GRE To Release New Digital Handheld, Others

[windigofer]

Hold: You can pause while scanning, or now the MAN mode is fully trunking so you can just "FIND" on some Conventional, Search, or Talkgroup, Sweeper, alpha or number data, and then press MAN. It is all very easy to use. There are no channels per-se, although it does show you the memory file system number so you can (instead of "FIND") type that number and either edit or hold on that "object". All of the menus have built in help, and yes it is one hand operation.

There are "Scan Lists" where you group the objects as you wish for scanning. So you do not need to enter frequency or talkgroup info more than once as you can just use those "Objects" in the scan lists as you desire. That is a big memory saver. There is some very enhanced Weather/SAME functions.

Lets see if some of the people who were at Dayton and saw it / played with it will jump in with some of their thoughts in the next days. I do not want to hog the impressions I might need to check with the folks that let me test before I say too much more.

Interesting...interesting indeed.

One thing it would be nice to know--I know it's been posted that Don Starr is supposedly developing software for the new units; my own curiosity is how the new channel scheme (which relies more on memory maps of frequency/ID and scan lists) will work with the present scheme used across Don Starr's WinXX programs (which, most recently, are CSV files (just a plain old comma delimited format with common fields) that list by bank and by channel; talkgroups also work similarly). I would *think* it could be mapped, it just might require some group massaging.

(Yes, I ask because I know Don Starr supposedly went to a universal CSV format for portability between WinXX programs and I have had success importing Win97 and Win99 CSV files to the Win96 after minor massaging of channel placement. Whenever I do get a PSR-500, I do intend on using Don Starr's software (because it works with everything else I use) to import some of my Win96 setup, and I'm now curious as to how much massaging it may take to get CSVs from, say, Win96 to import to Win5000 (or whatever Don names it).)

 

[Lodis]

I like the sound of the features in this and it is good for Uniden to have a bit more competition. It is really great to see GRE have taken the customers requirements into consideration. The only thing I am not keen on is the brick like size. I wonder if they could have made a slightly smaller model. I am surprised I haven't seen many comments regarding the size.

 

[DaveIN]

I'm sure Don will adapt his WinXXDataConverter program. If not you could use CSV as you mentioned.

Interesting...interesting indeed.

One thing it would be nice to know--I know it's been posted that Don Starr is supposedly developing software for the new units; my own curiosity is how the new channel scheme (which relies more on memory maps of frequency/ID and scan lists) will work with the present scheme used across Don Starr's WinXX programs (which, most recently, are CSV files (just a plain old comma delimited format with common fields) that list by bank and by channel; talkgroups also work similarly). I would *think* it could be mapped, it just might require some group massaging.

(Yes, I ask because I know Don Starr supposedly went to a universal CSV format for portability between WinXX programs and I have had success importing Win97 and Win99 CSV files to the Win96 after minor massaging of channel placement. Whenever I do get a PSR-500, I do intend on using Don Starr's software (because it works with everything else I use) to import some of my Win96 setup, and I'm now curious as to how much massaging it may take to get CSVs from, say, Win96 to import to Win5000 (or whatever Don names it).)

 

[windigofer]

I'm sure Don will adapt his WinXXDataConverter program. If not you could use CSV as you mentioned.

Actually, the WinXXDataConverter is sort of deprecated now (Among other things, it has not in fact been updated since the earlier releases of Win96; the program doesn't work with Win97 or Win99, for instance, as those two programs were written after Don Starr had gone to a universal CSV format.)

I'm pretty sure he'd do a new translation program if the PRS-500 broke the standard CSV template too much, though. :3

 

[DaveIN]

I'm not a fan of bricks, but the size of the PRO-97 did improve, yet keep the 4-AA battery caddys. If you'll notice the BNC connector is still standard, so all your favorite existing BNC antennas, like the RS 20-2843; 800MHz antenna will work.

I like the sound of the features in this and it is good for Uniden to have a bit more competition. It is really great to see GRE have taken the customers requirements into consideration. The only thing I am not keen on is the brick like size. I wonder if they could have made a slightly smaller model. I am surprised I haven't seen many comments regarding the size.

 

[wwhitby]

No way of knowing how they perform but I wished the handhelds didn't look like bricks.

Hey, there are some of us who like bricks

Seriously, I think the size of the PRO-96 is perfect for me. Of course, I also carry an MT-1000 :wink:

Warren

 

[safetyobc]

I don't have a problem with it's size.

I can see myself getting one of these scanners, if it performs well. I will wait until they have been out a couple months and see how everyone likes it. Then, if it is a good enough scanner with good features I will either sell my 3 analog scanners and buy it or ***GASP*** sell the BCD396T and buy it. I will only sell the 396 if it has a TGID managment system similar (or better) than the 996T's so I can better use the memory on the AWIN system here in Arkansas.

 

[wwhitby]

They could even have modified the firmware to be upgradable to a point (ala Uniden).

A question for anyone who has actually used or been involved with the development of the new scanners: Do the new scanner support upgradable firmware? That's been one of my biggest wants for some time.

Warren

 

[radio10-8]

I had to ask?

I'll wager a good amount it's a rumor.

What is the wager.

just kidding around.

 

[red8]

I am happy with my Uniden's, at least on one of them I can monitor 700 on it.

 

[SCPD]

I like the larger size as it has great audio. Yes the new digital scanner will be 100% upgradable (CPU and DSP) over the PC/IF port.

 

[DaveIN]

I like the larger size as it has great audio. Yes the new digital scanner will be 100% upgradable (CPU and DSP) over the PC/IF port.

Smart move on GRE's part. Did you program it by hand?

 

[safetyobc]

With GRE moving away from Radio Shack (as it has been rumored anyway). Maybe a GRE forum and GRE Wiki would be in order?

 

[DaveIN]

With GRE moving away from Radio Shack (as it has been rumored anyway). Maybe a GRE forum and GRE Wiki would be in order?

Go for It. I mentioned a GRE forum earlier.

 

[rdale]

I am happy with my Uniden's, at least on one of them I can monitor 700 on it.

This thread is about GRE's new line of scanners, not the current Unidens. And GRE's new line of scanners will be able to monitor 700, so not quite sure where this comment is going...

 

[windigofer]

Hey, there are some of us who like bricks

Seriously, I think the size of the PRO-96 is perfect for me. Of course, I also carry an MT-1000 :wink:

Warren

Exactly--I have no issue whatsoever with the Pro-96's size (that's right about perfect IMHO; these littler radios look too darned fragile to me ).

Then again, I also used to be just insane enough to use a large fanny pack to carry around a Pro-2067 and a battery pack at races...

 

[windigofer]

I like the larger size as it has great audio. Yes the new digital scanner will be 100% upgradable (CPU and DSP) over the PC/IF port.

Oh, *nice* :3 (Even the DSP upgradable via PC/IF has been one of my favourite features on the Pro-96, and having CPU firmware upgradable is smart in my opinion as the one bug I've seen most frequently with GRE kit is with the occasional bugs with trunking (the changes between v. 1.0 and 1.2 with Pro-92 CPU trunking code, the Pro-96 having various tweaks to its trunking performance (in particular, fixing the 40000-range digital talkgroup bug), etc.); this way I can just download a patch and install it, rather than shipping the radio in for a CPU replacement.

And again, the size doesn't bug me (heck, it's just right IMHO). I don't quite get all the "OMG BRICK SIZED SCANNER!" shouting; the thing is just perfectly sized to clip onto a fanny pack or belt, or to put in the hand, etc. (Then again, I'm one of those folks who also has an old iPAQ h4350 which most people shout "OMG IT'S HUGE" about because it is longer than a standard Windows Mobile device (due to the built in keyboard, which I will happily take over some of the more conventional methods of text entry...)...so things being "big" doesn't bother me as long as they do what I want them to do.)

 

[N8IAA]

What the heck kind of measurement is T3D?
Larry

 

[windigofer]

What the heck kind of measurement is T3D?
Larry

I think that's meant to be "TBD", aka "to be determined". (Honestly, I don't expect it to be all THAT much different than the Pro-96, though.)

 

[DaveIN]

What the heck kind of measurement is T3D?
Larry

That's To Be Determined, as in "OMG IT's BIG"