Advice on a new scanner

[pb_lonny]

Our Radio Users:
Mostly VHF Mid / high band and UHF.
One EDACS trunking network (800MHz) - This is being closed down.
New P25 network being built - To replace the above EDACS network and migrate some other VHF and UHF users.
Some DMR


My Interests:
Search and Storing
Close Call
Scanning input frequencies
Up Close Scanning (UHF head sets)
Frequency analysis
Airband

Current Radios:
Uniden UBC126AT

Possible Radios:
AOR8200mk3 - I owned one a few years ago, liked it but at the time I was more in to trunking so sold it. It seems to have a few features I would like.
Alinco DJX11: I have owned a DJX10 in the past and really liked this. How well does the Auto store feature work?
Icom R6: I have also owned one of these in the past, I like the small size.
Icom R30: I loved the R20 when it came out, is this just as good?
Uniden UBCD325p2: I have never owned one of these but the small size / features seem to be a good fit for me. The Australian model can not take the DMR upgrade.
Uniden UBCD436-PT: I purchased one of these when they first came out, loved it but a few of the features I really wanted were not active in our firmware.
Uniden USDS100: Sounds great but a lot of $$$.

 

[N4DJC]

I have an R30, very versatile....no DMR, trunking, close call, or Phase 2 P25.

 

[N4DJC]

Let me add.

The R30 does great on the air bands, shortwave is very good, it has a lot of features I don‘t use. The GPS feature is not something I use since the R30 will only search for near stations already programmed (with their GPS coordinates). It searches and stores, scan speeds are 150 or 200 channels/frequencies per second. Dual VFO RX, records one or both VFO’s, Bluetooth, the Icom app works really well considering it’s only a control app, not programming. Can be programmed by keypad relatively easy. Icom programing software is expensive, but works well.

 

[ka3jjz]

An important consideration; the Alinco, AOR and Icom radios don't trunktrack. I know that this wasn't on your list of interests, but if you decide in the future you want to hear this new P25 system you mentioned, none of the above radios will work. The Unidens will.

Mike

 

[pb_lonny]

Let me add.

The R30 does great on the air bands, shortwave is very good, it has a lot of features I don‘t use. The GPS feature is not something I use since the R30 will only search for near stations already programmed (with their GPS coordinates). It searches and stores, scan speeds are 150 or 200 channels/frequencies per second. Dual VFO RX, records one or both VFO’s, Bluetooth, the Icom app works really well considering it’s only a control app, not programming. Can be programmed by keypad relatively easy. Icom programing software is expensive, but works well.

Thanks, I suspect I would be doing a fair bit of programming by hand. How well does the auto store work? Can you easily tell it to search between 460MHz and 480MHz and save any frequencies found?

An important consideration; the Alinco, AOR and Icom radios don't trunktrack. I know that this wasn't on your list of interests, but if you decide in the future you want to hear this new P25 system you mentioned, none of the above radios will work. The Unidens will.

Mike

Thanks, would they still hear the P25 if I scan the input / output frequencies but don't program the control channel. Much the same as I have done in the past with our EDACS system where I enter the input / output frequencies and scan them.

 

[ka3jjz]

That is the way it was done here in the States before trunking scanners came around. Problem is that you can't follow a conversation, nor would you be able to capture talkgroup information. Keep in mind that anytime the control channel changes, you would need to lock/unlock the channel as needed. Very clumsy - especially since there's better ways to do it...Mike

 

[pb_lonny]

That is the way it was done here in the States before trunking scanners came around. Problem is that you can't follow a conversation, nor would you be able to capture talkgroup information. Keep in mind that anytime the control channel changes, you would need to lock/unlock the channel as needed. Very clumsy - especially since there's better ways to do it...Mike

Thanks Mike, it sounds lime the UBCD325P2 might be the way to go, does anybody have any feedback on why NOT to get one of these?

 

[N4DJC]

@pb_lonny

Yes, you can set it to memory write any frequency RX’d. Multiple scan ranges can be set. I set mine to record. That way, I can determine if it’s an active voice frequency.

It also will ID talkgroup numbers on P25 Phase 1, but they can’t be tagged.

It doesn’t trunktrack. If trunking is a big concern, the R30 is not the choice.

The R30 build quality and battery life is phenomenal. The R30 is just very expensive.