The New 500 Or the Uniden 396 ?

[BOBRR]

Hello:

Not an expert with scanners, but do want to get a handheld.

From what specs that have already been released re the 500, can anyone mention the pros and cons of what this unit "might" offer over the Uniden 396 ?

I can certainly wait until Oct., if you folks feel that this would be a much "better" unit.
Why ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[rdale]

It's completely up to you... Look at the feature set of each. If one has something you REQUIRE (like Fire Toneout) then you pick the scanner with that. If that's not the case, figure out what one has more of what you want.

 

[beastieboy101]

i've got the pro-96 right now
but i am going to get the 500 when it comes out

 

[n4jri]

If you have time, then time is on your side. You'll find out more about the new unit when people start buying and reporting on them. In the meantime, you should be able to download manuals for both radios, and possibly software demos or manuals for the 396T. Hopefully, we'll soon have this same opportunity with the PSR500.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[k9gunner]

Does anyone know what the price on the 500 will be?

 

[rdale]

It's in the sticky.

 

[k9gunner]

It's in the sticky.

I must be overlooking it, I saw the pictures, and manual, but no price?

 

[loumaag]

It's in the sticky.

I must be overlooking it, I saw the pictures, and manual, but no price?

Actually it wasn't when asked or replied to by Rob. It is now, see this post. However, none of this is on topic to this thread, so drop this OT hijack.

 

[rdale]

Actually it wasn't when asked or replied to by Rob.

Sorry - when I said it was "in the sticky" I meant that the thread in this very forum dedicated to the scanner. As a matter of fact - on the first page of the thread to avoid having to search. It no longer is sticky but it's still at the top.

Sorry if I didn't make that clear, sometimes these terms can be confusing (even looks like a moderator didn't know what that meant!)

From windigofer, on the first page of the PSR500 thread:

"Reportedly the price tag will actually be around the Pro-96 range--around $400-500, which ain't bad at all considering the featureset..."

 

[loumaag]

Sorry - when I said it was "in the sticky" I meant that the thread in this very forum dedicated to the scanner. As a matter of fact - on the first page of the thread to avoid having to search. It no longer is sticky but it's still at the top.

Sorry if I didn't make that clear, sometimes these terms can be confusing (even looks like a moderator didn't know what that meant!)

From windigofer, on the first page of the PSR500 thread:

"Reportedly the price tag will actually be around the Pro-96 range--around $400-500, which ain't bad at all considering the featureset..."

Rob, I will indulge you for a moment. When you said the "sticky" I assumed you meant what you said, as that is the only comment I had in front of me (I am not a mind reader and I will bet k9gunner isn't either).

The "sticky" thread for the PSR500 does not have that sentence, indeed as of this moment there is only 1 page to the sticky thread on the PSR500.

The former PSR500 thread, closed yesterday evening on your suggestion (before the question was asked or your reply was posted) may have had it, but you didn't say that; hence the confusion.

 

[rdale]

I was not aware it was "unstuck" -- so we both missed the boat a bit...

 

[brian95008]

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE NEW GRE PSR-500
-------------------------------------------------------

1. AN LED ON TOP THAT CAN BE 8 DIFFERENT
COLORS, EACH COLOR TIED TO AN OBJECT
(TALKGROUP OR FREQUENCY) SO FOR EXAMPLE
POLICE CAN LIGHT UP BLUE AND FIRE, RED
THIS LIGHT CAN BE STEADY OR BLINKING
ALSO, ONE CAN HAVE UNLIMITED VARIATIONS
OF COLOR USING ANY MIX OR RED, BLUE, & GREEN

2. 700 MHZ APCO 25 - 700 MHZ I CALL CAPABILITY

3. MOTOROLA SMARTZONE - SCANNER CAN LOOK
FOR THE SITE WITH THE BEST RECEIVED CC
DECODE RATE

4. A "HOME SET" OPTION LETS YOU CREATE A
SCAN LIST/GROUP CUSTOMIZED TO YOUR
FAVORITES - ONE BUTTON OPERATION

5. A "FIND OPTION" THAT LETS YOU TYPE A
PARTIAL OR FULL ALPHA-NUMERIC AND IT
WILL SEARCH ALL THE NUMBER AND TEXT
FIELDS IN EVERY OBJECT AND LET YOU CHOOSE
TO EITHER MONITOR(MAN) OR PRESS NEXT TO
KEEP FINDING

6. HAS UP DOWN ARROW KEYS TO SCROLL WITHIN
A SCAN LIST, AND LEFT RIGHT ARROW KEYS TO
CHANGE SCAN LISTS

7. NO FREQUENCY LIMITATION ON TRUNKING

8. MORE EFFICIENT USE OF TALKGROUPS - YOU
CAN USE THE SAME TALKGROUPS IN MULTIPLE
SCAN LISTS, SO AS NOT TO HAVE TO ENTER THE
TALKGROUP MORE THAN ONCE

9. ONE CAN PAUSE ON A TALKGROUP, AND LEAVE
IT FOR DAYS. THE SYSTEM OBJECT WILL
HANDLE ALL OF THE CONTROL CHANNEL
TRACKING FINE SO LONG AS THE RADIO IS
POWERED UP, AND SO LONG AS YOU HAVE
ALL POSSIBLE CONTROL CHANNELS IN MEMORY

10. COMPLETE COMPUTER CONTROL, VERSUS
JUST THE UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD ABILITY
OF PREVIOUS GRE MADE RADIO SHACK RADIOS

11. WHATEVER THE LAST OBJECT YOU SCANNED
OR FOUND IS THE OBJECT THAT COMES UP
WHEN YOU PRESS MAN

12. ALL MENU ITEMS HAVE A "DEFAULT OPTION"
KEY SO IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY SCREW SOME-
THING UP, YOU CAN RESET JUST THAT SPECIFIC
ITEM BACK TO ITS DEFAULT VALUE

13. 21 VIRTUAL SCANNER (V SCANNERS)

14. HAS SPECTRUM SWEEPER (LIKE CLOSE CALL) WITH LOCKOUT

15. SKYWARN FEATURE

16. 5 WAY NAVIGATION KEY

17. 3 USER FRIENDLY(MENU SELECT) KEYS"

Brian
Campbell, CA
List Owner: SantaClaraCountyScanning@yahoogroups.com

 

[Eleggua]

I too have the same question - the GRE 500 or the Uniden 396.

I'm not experienced as a scanner user but do have my Technician class Amature Radio license (though haven't done anything with it in 10 years or so, but have kept it current).

Here's what I'd like:

1. A state-of-the-art scanner with digital capabilities
2. Relatively easy to program, or a computer program that is purchaseable to help do this. (I don't mind a learning curve as I get started.)
3. Price is not much of an object in the up to $750 range.
4. I will be using this in the State's of WA, OR and ID primarily - in the car mostly.
5. I don't mind waiting a month or two if necessary.

It might be interesting to get one for my home too, but I'll start with a hand held to begin with.

So, overall, with the above criteria, could I get some simple recommendations? GRE 500 or Uniden 396?

And is the GRE 500 a Radio Shack scanner? I haven't seen this at local RS.

I do realize I'm probably oversimplifying this, but any help is most welcome.

Thanks,

Kenrick

 

[Stick0413]

I too have the same question - the GRE 500 or the Uniden 396.

I'm not experienced as a scanner user but do have my Technician class Amature Radio license (though haven't done anything with it in 10 years or so, but have kept it current).

Here's what I'd like:

1. A state-of-the-art scanner with digital capabilities
2. Relatively easy to program, or a computer program that is purchaseable to help do this. (I don't mind a learning curve as I get started.)
3. Price is not much of an object in the up to $750 range.
4. I will be using this in the State's of WA, OR and ID primarily - in the car mostly.
5. I don't mind waiting a month or two if necessary.

It might be interesting to get one for my home too, but I'll start with a hand held to begin with.

So, overall, with the above criteria, could I get some simple recommendations? GRE 500 or Uniden 396?

And is the GRE 500 a Radio Shack scanner? I haven't seen this at local RS.

I do realize I'm probably oversimplifying this, but any help is most welcome.

Thanks,

Kenrick

Both will do everything you listed. Neither will cost near $750 and since you don't mind waiting I would do just that and see what people say about the 500.

The PSR-500 is not a RS scanner but GRE has made many scanners for RS in the past (including the PSR-500's older brother the Pro-96.) You will not see the 500 anywhere yet because it is not yet released, although you can pre-order it on a few websites.

 

[Eleggua]

Thanks Aaron.

Will the GRE 500 outperform the Pro-96?

 

[N4DXX]

I like the pro 96 vs the 396

I live in a rual area and i have owned both scanner's the pro 96 and the 396..The pro 96 when decoding apco 25 signals wins hands down.On the ksp system in the 450 mhz range my pro 96 would be talking away and the 396 would not even stop on the signal i must say i was to say the least very dissapointed with it's reception when compared with the pro-96.And the audio quality from the pro cannot be beat in my book.One of the best sounding handhelds ever made..Period

 

[John_M]

With some people (not me I don't monitor these types of systems) edacs/cqpsk. There are numerous reports of edacs beeps and the Pro 96 monitors CQPSK systems far better than the 396t. So in that regard if you monitor these types of systems the Pro 96 is the way to go and being that the PSR 500 is the successor to the Pro-96 the PSR 500 "should" handle these types of system equally or better than the Pro96. So with that in mind if you monitor these systems the PSR 500 should be the one to buy. Hopefully Uniden will have a firmware update to fix these issues. I like the 396t due to it's size. Having a small scanner amongst your bigger scanners is a plus. When people look at it they think it is some type of cellphone especially with the blue display.

 

[GTO_04]

With some people (not me I don't monitor these types of systems) edacs/cqpsk. There are numerous reports of edacs beeps and the Pro 96 monitors CQPSK systems far better than the 396t. So in that regard if you monitor these types of systems the Pro 96 is the way to go and being that the PSR 500 is the successor to the Pro-96 the PSR 500 "should" handle these types of system equally or better than the Pro96. So with that in mind if you monitor these systems the PSR 500 should be the one to buy. Hopefully Uniden will have a firmware update to fix these issues. I like the 396t due to it's size. Having a small scanner amongst your bigger scanners is a plus. When people look at it they think it is some type of cellphone especially with the blue display.

My thoughts exactly! The 396 is a very good scanner in many ways as you pointed out. But if you are going to monitor digital systems and/or EDACS, it is just not up to the performance of the Pro-96. I would expect the same or better from the PSR-500, and it will have features that the Pro-96 lacks.

GTO_04

 

[yaesumofo]

As a current bc 396 owner I am pretty happy with it. For quite a while it has been the most sophisticated radio available anywhere in the world. Yes improvements could have been made in several areas. But On the whole it is a fine radio.
That said the 396 amounts to "old" technology.
The New GRE radio will n ow represent the "NEW" state of the art in digital hand held scanners.
I look forward to owning a 500 and learning how to use it.
I know this may not help much but I never put enough energy into the use of RS scanners. My last one was a pro 43.
I suspect that while this is NOT a RS scanner it will still have a great deal in common with the past RS scanner Ui.

It may be a real struggle for me to get my head around the 500.
I am still willing to give it the necessary to try.
I look forward to a new state of the art radio.
If I like the 500 My 396 will find it's way to the free market. as will many others. I suspect that in the next couple of months we will see the price of digital scanners on the secondary market take a BIG drop. I predict that one will be able to buy a used 396 for $250 and under. And that other digital scanners (pro 96 bc 250 and so on ) for even less.
I just can't see support for high prices on used digital scanners lasting much longer.
Great for the new scanner freak.
I hope the 500 is all it hopes to be.
Yaesumofo
Time will tell