Basic Info On Whistler Scanners

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

I've had Uniden and Icom scanners in the past.

I'm pretty familiar with radio in general, so I'm not looking for info on scanners or scanning in general. But I am hoping to get some basic info on Whistler brand specifically.

I heard that they were out of business for a while. Is this true?

What is general quality like?

Are there any specific or quirky things I should know about them, like they can only be programmed by computer, or they don't receive lowband very well, or anything else that I should know.

In my area, everything is analog in the clear, and no trunking except PG&E.

But I'm considering getting a trunktracker and P25 Phase 2, just for kicks. I'm looking at a base/mobile unit, not a handheld. I like the Uniden BCD996V2.

Any opinions are appreciated.


Delta

 

[03msc]

I've had Uniden and Icom scanners in the past.

I'm pretty familiar with radio in general, so I'm not looking for info on scanners or scanning in general. But I am hoping to get some basic info on Whistler brand specifically.

I heard that they were out of business for a while. Is this true?

What is general quality like?

Are there any specific or quirky things I should know about them, like they can only be programmed by computer, or they don't receive lowband very well, or anything else that I should know.

In my area, everything is analog in the clear, and no trunking except PG&E.

But I'm considering getting a trunktracker and P25 Phase 2, just for kicks. I'm looking at a base/mobile unit, not a handheld. I like the Uniden BCD996V2.

Any opinions are appreciated.


Delta

Answers to pretty much all of the questions you posted here can be found by reading through some recent threads in this Whistler subforum so I won't rehash all of that here.

Whistler acquired the scanner rights, etc., from RadioShack/GRE. Not sure where you heard that rumor but nope, not out of business.

The TRX-2 base scanner should serve you for years to come if/when systems in your area go to DMR, NXDN, or some flavor of P25 - no additional fees to pay Whistler to monitor them, unlike how you will have to pay Uniden to add them. The remote head capability, if you are looking to mount it in a mobile now or in the future, is an awesome feature, too. Super convenient and disappointing that Uniden doesn't have something similar now.

I own both brands of the latest scanners and I give a slight tip of the scale to Whistler. Just IMHO...YMMV.

 

[mws72]

Whistler took over the scanner line from GRE who lost their factory site in China.

 

[SCPD]

The answer .. depends where you live.

 

[seth21w]

The whistler trx scanners are fine for everything except simulcast p25, free dmr is nice as well.

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

Thanks for the info you've posted.

One concern I have is about reception.

I currently have a BC125AT in the truck with a broadband scanner antenna on the roof.

11 meter reception is non-existent. I have a CB in the truck, and the other day there was a driver not 1/2 a mile from me, full S-9 signal on the CB, and not a sound from the scanner.

CHP is on VHF Lowband here, and the scanner rarely, if ever picks it up. However, I regularly receive them on my all-band Yaesu.

On VHF, receive on the BC125AT, with the external antenna, is a little worse than my Kenwood TK-280 with the rubber duck, inside the truck. I've tried an array of different antennas as well, so I'm pretty sure it's a receive issue in the scanner.

I'm looking for a mobile scanner that will receive at least as well as my Yaesu FT-897D.

I'm looking at both the WS 1065 and WS 1095. Opinions on those?

And also, do either of those do TrunkTracking? It doesn't seem like it from the info I'm seeing.



Thanks,

Delta

 

[DJ11DLN]

Thanks for the info you've posted.

One concern I have is about reception.

I currently have a BC125AT in the truck with a broadband scanner antenna on the roof.

11 meter reception is non-existent. I have a CB in the truck, and the other day there was a driver not 1/2 a mile from me, full S-9 signal on the CB, and not a sound from the scanner.

CHP is on VHF Lowband here, and the scanner rarely, if ever picks it up. However, I regularly receive them on my all-band Yaesu.

On VHF, receive on the BC125AT, with the external antenna, is a little worse than my Kenwood TK-280 with the rubber duck, inside the truck. I've tried an array of different antennas as well, so I'm pretty sure it's a receive issue in the scanner.

I'm looking for a mobile scanner that will receive at least as well as my Yaesu FT-897D.

I'm looking at both the WS 1065 and WS 1095. Opinions on those?

And also, do either of those do TrunkTracking? It doesn't seem like it from the info I'm seeing.



Thanks,

Delta

I have a Pro-197 which is the WS-1065 predecessor (PSR-600) rebadged for RS, and a WS-1098, which is the 1095 with the full keypad. I suppose 1095's are still around but Whistler stopped making that version awhile back. Same main unit though.

Both are digital trunking scanners and both have their good points and bad. The 197 only decodes P25 phase 1 but has extremely good audio and decode quality. The 1098 will decode P25 phase 1 & 2 as well as various flavors of DMR. It doesn't IMHO have quite as good decode quality or overall audio. It's understandable but just not quite as clean and rich.

I can't help with low band, that's been extinct here for some time now, nor have I made much of an effort at monitoring CB with either scanner. I don't have the right antennas for either band so both would be pretty deaf on CB and not much better on VHF-Lo, regardless of actual sensitivity.

But I like both of them and have no real complaints. Both do a very acceptable job. Both have a reputation for not playing well with simulcast trunked systems, and with suffering from front-end overload if you're in a high-RF environment. I'm not and don't have much LSM so no real issue with either of those. If I wasn't looking at P25 phase 2 coming to my doorstep in a few years, I'd probably be perfectly happy with the 197 and maybe an MD-380 H-T to listen to the increasingly interesting DMR in my area. Both scanners do a decent job with the conventional/analog stuff I have left here, mainly Fire/EMS paging and 2M/440 Ham repeaters.

I hope that helps a bit with clarifying things. I'm sure others will chime in as well.

 

[seth21w]

There are ws1098 for 360 dollars on amazon it comes with keypad.