Contra Costa County switched over?

[stingray327]

Looks like they have switched over to digital. Can anyone confirm this?
I can't pick them up on analog anymore.
This is getting expensive as I will need a new base and a new handheld. Any recommendations? Radio Shack, GRE, Uniden or any other brands? I never did really care for Uniden products especially at $469+.

 

[kma371]

Likely they are done. I haven't heard them for a while on VHF but unable to confirm 100%. This shouldn't be a surprise though.

 

[stingray327]

Likely they are done. I haven't heard them for a while on VHF but unable to confirm 100%. This shouldn't be a surprise though.

I can hear them over the internet on a live feed.
Any suggestions on which digital scanners to get for base and handheld?

 

[gmclam]

CoCoCo

I hear them on VHF from time to time but they are largely switched over. I am partial to the PSR-500 & PSR-600.

 

[stingray327]

I hear them on VHF from time to time but they are largely switched over. I am partial to the PSR-500 & PSR-600.

I have heard that the Radio Shack 106 handheld is easier to program.
I don't know if Radio Shack has a comparable base station scanner. Perhaps that Home Patrol which is by Uniden but its advertised in the Radio Shack website.

When CHP goes fully to 700 I will have to have new equpment by then.

 

[gmclam]

PRO-106 & PSR-500

I have heard that the Radio Shack 106 handheld is easier to program.QUOTE]The PRO-106 and PSR-500 are essentiall the same model, both made by GRE (no longer in production). I use WIN500 software to do the programming.

The difference between those two models is that the location of the speaker and display are swapped. The PRO-197 compares to the PSR-600.

 

[stingray327]

I have heard that the Radio Shack 106 handheld is easier to program.QUOTE]The PRO-106 and PSR-500 are essentiall the same model, both made by GRE (no longer in production). I use WIN500 software to do the programming.

The difference between those two models is that the location of the speaker and display are swapped. The PRO-197 compares to the PSR-600.

Is the Pro-197 a digital scanner? I thought the 106 model for a handheld was the scanner to get.
Basestation?

 

[russianspd]

I had the PRO-106 from RS and was happy with it...that is until I had a circuit short that caused the reception to drop to nill, unless the antenna was "pressured" into a certain spot. Sent it off to a local tech friend to have it worked on....been awhile. I invested in an 396XT. Has a better belt clip on than the PRO did. Heavier duty clip, the clip rotates so you can prevent unnecessary strain on the antenna when sitting.

396xt over pro for belt use. However, the 396 gets this weird hiss sound every once in awhile when an active transmission comes across. Haven't found an viable fix to that issue, it is documented. Other than that it works fine for me.

 

[stingray327]

I had the PRO-106 from RS and was happy with it...that is until I had a circuit short that caused the reception to drop to nill, unless the antenna was "pressured" into a certain spot. Sent it off to a local tech friend to have it worked on....been awhile. I invested in an 396XT. Has a better belt clip on than the PRO did. Heavier duty clip, the clip rotates so you can prevent unnecessary strain on the antenna when sitting.

396xt over pro for belt use. However, the 396 gets this weird hiss sound every once in awhile when an active transmission comes across. Haven't found an viable fix to that issue, it is documented. Other than that it works fine for me.

I had read that the Uniden 396xt was a smaller more durable radio but difficult to program. The 106 would probably be fine with me as I won't be attaching it to any belt. Main use for this unit would be in car. I don't understand the strain part about the antenna when sitting down. What kind of strain affects the handheld scanner using the belt clip?

 

[russianspd]

I imported my FREESCAN file that I had made for the PRO and it imported just fine. All I had to do was delete the pre programmed systems that came with the radio.

Well, I meant for those who would wear their scanners on their hips while in the car it could put strain on the rubber duck antenna because of the angle. Just stating that since the 396 has a swivel belt clip that the issue could be fixed.

Or you could set the radio in a non "strain" position of course.

 

[stingray327]

I imported my FREESCAN file that I had made for the PRO and it imported just fine. All I had to do was delete the pre programmed systems that came with the radio.

Well, I meant for those who would wear their scanners on their hips while in the car it could put strain on the rubber duck antenna because of the angle. Just stating that since the 396 has a swivel belt clip that the issue could be fixed.

Or you could set the radio in a non "strain" position of course.

From what you just mentioned about a "Freescan file" It sounds to me that scanning has become alot more complicated now with needing to have discs, computers and programs?

 

[stingray327]

I have heard that the Radio Shack 106 handheld is easier to program.QUOTE]The PRO-106 and PSR-500 are essentiall the same model, both made by GRE (no longer in production). I use WIN500 software to do the programming.

The difference between those two models is that the location of the speaker and display are swapped. The PRO-197 compares to the PSR-600.

"Win500 software"? What's that? Again programs and computers are now needed to program these new scanners? I remember when we just had crystals. Card slots next but didn't last long then keypad programming. After that trunking and digital and now ??

 

[gmclam]

PRO-106, PSR-500, WIN500, etc

Is the Pro-197 a digital scanner? I thought the 106 model for a handheld was the scanner to get.
Basestation?

The PRO-197 is the base version of the PRO-106 with the Radio Shack brand name on them. The PSR-600 is the base version of the PSR-500 with the GRE brand name on them. They are all the same radio.

I use WIN500 to program my digital scanners.

 

[stingray327]

The PRO-197 is the base version of the PRO-106 with the Radio Shack brand name on them. The PSR-600 is the base version of the PSR-500 with the GRE brand name on them. They are all the same radio.

I use WIN500 to program my digital scanners.

Is it true then that they are going to discontinue the Pro-197?
As a base station how does the Pro-197 compare to the Uniden Home Patrol?
Would the Uniden Home Patrol make a better unit for the car since it's preprogrammed for whatever area you are in?

 

[srschacher]

I don't know if "discontinue" is the right word. GRE went out of business earlier this year when the Chinese government possessed the land where their factory was. There won't be any more GRE/PRO radios, I think.

Steve

 

[kma371]

I don't know if "discontinue" is the right word. GRE went out of business earlier this year when the Chinese government possessed the land where their factory was. There won't be any more GRE/PRO radios, I think.

Steve

Whistler Announces Entry into Radio Scanner Market

 

[srschacher]

Thanks for posting that. I did not know that. It's very encouraging to find out that Whistler purchased GRE's intellectual property and plans to continue developing their product line.

Steve

 

[stingray327]

The PRO-197 is the base version of the PRO-106 with the Radio Shack brand name on them. The PSR-600 is the base version of the PSR-500 with the GRE brand name on them. They are all the same radio.

I use WIN500 to program my digital scanners.

I will wait for the Uniden BCD 436 and 536 scanners and the Whistler counterpart scanners.