300 Comments/Questions

[webley445]

Hi all, first post.
A little background, I have decided to buy a new scanner especially with the impending rebanding in my area (Tampabay region).
I have been monitoring public services for about 6-7 years locally. I am no expert but am not a total newb. I had to learn it all myself and program by hand.

I am leaning towards getting what I can afford, the GRE 300, but have seen some Pro 96's selling here used and given them a thought too. Looking for some help in deciding.

I was looking at getting set up with the 300, a usb cable for it, and appropriate software. I am wondering what programs the users here would recommend.
Just from my own research it seems the ARC300 is along the lines of want I would probably want as it seems to allow for reprogramming for rebanded systems. Is this correct or will I have to get firmware upgrade when the time comes? And would this upgrade be done on the GRE site?

As you can tell most of my ignorance lies in the area of using the computer to program the scanner as I have always done it all by hand. It wasn't until recently that I learned GRE made RS units, the scanners I have owned before were the Pro 93 and 95. A coworker bought a 97 and I programmed it for him. So this familiarity is part of what points me to the GRE scanners.
It is just tempting though to know that I could get a digital scanner, with all I need for programming used for the same money, but with the supposed downfalls associated with RS units as compared to GRE who appear to offer a lot more support and upgrade.

Will appreciate your opinions/guidance.

 

[ka3jjz]

weblay, I'd let others experience in the tampa bay region be your guide. Go to the Florida forum and ask. With so many areas going P25, and the 300 wpn't work with that, it's an important consideration.

There's also a pretty active tampa bay scanning group on Google groups. That too might be another source of information. 73 Mike

 

[webley445]

Thanks , I'll try the Florida forums here.
I am a member of the google group and asked there, got one reply (saying it should be okay to go with 300).

 

[Eng74]

It is the same scanner as the Pro-97. It can be updaeted where the 97 can not.

 

[torontokris]

The Pro-96's will give you digital if you need it in the future.
However the Pro-96 is basically from 2003, and the GRE is from what 2008?

If you have digital systems in your area.. I would go with the Pro-96 (provided its working properly un-like the one I bought on here).

 

[webley445]

We're not digital in my area, supposedley its supposed to go digital smart system, but haven't heard anything about that.
I see it posted in the database thats its supposed to but who knows, and who posts that its supposed to? Do they really know.
Waiting for the rebanding to occur shortly here, maybe it will change along with that? Who knows, am wondering if I should just wait until it happens and see wher I have to go from there.

Got the money to get the 300 right now or a used 96, but I could save up and get the 500 which would keep me occupied for a long while and allow me to expand my monitoring horizons.

What to do, what to do.....