Is the 500 just a dressed up Pro-96?

[maansman]

I own the Uniden 396T, and though I think the scanner is great, the reception is less than stellar (for my local PD - Delaware). Too much garble, no matter what I do..almost makes digital scanning useless.

So, with this in mind, I would buy this GRE in a second if the reception is better...obviously, we won't know until it comes out, but I ask of those who use there 396T to it's fullest, does this scanner have an edge over the Uniden in any way...like, more functions that could make reception better (tweaking,etc..)? Or better yet, does anybody have or had a Pro-96 & Uniden BCD396 and can tell me which one receives better?

Thanks everybody for help with these questions....I am a HAM, but I will admit, I really just turn on an go when it comes to scanning, and rarely do I mess with all the functions...however, that could change!

Thanks
- Mark

 

[SAR923]

The Pro 96 beats the BCD396 hands down in digital decogin, every time. There are other features on the 396 I liked but what use were they if I couldn't listen to digital, which is why I bought it. I returned the 396 and got the Pro 96. I've been very happy with the digital performance compared to dicking around tryng to adjust the 396 so I could hear anything.

 

[Dubbin]

Or better yet, does anybody have or had a Pro-96 & Uniden BCD396 and can tell me which one receives better?

Well I had both but now I only have the 396, I think you know what my choice was

 

[Scanark]

I have both the BCD 396t and PRO 96. I live in an area where I'm trying to receive over 20 miles from any digital sites and the PRO 96 does a much better job of receiving and properly decoding digital transmissions than the 396. It also does much better on VHF and has super clear audio. The 396 is a great scanner and has many features not available on the 96. They are both great scanners, but I have to say the 96 is one of the finest scanners I've owned. The only one I would say is better in terms of receiver performance is my PRO 2006.

 

[mandlair]

Hi,maansman I live also in Delaware and have both the 396 and the pro 96.Pro 96 is much better in our area.And from what I can see so far about the 500 it should be everything the pro 96 is....and alot more my favorite thing about it is the computer control that the thing the pro 96 is lacking.

 

[Tom_G]

I am very excited to get both the new digital GRE radios.
I own a PRO-96 and a PRO 2096 and my experience has been the same as most folks here.
I had a Uniden 996 for 6 months or so but the digital audio was not very enjoyable to listen to.
I had more machine gunning and dropped syllables that it would drive me nuts.
I tried the digital audio tweeks and had no luck.
If the new GRE's have the same digital audio quality as the PRO-96 / 2096 and they add LTR and Object Oriented memory management... Thats the winner for me !!!!

Thanks, Tom/G

 

[n4jri]

Getting back to the original question in this thread, I think you find that the PSR500 is anything but a dressed up PRO-96. That should be obvious from the feature set alone. Also consider that they've had plenty of time since the PRO-96 to upgrade both receiver quality and DSP quality--which means improved trunk tracking as well as improved audio reception. (not to mention getting CTCSS/DCS/NAC even in its 'spectrum sweeper' mode)

Also remember that by breaking with Radio Shack, GRE is is putting itself into a major test of its reputation. And in marketing the radio to ham, CB, and other independent outlets, they are subjecting the PSR-500 to direct at-the-counter comparison with the Uniden 396T in a lot of cases.

Not having a 396, I can't compare it with the 500, but a look through the manual will show that that PSR500 is light years beyond the PRO96.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[troymail]

As you'll see from my signature block below, I'm a Uniden user all the way... I can only say that because I have tried the PRO-96 (and returned it for a refund) on two different occasions. The only thing I liked about the PRO-96 was the reception and digital decoding which was without a doubt a huge improvement over my Unidens (I actively use a 396 and a 296 with a digital card). The programming of the PRO-96 was difficult (in my opinion) and the radio itself is a big brick (I see from the manual the the PSR500 is very close to the same size as the BC-396).

My primary/local TRS has been "threatening" to go digital for a couple of years now but to this day remains 99% analog (only some I-Call activity and encrypted TGs are using digital so far). For this reason, the digital decoding hasn't been a huge issue for me even though numerous surrounding counties and Baltimore City have been digital for some time now.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my location system will hold off for at least 2 more months before switching to digital so I can pick up the PSR500 in October.... and I'm hoping that the digital decoding and reception is as good or better than the PRO-96...

 

[kikito]

Well, just about all I can tell you "maansman", is that the new PSR-500 is as different from the Pro-96 as the Uniden BCD396T is from the BC296D....

You'll have to research it yourself. In my case and on our local P25 VHF trunked system, the GREs have better reception than Unidens, but that might not be the case for you.

 

[scanjunkie]

The only thing I liked about the PRO-96 was the reception and digital decoding which was without a doubt a huge improvement over my Unidens

Isn't reception just about the most important thing to have in any receiver? And better digital decoding in a digital scanner is pretty darn important too...I'm not too sure why you stick with Uniden if two of the most important features are better in the GRE models. What good are all of the features if you can't receive anything to use those features on??

No offense meant, I just don't understand why anyone would want a scanner that doesn't receive well.

 

[n4voxgill]

with any luck the GRE500 will be an upgraded Pro96. The Pro96 is so superior in the basics of scanning digital systems over the 396, that all GRE needs is to add just a few bells and whistles. I think GRE has paid attention and is adding those things that are really needed and hopefully didn't waste time and money on some of the seldom used functions.

 

[DaveIN]

Curious, what seldom used function would that be?

 

[BaLa]

I have both, and I think the Pro96 has better/louder audio, better digital decoding.
And is less likely to overload.

 

[scannerfreak]

I think this is straying off topic and since the unit isn't out I don''t know how this could even be debated anyway