GRE PSR 800 Pre Release Thread

[N8IAA]

So, it states you don't need a pc, or the internet. Hmmm. Doesn't the 107/700 require that you have a pc to put updates onto the SD card Wouldn't that be neccessary for the new SD card scanners too??
Just wondering,
Larry

 

[rdale]

If you want to, but just like the HP - you don't have to.

 

[XTS3000]

Anyone pick up on this:

"Consumers will now be able to experience and purchase the GRE line of scanners at their local retail stores."

So, Walmart, BestBuy, etc will carry the GRE line now? Would be cool to drive and pick up a scanner when needed.

 

[rckydenver]

Found another photo. PSR-800.

http://img.pr.com/release-file/1101/288055/PSR-800_flat.jpg

 

[DonS]

The new scanner should appeal to "advanced" users a little more than the PRO-107 and PSR-700. Some differences between this one and the PRO-107 / PSR-700...

• Slightly larger than PRO-107 (increases of 6mm width, 1mm thickness, 7mm height, not counting antenna, squelch knob, belt clip)
• P25 digital (of course)
• True USB interface. Appears as a COM port and a removable disk (CDC and MSD USB devices). COM port used for "CCDump", clock setting, firmware upgrade; disk access used for RR DB updates, PC-based programming, audio file retrieval.
• microSD Card instead of full-sized SD Card (up to 32GB). It's still under the battery cover, but you don't have to pull the batteries if you want to access it for some reason.
• 200 scan lists
• 200 V-Folders
• V-Folder count, scan lists per V-Folder, objects per V-Folder only limited by card space.
• 20 "Scan sets" that represent groups of enabled scan lists. An object is scanned if: it's not locked out, it's in an enabled scan list, and the scan list is in an enabled scan set. By default, only one scan set is populated and it contains all 200 scan lists.
• New LCD (same hardware as PSR-310) with white backlight. Slightly larger than PSR-500 with far more "dots".
• Tri-color alert LED like PSR-500 family. Every talkgroup and conventional channel has its own color settings (up to 4 colors per object, so you can generate patterns)
• A few more "alert tones"
• All LEDs "dimmable". Minimum setting reduces LED current to ~3mA, so leaving the backlight on all the time doesn't noticably impact battery life
• Record function: all talkgroups and conventional channels have a record flag. There's also a master record enable and a 'search record' function (same service search types as PSR-700). Stored as standard .AU files.
• Recording limited only by card space
• "Playback" menu with some versatility (play single, play from here, delete single, delete all, delete older, delete newer)
• "CCDump" output can be logged to the microSD Card (up to 256MB of 'text' - at least a couple of days' worth)
• Can be configured to supply IF output through headphone jack. Sort of a built-in "discriminator tap" (same signal as that used for all internal decoding/demods). Works quite well with Unitrunker with just a stereo patch cord.
• "Alarm clock" function - powers up at a specified time each day in a specified mode (scan, monitor single object, weather)
• Clock/calendar when attached to external power and "powered off"
• RR DB files include USA and Canada
• USA and Canada bandplans supported simultaneously (per-channel and per-system). Set automatically when importing from RR DB files; can be individually specified when creating systems/channels via the included PC software.
• Some display elements configurable: TGID number and RadioID (trunking and P25 conv), site name, VC/CC freqs

 

[redhelmet13]

I like the discriminatator output through the headphone jack! This warrants a look at it.

 

[SCPD]

I like the previous poster suggesting it may be a bit of a "sleeper" radio. From talking to the beta testers, I think folks will be pleasantly surprised. The best radio is the one you use after all Craig

 

[DonS]

So, it states you don't need a pc, or the internet. Hmmm. Doesn't the 107/700 require that you have a pc to put updates onto the SD card Wouldn't that be neccessary for the new SD card scanners too??

No. See my post above. It appears as an "MSD" USB device, so Windows sees it as a 'removable disk' (and, simultaneously, as a 'COM port').

EDIT: I misread the question. Yes, you would need a PC and Internet access if you wanted to update the RR DB files on the microSD Card. That's not absolutely necessary, though, if you could live with the version of RR DB files that came with the scanner (i.e. if nothing in your areas of interest has changed).

 

[N8IAA]

So, DonS, if we want to configure the new scanner with what we want, we just need a blank micro SD card? Then set up the ScanLists how we want like the current versions 500/600?
Larry

 

[DonS]

You wouldn't necessarily need a blank microSD Card. You could use the 2GB card supplied with the scanner, reading any existing data into the PC (over USB), making whatever changes you want via the supplied PC software, then writing the data back to the scanner's card (over USB). Or, you could just use the V-Scanner II feature, creating a whole new configuration in a new V-Folder and adding that to the existing data on the card.

 

[cookmaster]

DonS or anyone, will this new scanner mute out Encryption?

 

[DonS]

DonS or anyone, will this new scanner mute out Encryption?

If you're referring to P25 encryption, then yes. There are actually 3 available settings for what the scanner does when it receives encrypted P25 voice: a "busy tone" (the default) with a configurable volume level, "silence", or "encrypted digital noise". It will also indicate the encrypted status on the "icon bar" at the top of the LCD.

 

[eorange]

Looks like there's no numeric keypad. Wonder how the usability is with things like frequency input for searches and sweeps?

 

[TES]

PSR-800 Page at GRE contains link to features/specs.

 

[DonS]

Of the available search types, the only one that would require any frequency input is "Limit Search". Frequencies are input using the up/down keys to scroll each digit through 0-9.

 

[cookmaster]

Thanks,DonS that is what I was talking about muting out P25 encryption. that is the only reason why I would not buy radio. So it should be for sale maybe in June or July?

 

[Caesar]

I'm game once it hits 399$ or less, It isn't a radio that I would want more than one of, but I plan to get one of them, I have enjoyed using my Pro-107 locally with scan lists i created via PC and even more when out of town on quick trips that I didn't have time to build scan lists on my 106/396t.

I'm glad to see the clock, disc tap, and record functions as well...

 

[LAflyer]

Seems rather inflexible to me without a keypad. I'm always entering stuff, or searching. Cant lug around a laptop whenever I go out scanning.

What I'm really waiting for is a receiver with additional emission types like MOTOTRBO for example.

 

[RoninJoliet]

I really enjoy my GRE500 BUT, i hope this new scanner will decode "digital (ILL-Starcom 700/800 9600baud system) better as while my Uniden model does excellent the "500" sits in the same spot and just "flickers" and cuts-out like many on this web site have printed...Does the new scanner recognize "Unique TG's", .....Thank You

 

[W6KRU]

I really enjoy my GRE500 BUT, i hope this new scanner will decode "digital (ILL-Starcom 700/800 9600baud system) better as while my Uniden model does excellent the "500" sits in the same spot and just "flickers" and cuts-out like many on this web site have printed...Does the new scanner recognize "Unique TG's", .....Thank You

On San Diego area simulcast 3600 baud Moto systems, I have the opposite problem. The Unidens degenerate into unintelligible garbage audio and meanwhile my PSR-500 never misses a beat. Every time I hear the audio go digital on the PSR-500, the next transmission is the dispatcher telling the mobile that he was digital.