bearcatrp
Member
Anyone have the new scanners? Curious how well they are working compared to older scanners. I have the 396T and still works well. Not sure if I want to invest in another scanner that does the same as my current one.
New Unidens
- Thread starter bearcatrp
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We have had some discussion on this topic in the past. Someone here reported having one, but he did not attend the meeting we had recently. Are you interested in additional features, improved audio quality, or something else? I was in the Saint Cloud area a couple of weeks ago and the Uniden Home Patrol HP-1 sounded just about as good as the Motorola XTS2500 that I brought with. On the other hand, in the metro area with simulcast systems/sites there is a more distinct difference, at least in my not so humble opinion. Currently, I am experimenting with the "less is more theory" meaning rather than using antennas to get more signal, I am actually trying to get LESS signal, in an attempt to reduce the effect of multi-path distortion. So far, the back of set antenna on the HP-1 in the car and a rubber duck on the BCD996XT seems to improve the audio quality for me in the metro.
is that even legal?
bearcatrp
Member
Picked up the 436 at radio city today. Should have known better to go look at one. Looks like I'll be selling my 396T once I figure the new one out.
It could be illegal, and put users in danger depending on how it is programmed.
box23
Member
Agreed, but just because a radio is programmed by an amateur doesn't mean they care nor understand any less than a professional. Likewise, just because a radio is programmed by a paid professional doesn't mean any care was taken at all.
Case in point, I am aware of a "professionally" programmed, department issued radio which falls exactly into this category. This particular radio is used by an EMT, but the same radio shop programs for many agencies, usually off the same template.
On conventional, there is a channel with the purpose of receive only monitoring of a neighboring law enforcement dispatch system. Instead of being set to transmit inhibit as it should, it will actually transmit illegally on an unauthorized Federal fire dispatch frequency. Moreso, it transmits in CSQ so that agency may not even be able to detect any interference.
Another channel displays a related, yet incorrect channel name. The difference being a monitored dispatch channel patched to the primary Fire dispatch talkgroup on the trunking system, compared to a still inservice but unlikely to be monitored repeated tac channel.
On trunking, in addition to the talkgroup names being wrong due to changes without updates, the radio is set to remain silent and only display an out of range message when communication with the system is lost. On a mobile coverage built system, no less.
The radio itself is capable of 256 channels, yet is programmed with only 48 conventional channels and approx. 40 talkgroups. Far less than 100 programmed conventional channels would completely cover the 4-5 Counties where the radio could potentially see use on conventional.
In contrast, a number of personally owned, amateur programmed radios are used on the same conventional systems with absolutely no problems.
I can only speak to my experience on this system here in MN, from the other side of the coin. Tracking affiliated radios is time consuming, a determent to the real cloned radio, drags traffic where it should not be, and when the suspect is caught nearly all of them cite some website where they got personal instruction or followed a post and messed it up. I think you would agree that this is not a simple task. And most of the types I have had encounters with are not the educated ham type, but rather the attention type who would walk in a crowd with a Motorola at max volume tuned to the local law main. And the type who have a hard time figuring out how to even program a trunked scanner.
I also acknowledge that there are some smart people /techs who hack the radio correctly and don't cause problems, but I rarely get to meet them in person, since they are not making problems. I also realize there are shops that do the bare minimum and make all sorts of errors and don't check codeplugs against radio affiliation display. But I suppose there are good and bad employees in every profession. I admit even I have made mistakes in codeplugs, there is alot of interconnected data there.
I know I will never win the scanner vs. system radio debate on a scanner website, all I can do is provide the system side perspective, which is rarely given around here. Back to the original topic, hopefully the new Unidens perform better in simulcast so amateurs won't try to figure out how to hack a radio. Sorry to take the subject off topic Bearcatrp.
I also acknowledge that there are some smart people /techs who hack the radio correctly and don't cause problems, but I rarely get to meet them in person, since they are not making problems. I also realize there are shops that do the bare minimum and make all sorts of errors and don't check codeplugs against radio affiliation display. But I suppose there are good and bad employees in every profession. I admit even I have made mistakes in codeplugs, there is alot of interconnected data there.
I know I will never win the scanner vs. system radio debate on a scanner website, all I can do is provide the system side perspective, which is rarely given around here. Back to the original topic, hopefully the new Unidens perform better in simulcast so amateurs won't try to figure out how to hack a radio. Sorry to take the subject off topic Bearcatrp.
One of the things that I'm excited about is that the talkgroups per system limit is supposedly much higher than 500.
Does anyone know the exact number, or is there no real upper limit? Basically, I wouldn't have to split ARMER up into 12+ systems anymore, as I do in my 396XT.
-Dave
Does anyone know the exact number, or is there no real upper limit? Basically, I wouldn't have to split ARMER up into 12+ systems anymore, as I do in my 396XT.
-Dave
There's no real limit any more. If ARMER is in the RR database, it's in the x36, in its entirety.
Unfortunately i don't think i will be able to attend the next meeting.
bearcatrp
Member
Never had a chance to make any of the meetings but if I can make the next one, can bring my 436. Currently on my back side from knee surgery. 3 more weeks before I can walk or drive.
Bearcatrp,
With that in mind, I am inclined to schedule a meeting between Easter and Mother's Day, say Sunday, April 27, 2014 or May 4, 2014. Would either of those dates work for you?
Jim
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bearcatrp
Member
Both will work.
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