Bearcat 996 and Va. Beach digital

[bep]

Finally bit the bullet and got the 996 for my vehicle. In the house I have the Radio Shack version, 197 I think.

My question is the audio portion of Va. Beach is terrible on the 996, and fair on the 197. Talking to the fire fighters I know they tell me the audio is ok.

Am I missing a setting. Someone here listing to Va. Beach on a 996 please let me know your sound quality.

Thanks

 

[bep]

No one else with this issue?

 

[jackj]

Make sure your 996 is running the most current firmware. Mine is the 'T' model and was almost unusable on digital when I received it. Two upgrades later and now it is usable, not great but at least you can understand the audio now. I don't think I'll ever buy another Uniden product, they put this thing on the market knowing it wouldn't work.

 

[bep]

I am pretty sure the updates are current. Will check later today.
If it is up-to-date I must say my RS197 is far better audio wise than the Uniden. But I do like how the Uniden unit is set up.

Will advise

 

[John]

197 vs 996 for Va Beach

The PRO-197 from Radio Shack is actually a version of the GRE PSR-500. Completely different than the Uniden product. The Uniden comes in an earlier version called the 996T and a later version 996XLT. From what I have read the XLTs are significantly better than the XLs but I have never used the XL. I have a Uniden 996XLT installed in my vehicle. I like the look and feel of the Uniden better but I also have several of the GREs and I have to say even with the latest version of the Uniden the GREs all perform better. At least on our local simulcast P25 system. I don't have any experience with the Va Beach system.

I had a friend that visited your area just as they transitioned to digital and his observations were that his scanner worked much better when he manually programmed it to only use one of the "towers". I don't have specifics.