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Interested in a Unication G5

CollinsURG

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Get both, you'll kick yourself if you don't. :)

Also, looking at Rowan County I notice a lot of DMR, get the DMR upgrade (if buying new) when you buy it. If you don't you have to send it back in to Unication (after going through a dealer) and it takes weeks. It doesn't cost that much $30-50, and it is better to have it than not.

And, before someone jumps in screaming it doesn't trunk track DMR, I know that, but if it isn't a busy system you can follow it pretty well as conventional DMR.

Finally, if considering UHF look at the different models for the "band splits", there are 3 versions available (B, C, and D) with different UHF ranges. I recommend C so you get the government and business bands. They may not all be shown on the dealers website, but ask them.

View attachment 193030
Ordering from Ray's pagers does not have an option to add DMR. There now appears to be an option to buy the DMR upgrade, download it and install it yourself for $25. I would only do DMR if I get UHF. I do not monitor any local DMR. No local public safety on DMR. I have an Alinco DJ-MD5 that can do that. I also have the BCD325P2 for anything not LSM.
 

RaleighGuy

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Ordering from Ray's pagers does not have an option to add DMR. There now appears to be an option to buy the DMR upgrade, download it and install it yourself for $25. I would only do DMR if I get UHF. I do not monitor any local DMR. No local public safety on DMR. I have an Alinco DJ-MD5 that can do that. I also have the BCD325P2 for anything not LSM.

You can not install it yourself, it must be done at the factory. Contact Ray and he probably has some with it already installed.
 

CollinsURG

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You can not install it yourself, it must be done at the factory. Contact Ray and he probably has some with it already installed.
This is what I found.

G-Series P25: DMR UPGRADE (MSRP)​

$25.00
Tax excluded

DMR Upgrade for G-Series P25 Voice Pagers​

DMR Tier I & II
PLEASE READ FULL DESCRIPTION BELOW

After purchasing the DMR Upgrade, you will receive an email with a download link tied to your pager’s serial number. This link is required to enable the upgrade. DMR will no longer be enabled at the factory.


 

RaleighGuy

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This is what I found.

G-Series P25: DMR UPGRADE (MSRP)​

$25.00
Tax excluded

DMR Upgrade for G-Series P25 Voice Pagers​

DMR Tier I & II
PLEASE READ FULL DESCRIPTION BELOW

After purchasing the DMR Upgrade, you will receive an email with a download link tied to your pager’s serial number. This link is required to enable the upgrade. DMR will no longer be enabled at the factory.


That's great news and new, I did not know they figured out a FW fix. Thank you
 

D31245

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Cool. This is new. I ordered my G5 in September’25 and I don’t remember this download option being available.
 

hazrat8990

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That's great news and new, I did not know they figured out a FW fix. Thank you
Back when they first added DMR in 2017, it was simply included with a firmware update. Later versions of firmware didn't include it, so I'm guessing that it was taken away once they realized they could offer it separately and make money.
 

CollinsURG

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I have read the NOAA reception comments, but has anyone used a G5 with VHF for anything else VHF such as legacy analog public safety, VHF marine and maybe single channel P25? How did it do with the internal antenna?
 

Enjoi19

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Really depends on location and transmitter power. When I travel to areas on VHF with a G5 it generally works well for things in the immediate area (town and adjacent ones) but wouldn’t expect anything extreme out of it. Used with analog and DMR departments.
 

CollinsURG

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Really depends on location and transmitter power. When I travel to areas on VHF with a G5 it generally works well for things in the immediate area (town and adjacent ones) but wouldn’t expect anything extreme out of it. Used with analog and DMR departments.
Good to know. Do you have an opinion how it compares to maybe a handheld scanner using it's stock antenna receiving the same traffic? Thanks.
 

Enjoi19

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Good to know. Do you have an opinion how it compares to maybe a handheld scanner using it's stock antenna receiving the same traffic? Thanks.
Hard to say frankly. I leave analog and VHF to a scanner and proper antenna - and let the Unication work where it is best. I wouldn’t be scanning marine on it.
 

K9KLC

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In my case after some brief testing just to see how it worked on some marine and some VHF other stuff, I decided it was a horrible waste of the unit to use it for any of those things. In a pinch yes it would likely work at things close enough.

I also have the DMR option but to be honest either I didn't get it programmed right or had the wrong information. Honestly with both other DMR radios made for that mode, I just needed went further with it.

I do have several analog VHF zones programmed in, "just in case".
 

CollinsURG

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In my case after some brief testing just to see how it worked on some marine and some VHF other stuff, I decided it was a horrible waste of the unit to use it for any of those things. In a pinch yes it would likely work at things close enough.

I also have the DMR option but to be honest either I didn't get it programmed right or had the wrong information. Honestly with both other DMR radios made for that mode, I just needed went further with it.

I do have several analog VHF zones programmed in, "just in case".
Thanks. It would have been nice if they had connected both receivers to the same antenna. So that if you wanted to improve VHF reception, you could opt for the long dual band antenna.
 

K9KLC

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Thanks. It would have been nice if they had connected both receivers to the same antenna. So that if you wanted to improve VHF reception, you could opt for the long dual band antenna.
Only using the Amplified charging base. I've done this mobile and it's worked pretty well. Both bands are somehow connected to the BNC port on the amplified charging base or so it seems.
 
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