GRE PSR-800 Post Release Thread

[DaveIN]

I want two different scanlists with MPSCS, one with all the sites, another with some of the same sites. Both with all TGID's.

I am able to import the sites I want in different scanlist with the radio menu, but not with the EZ Scan software.

 

[DaveIN]

Think about that for a while Tom. Unless you will not miss the keypad and Tune features on the PSR-500.

This radio is really sensitive also, I'd say more than the 500. I don't know your monitoring locations, but a few more tests in metro areas with attenuation on and off may be helpful, but in thick RF environments it may or may be a problem for some.

I must say I like the record and playback feature, but I miss the return to the last object when I press the manual button on the 500. Too bad this couldn't be added to the play/pause button for scanning operation as an option.

 

[trido]

Issue i have i dont seem to be able to moniter a distant site that share talkgroups yes u can put talkgroups in certain scanlist.
But why cant i also put tsys sites into certain scanlist.say i want to hear a safet site one county away i cant i will lock on the site strongest to my location cause all sites share same talk groups.
UOTE=DonS;1479024]I'm not sure I understand the question. Neither a TSYS nor its sites belong to any scan list. Only the talkgroups and radio IDs (which can be associated with exactly one TSYS) belong to scan lists.[/QUOTE]

 

[DaveIN]

Issue i have i dont seem to be able to moniter a distant site that share talkgroups yes u can put talkgroups in certain scanlist.
But why cant i also put tsys sites into certain scanlist.say i want to hear a safet site one county away i cant i will lock on the site strongest to my location cause all sites share same talk groups.
UOTE=DonS;1479024]I'm not sure I understand the question. Neither a TSYS nor its sites belong to any scan list. Only the talkgroups and radio IDs (which can be associated with exactly one TSYS) belong to scan lists.

I want to assign a trunked system site to multiple scanlists from the software, just as I can conventional objects and TGID objects. Call it TSYS or trunked system, or site/tower, whatever. I can do this from the radio so why not the software.

 

[trido]

Ok since TSYS or sites are NOT in scanlist let me ask it this way if I put in one TSYS with say 5 sites will psr 800 keep searching for the five data channels or does it stay put on STRONGEST DATA CH?
if it drops out picks up next data ch it can hear then I think I am ok if first data ch drops out scanner goes to next strongest and i have assigned talkgroups then i will hear all.

So question does scanner keep searching for data ch.?

thanks

I'm not sure I understand the question. Neither a TSYS nor its sites belong to any scan list. Only the talkgroups and radio IDs (which can be associated with exactly one TSYS) belong to scan lists.

 

[wnjl]

Just another word of warning for anyone like me (D'oh!) who didn't see the thread on here before buying a PSR-800 from the outfit (cmdradio) selling them on eBay right now...I paid for the radio exactly a week ago after being specifically told that it would be shipped out priority mail last Monday and would get here Wednesday. Well, the shipping label info was printed Monday, but somehow the package didn't arrive at the nearest sorting facility until last night. I assume they probably just got them in stock late this week like everyone else and didn't bother to drop the package off till last night. So I paid $10 extra thinking I'd get the radio here faster, when today I could have just driven down to HRO in Delaware to get it (the package probably won't get here till early next week now). Sorry for the rant, but to anyone else who comes across the PSR-800 auction on eBay, avoid avoid avoid.

 

[Tom_G]

Ok since TSYS or sites are NOT in scanlist let me ask it this way if I put in one TSYS with say 5 sites will psr 800 keep searching for the five data channels or does it stay put on STRONGEST DATA CH?
if it drops out picks up next data ch it can hear then I think I am ok if first data ch drops out scanner goes to next strongest and i have assigned talkgroups then i will hear all.

So question does scanner keep searching for data ch.?

thanks

Almost sounds like a stationary versus roam multisite question.
Also, does the software have a way to select "check all control channels with each pass" option like win-500 had ?
Those are very powerful features....

 

[DonS]

Yes, the scanner always operates like the PSR-500's "MultiSite Roam" setting. It looks through a TSYS's list of sites, stopping when it finds the first control channel that meets the "high threshold".

The only way to manually pick and choose what sites you want to monitor is to create multiple trunked systems, each with their own sets of sites and talkgroups. You'd probably want to use different scan lists for the talkgroups in order to choose which TSYS / site arrangement is monitored.

You cannot "import" to multiple trunked systems from the library data. The scanner and the PC software both recognize that you already have a trunked system matching the RR DB's "trunked system ID" value, and will just update / add to the existing system. To create such multiple systems, at most one can be "imported" - the rest must be created manually in the PC software.

 

[rdale]

So if I want a "statewide" MPSCS and a "local" MPSCS, I'd be able to create one by importing but I would have to do the other completely from scratch?

Or create the statewide and put it in one VFolder, and create the local to put in different vfolder?

 

[Chris45]

Yea, The package antenna is not my first choice. I have found this radio to be antenna sensitive. It really rocks with a dedicated 800 Mhz antenna. A keypad would have merit especially while driving. You can more easily lock and unlock banks etc. Would recommend a display like the Pro-106 where you can see the status in a glance. Bright sunshine will definitely was out this screen. On a more positive note the 800 receives and sounds very good. I notes that the software from the GRE site already had the database within. So I practiced downloading before my unit arrived. I am having a time getting the 800 to connect with the program. So for now, everything is done manually. This unit will make a great traveling companion.

 

[RoninJoliet]

It states in the manual you must have a "external power source" so does this mean i must purchase a external pwer supply from RS to plug the power cord in or will the computer USB power it...Also, do i have to be on the radioreference.com web site in order to update the "card" with a new "library" of information...Thank You..Sorry for the foolish questions i have for 40 years used my two hands to program all my scanners, never used PC or software....My PSR500 and RS197 are two of the best scanners i have ever purchased....Looking at purchase of the PSR800 after studying the manual...Thank You

 

[mancow]

It will charge from a pc and you have to connect to radio reference to update it.

 

[wolverine]

I just ordered a Uniden BCD396XT, wanted one for some time, now I'm considering selling my PSR-500 and buying the PSR-800. Their was a post in this forum were someone said that the PSR-800 did a better job following their local P25 simulcast system, I know I've read about some user's nitpicking at the PSR-800 because it doesn't have some of the features that the PSR-500 has, but for me, those features, I don't need.

The only feature I'm really concearned about, is the scanner following my local, P25 9600 baud, simulcast systems, better then the PSR-500 while having less digital break up. I'm really thinking about selling my PSR-500 and buying the PRS-800, the PSR-500 has served me ok, for the most part, but It's time to move on, with the technology, if that technology can do a better job.

 

[DaveIN]

So if I want a "statewide" MPSCS and a "local" MPSCS, I'd be able to create one by importing but I would have to do the other completely from scratch?

Or create the statewide and put it in one VFolder, and create the local to put in different vfolder?

That's correct. Unless you want to overwrite your statewide system, you can only do one or the other.

I'd at least like to see a copy and paste feature on the trunked tab so we can copy the sites and TGID's needed to do the job.

I can't believe other 800 users wouldn't want to do the same thing we are trying to accomplish, and it definitely not a user friendly process from the software or the radio's menu system. After all, we now have a Scan set feature that would allow us to turn on or off a set of sites.

 

[vinzep491]

Do you guys like em?


Whats the prices you paid and from where?


Thanks!

 

[rdale]

All dealers online are selling for $450 that I've seen.

 

[JANFINE]

I'm in Orlando for the Hamfest. I was able to see and use the PSR800. However, in an environment with as much hf as a Hamfest, you really can't tell much about the sensitivity.

 

[mancow]

I am in the next county over from a large 700 Mhz simulcast system. The system is unreadable once I leave that county and I can't receive it at home even with a 7 element yagi at 25 feet. Nothing at home would work, the 500, 197, 396T, 396XT, none of them.

The PSR800 does at least try to receive the system. It is still mostly unreadable but will decode about 10-20%. I have tested it a few times this week on the road travelling through that county using the supplied stubby antenna. It seemed to have better audio with less garble than the other units I've used.

One thing I have noticed while using it on a regular 7.x 9600 800 Mhz non simulcast system is it's overall accuracy. I have watched it along side a similarly programmed PRO197 and the 197 misses about 25% or more of the radio IDs. The PSR800 has an operational feel more like that of a Motorola XTS. It is rock solid in operation and is always accurate. Radio IDs are always decoded and will display immediately as each person talks with no losses.

It's hard to totally explain and maybe part of it is the limited activity and information on the display like a commercial rig that gives a different impression but it seems very very accurate and fast CPU wise. Nothing seems to ever be missed or falsed. It appears to scan extremely fast as well. Watching the T flash gives an indication of how long it takes to cycle to a trunking system and past the list of other conventional systems and it's obviously moving very quickly.

I just ordered a Uniden BCD396XT, wanted one for some time, now I'm considering selling my PSR-500 and buying the PSR-800. Their was a post in this forum were someone said that the PSR-800 did a better job following their local P25 simulcast system, I know I've read about some user's nitpicking at the PSR-800 because it doesn't have some of the features that the PSR-500 has, but for me, those features, I don't need.

The only feature I'm really concearned about, is the scanner following my local, P25 9600 baud, simulcast systems, better then the PSR-500 while having less digital break up. I'm really thinking about selling my PSR-500 and buying the PRS-800, the PSR-500 has served me ok, for the most part, but It's time to move on, with the technology, if that technology can do a better job.

 

[Chris45]

396T and PSR-800

I just ordered a Uniden BCD396XT, wanted one for some time, now I'm considering selling my PSR-500 and buying the PSR-800. Their was a post in this forum were someone said that the PSR-800 did a better job following their local P25 simulcast system, I know I've read about some user's nitpicking at the PSR-800 because it doesn't have some of the features that the PSR-500 has, but for me, those features, I don't need.

The only feature I'm really concearned about, is the scanner following my local, P25 9600 baud, simulcast systems, better then the PSR-500 while having less digital break up. I'm really thinking about selling my PSR-500 and buying the PRS-800, the PSR-500 has served me ok, for the most part, but It's time to move on, with the technology, if that technology can do a better job.

Geography can influence how well a radio will perform as well as receiver sensitivity. I have both a 396T and the 800. I do not think you would be disapointed with the 800 performance.

 

[W6KRU]

I just ordered a Uniden BCD396XT, wanted one for some time, now I'm considering selling my PSR-500 and buying the PSR-800. Their was a post in this forum were someone said that the PSR-800 did a better job following their local P25 simulcast system, I know I've read about some user's nitpicking at the PSR-800 because it doesn't have some of the features that the PSR-500 has, but for me, those features, I don't need.

The only feature I'm really concearned about, is the scanner following my local, P25 9600 baud, simulcast systems, better then the PSR-500 while having less digital break up. I'm really thinking about selling my PSR-500 and buying the PRS-800, the PSR-500 has served me ok, for the most part, but It's time to move on, with the technology, if that technology can do a better job.

If you're listening to simulcast, you might want to wait until you have test driven the 396XT. You might want to sell it to get the 800.