Mobile scanners - the next generation

[Minus1]

Mobile scanners (ones you can fit into an automobile) seem to be still obsessed with single-DIN size sockets. Yet most cars these days have double-DIN sockets.

The larger size would allow for:
* Much larger and better displays, offering full colour and a bandscope.
* An alphanumeric keyboard (it does not need to be QWERTY…), so that inputting names whilst out and about would be much easier than this archaic knob turning nonsense.
* Proper provision of features provided by normal auto radios, so that replacing your auto's radio with a scanner would be practical and easy. (Including digital broadcasting, bluetooth integration with mobile phones, aux stereo audio input, etc)

So which manufacturer is going to be first to provide one?

 

[krokus]

Mobile scanners (ones you can fit into an automobile) seem to be still obsessed with single-DIN size sockets. Yet most cars these days have double-DIN sockets.

The larger size would allow for:
* Much larger and better displays, offering full colour and a bandscope.
* An alphanumeric keyboard (it does not need to be QWERTY…), so that inputting names whilst out and about would be much easier than this archaic knob turning nonsense.
* Proper provision of features provided by normal auto radios, so that replacing your auto's radio with a scanner would be practical and easy. (Including digital broadcasting, bluetooth integration with mobile phones, aux stereo audio input, etc)

So which manufacturer is going to be first to provide one?

Many of those are not full depth, with no pattern as to how much clearance is behind the panel.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[Minus1]

Perhaps not, but if the front panel is double the size, the depth clearly does not need to be so great.

 

[Citywide173]

Single DIN allows for both an aftermarket stereo and a scanner to be placed in a Double DIN slot. While the hard core minority of scanner owners here at RR might be willing to sacrifice the stereo for a better scanner interface, I do not think that there are enough customers that this would appeal to to make this a viable option.

 

[ladn]

For my purposes, a mobile scanner with a removable control head/front panel would be far more useful. No need, then, to worry about DIN form factors, just mount the radio under a seat or in the trunk.

 

[IAmSixNine]

For my purposes, a mobile scanner with a removable control head/front panel would be far more useful. No need, then, to worry about DIN form factors, just mount the radio under a seat or in the trunk.

This is the way to go.

 

[hardsuit]

Personally, I don't think we need a Dedicated Mobile scanner anymore, Instead they should focus on ANDROID based mobile scanners that are Incorporated into the GPS/Navigation/mp3/Infotainment systems that are Double DIN sized found in Many cars today.
My Android scanner would use the common Mobile Android system, but add SDR based Digital Phase II scanner capability. continuous coverage from 25 - 1300 MHz (cell blocked) and ALL MODE (CW, AM, FM (stereo), NFM, WFM, LSB, USB) as well as All HAM Digital Modes, and All Digital Radio Modes Including Phase II. It would have SD card for Memory NATURALLY, and the Entire USA and Canada/Mexico Database. It would be able to Utilize the Built in GPS for Location based scanning.
It would offer a Full Bandscope and Scanner specific Filters to improve Audio.
It would have Mutiple scan and search modes, including Close Call. and have the Ability to Automatically record Scanner Audio and Channel DATA/GPS as well. you would also have the Ability to record the Bandscope as an option. scan speeds should be at 200 CH/sec or better.
Naturally you would have the option of using Existing antennas or a Windsheild mount antenna (stealth) or use HAM radio Antennas mounted Externally.

 

[trentbob]

I would love to see a nice large RH for the SDS 100. I assume this is pretty much it for the SDS 100 as far as making it work any better than it does but they wouldn't have to make an expensive mobile version with a new set of bugs and malfunctions. They are making the corrections on the SDS 100.


The new RH could be larger with the same type of display. There is already the connection on the SDS 100 to do this. Who knows maybe it's not a great idea because I know the SDS100 is very sketchy in the car while riding around in the center of my P2 radio system but the RH seems to be the way to go for mobile applications.


As far as Whistler goes I don't think we are ever going to get away from the rebranded updated ancient PSR 800 and 900 format so I would imagine the new generations of radios would come from Uniden? I guess the question is, who is going to make this new generation of mobile scanners?

 

[hardsuit]

trentbob - Whistler is offering Both a HH Phase II SDR scanner (TRX-100) as well as the Mobile scanner (TRX-200) its SDR as well with Phase II. unfortunately, Uniden is "working" on a SDS Mobile scanner, but Nothing has been shown yet. but, we know that the Whistler NEW TRX will be out this Q4, but when and how much remain.

 

[trentbob]

Yes of course I'm aware of whistler's announcement and I assume as of today there are still no photographs of those radios so I'm going to assume they are going to look exactly like TRX 1 and 2. I know that my TRX 1 and psr-800 don't work a lick on my 700 P2 systems on the East Coast so it would be a dream to have these new radios deliver good service on my particular 700 megahertz P2 system, I know my SDS 100 is not so hot either. We use apx 7000s for those systems as they are the dedicated radio the countys use. I am very curious how the new Whistler LSM capable radios will perform.

 

[trentbob]

Thanks for your reply however, I've been doing this a long long time and you would think that I would have learned my lesson but after getting burned on the SDS 100 I will wait this time on the Whistler radios to see how they work. My big issue with any scanner is the lack of volume that the dedicated Motorola radios bring. The radios that we have today sure are better than the slide rule dial monitors I started with before there was such a thing called... A scanner. LOL