G5 Questions

[NCFire11]

I am in the market for some type of monitoring device for a VHF P25 Simulcast system and a 7/800 P25 system.

I've looked through some of the threads here and I am trying to ascertain if the G5 VHF/7/800 will monitor both of the systems at the same time. From what I gather there was a beta test in 2020 to allow this, and seems like that beta may still be the only way for this to happen. I want the G5 as it seems to be a great semirugged device but I also need to be able to monitor TGs from both systems at the same time preferably. Does anyone if they plan on releasing this feature to the G5 for everyone or should I opt towards and SDS100.

TLDR; I have an SDS200 but the console in my new vehicle changed and no longer has room for it, now I am looking for other options.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I am in the market for some type of monitoring device for a VHF P25 Simulcast system and a 7/800 P25 system.

It will only monitor one system one tower at a time. The beta version is no longer available from Unication and was issued to people based on model serial number.

 

[NCFire11]

It will only monitor one system one tower at a time. The beta version is no longer available from Unication and was issued to people based on model serial number.

I realize that but I'm trying to figure out if it is an upcoming feature to guide my purchase. If it is likely to be a feature pushed out later I will gladly purchase it, if not I need to go a different route. I can make do until it does as my APX 6500 covers the 7/800 system and the Unication would cover the Simulcast system with no issues.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I realize that but I'm trying to figure out if it is an upcoming feature to guide my purchase. If it is likely to be a feature pushed out later I will gladly purchase it, if not I need to go a different route. I can make do until it does as my APX 6500 covers the 7/800 system and the Unication would cover the Simulcast system with no issues.

There is no way to know, many comments suggest they've abandoned support for the beta, rumor has they are thinking of a scanner or two way radio option (from Taiwan website), but honestly no one knows. I wouldn't count on it.

 

[NCFire11]

There is no way to know, many comments suggest they've abandoned support for the beta, rumor has they are thinking of a scanner or two way radio option (from Taiwan website), but honestly no one knows. I wouldn't count on it.

Well that’s unfortunate. Thanks for the info.

 

[OnYourSix]

@NCFire11 What are you looking to listen to? Maybe we can help you decide? Does any of the VHF simulcast on 800?

I am in the market for some type of monitoring device for a VHF P25 Simulcast system and a 7/800 P25 system.

I've looked through some of the threads here and I am trying to ascertain if the G5 VHF/7/800 will monitor both of the systems at the same time. From what I gather there was a beta test in 2020 to allow this, and seems like that beta may still be the only way for this to happen. I want the G5 as it seems to be a great semirugged device but I also need to be able to monitor TGs from both systems at the same time preferably. Does anyone if they plan on releasing this feature to the G5 for everyone or should I opt towards and SDS100.

TLDR; I have an SDS200 but the console in my new vehicle changed and no longer has room for it, now I am looking for other options.

 

[NCFire11]

@NCFire11 What are you looking to listen to? Maybe we can help you decide? Does any of the VHF simulcast on 800?

The county's Simulcast VHF P25 system as well as some other VIPER talkgroups. Some talkgroups are hardpatched from VHF to VIPER. I use the VIPER System and do not like to use my APX6500 to scan as I can miss traffic, and if there are no active radios on whichever site my APX is parked on there won't be any traffic come through anyway(on the scanned TGs).

I have an SDS200 to solve this in the past, but my new setup makes installation of the unit difficult. The SDS200 does it all, but I was going to look at the Unication G5 to monitor both systems at once until I figured out it couldn't do it. So i think my next option is gonna be an SDS100.

 

[OnYourSix]

@NCFire11 yeah, I see how that could be difficult on a G5. Do you need to have access to the actual scanner to manipulate it at all? Could you mount it remotely and use a volume controlled speaker to turn the volume up and down?

The county's Simulcast VHF P25 system as well as some other VIPER talkgroups. Some talkgroups are hardpatched from VHF to VIPER. I use the VIPER System and do not like to use my APX6500 to scan as I can miss traffic, and if there are no active radios on whichever site my APX is parked on there won't be any traffic come through anyway(on the scanned TGs).

I have an SDS200 to solve this in the past, but my new setup makes installation of the unit difficult. The SDS200 does it all, but I was going to look at the Unication G5 to monitor both systems at once until I figured out it couldn't do it. So i think my next option is gonna be an SDS100.

 

[NCFire11]

@NCFire11 yeah, I see how that could be difficult on a G5. Do you need to have access to the actual scanner to manipulate it at all? Could you mount it remotely and use a volume controlled speaker to turn the volume up and down?

Not really, unless it went in the trunk but thats not ideal.

Another question-when scanning a multiple site system(such as VIPER) does the pager lock onto one site or scan multiple control channels for traffic? IE if its locked onto site "52" and there's no radio affiliated, there will be no traffic. But if it can scan multiple CCs that would help.

 

[Webodisk]

Not really, unless it went in the trunk but thats not ideal.

Another question-when scanning a multiple site system(such as VIPER) does the pager lock onto one site or scan multiple control channels for traffic? IE if its locked onto site "52" and there's no radio affiliated, there will be no traffic. But if it can scan multiple CCs that would help.

it does not scan CC's it stays locked, until the signal gets below an acceptable level then looks for a stronger signal

 

[RaleighGuy]

Another question-when scanning a multiple site system(such as VIPER) does the pager lock onto one site or scan multiple control channels for traffic? IE if its locked onto site "52" and there's no radio affiliated, there will be no traffic. But if it can scan multiple CCs that would help.

That was an issue I had, even using the wildcard, in Raleigh it locked on to the West Raleigh tower, as it was the first tower it located in scanning the wildcards, but strength was strong enough even when I traveled to Granville or Durham so it wasn't picking up the towers. Solution, add Durham and Granville to their own knob with those VIPER sites.

 

[NCFire11]

Does seem like this is a niche product geared more toward simulcast systems.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Does seem like this is a niche product geared more toward simulcast systems.

It was never marketed as a scanner, but rather a pager for a particular system and site. Hobbyists have taken what was meant as a commercial pager and turned it into the answer for simulcast reception.

 

[NCFire11]

Correct but to me it seems its real world advantages seem to be use in a simulcast area, rather than a system with multiple sites where traffic can be missed if the pager is not locked onto a particular site with an affiliated radio, VIPER being a perfect example.

Then again, VIPER isn't really for providing paging capabilities, but there are some agencies that use it that way.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Then again, VIPER isn't really for providing paging capabilities, but there are some agencies that use it that way.

There are a number of agencies paging through Viper, and the G5 works great for it, because if you are monitoring for paging tones you are typically on one system and one site, not multiple sites.

But, as I said above, the solution is programming a different site on different knobs if you need to monitor multiple sites in your area, and if you are traveling out of the area the wildcards do work to find sites.