go back...for now anyhow, maybe I'll reunite with it some time down the road if possible, but right now, as long as I'm not committing any crimes...I don't need to hear Chicago police following anyone around....

 

[wogggieee]

Here are my thoughts. If the 330 is already paid for and you don't really to sell it for the money to offset the cost of something else, I'd say keep it. there's nothing wrong with having many radios. Each one has its purpose and can be used for something. As far as using ham radios for scanning, in my experience they usually scan considerably slower than most scanners and don't have the memory capacity. My suggestion would be to keep both and use them for their intended purposes. Icom for ham and 330 for scanning. Besides if you're in a conversation or monitoring a repeater on the Icom you can't be scanning too. On a side note, i have the Kenwood TH-F6A and i love it, i would certainly recommend getting one down the line. Very versatile radio.

 

[RavenII]

Well, my sister just sent me a text, and told me that I got a package...so I have something to look forward to when I get home. I think I'll wait it out until the last minute, and make my decision then.

 

[n2mdk]

I think your best bet is to wait get them side by side, see which one fits your needs right now. Then decide which one if not both to keep.