PRO-197/106 vs PSR-500/600/800 ?

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KB5ILY

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Sometime in the next month or so I will probably buy one or two base/mobile and maybe a portable scanner.

Other than simply price; what are the advantages or disadvantages of Pro-197 & 106 and PSR-500, 600 & 800 ?
 

n5ims

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The Pro-106 is the same radio as the PSR-500 and the Pro-197 is the same radio as the PSR-600. The guts are the same, but some of the buttons may be in different positions (RS likes the speaker in a different location so they had GRE move it for their models, causing the buttons to move around a bit). One thing to include in your price comparisons is what's included with the radio. RS sells the programming cable seperately, while GRE includes it with theres. Since the same cable works on several radios you may not need an additional one anyway, if you do include that in your price (since RS generally sells it at half off when you buy the radio, pick it up at the same time). For the portable models, you may get the AC adapter with the GRE model, while you probably won't with the RS version.

The PSR-800 is a different animal than the others you have listed. It includes the RR database on an updatable SD card so programming is generally much easier (just pick the desired system from the SD card and listen away). Rumors talk about a base/mobile version of the PSR-800 arriving soon. Just how soon isn't known, but if you prefer a base/mobile scanner (which it sounds like) it may be worth waiting for.
 

KB5ILY

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One of the base/mobiles will be paired with the BC-9000XLT as feed provider, the other base/mobile and portable will be for my listening pleasure, ha ha.
 

zzdiesel

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I have owned a RS Pro-106 and do own a RS Pro-197. I just bought a new GRE-800. The RS are good radios. If I had it to do over; I'd probably buy a GRE-500 instead of the 800. I miss the keypad.
 

Ensnared

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GRE Vote

Sometime in the next month or so I will probably buy one or two base/mobile and maybe a portable scanner.

Other than simply price; what are the advantages or disadvantages of Pro-197 & 106 and PSR-500, 600 & 800 ?

In this response, I am not going to address the PSR 500/600 versus PSR 800. Here is why I own GRE exclusively: a) there is a noticeable difference in speaker volume between the PSR 500 & Pro-106. I did not realize this until I had the chance to hear these two radios operating side-by-side. The PSR 500 is definitely louder; b) in my opinion, GRE service and support is outstanding; c) GRE models come with more accessories.

I have owned Uniden & Uniden-made RS scanners. Their service & support has been less than optimal, overall. Other people have different opinions about RS & Uniden.
 
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gewecke

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In this response, I am not going to address the PSR 500/600 versus PSR 800. Here is why I own GRE exclusively: a) there is a noticeable difference in speaker volume between the PSR 500 & Pro-106. I did not realize this until I had the chance to hear these two radios operating side-by-side. The PSR 500 is definitely louder; b) in my opinion, GRE service and support is outstanding; c) GRE models come with more accessories.

I have owned Uniden & Uniden-made RS scanners. Their service & support has been less than optimal, overall. Other people have different opinions about RS & Uniden.


Are you using external speakers or internal? Low volume in most instances is easy to overcome.

73,
n9zas
 

KB5ILY

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The 800 has onboard recording :)

Are there any discussion of AWIN switching from their current Phase I P25 to X2 TDMA ? Or maybe Phase II ?

Other than recording, would there be any other advantages of the 800 over the 500/600/Pro-106/Pro-197 ?
 

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Ensnared said:
Sometime in the next month or so I will probably buy one or two base/mobile and maybe a portable scanner.

Other than simply price; what are the advantages or disadvantages of Pro-197 & 106 and PSR-500, 600 & 800 ?

In this response, I am not going to address the PSR 500/600 versus PSR 800. Here is why I own GRE exclusively: a) there is a noticeable difference in speaker volume between the PSR 500 & Pro-106. I did not realize this until I had the chance to hear these two radios operating side-by-side. The PSR 500 is definitely louder; b) in my opinion, GRE service and support is outstanding; c) GRE models come with more accessories.

I have owned Uniden & Uniden-made RS scanners. Their service & support has been less than optimal, overall. Other people have different opinions about RS & Uniden.

Were the 106 and the 500 programmed with the exact same info? If not, I wonder if the audio boost option might have been enabled on just one of the radios.
 

Ensnared

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Were the 106 and the 500 programmed with the exact same info? If not, I wonder if the audio boost option might have been enabled on just one of the radios.

Recently, I intercepted a radio for a friend of mine. I picked it up for him; however, before I did, I programmed his radio with my Win500 file. Yes, both radios were loaded with the exact same file.

My GRE was noticeably louder & more clear.
 

krokus

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KB5ILY said:
KB5ILY said:
Other than recording, what are the advantages of the GRE-800 over the 500/600/Pro-106/Pro-197 ?

I am still looking for an answer to this question.

The ease of programming and the simplified controls, which aim the 800 at typical consumer market. (Most of us, that are into to radios enough to be on this site, would prefer more controls.)

For those of us that have simulcast trunking systems in our areas, the 800 offers better signal processing, which is an attraction. (Once again, many that are on here want more definite control of the radio, so we have to choose.)
 
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safetyobc

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If you want a simple, no frills digital scanner, get the 800. If you want to control almost every aspect of your scanner and be able to punch in any frequency on the fly, the 500 is what you want. You cannot add a random frequency to the 800. You can go through the menu and add specific agencies, etc.

On the 500 you can incorporate searching with programmed scanning which I like.
 

KB5ILY

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One of the two scanners I buy will be for RR feed and the other one will probably be a portable for me. Will the 800 send Talk Group data to RR as the 500/600 will ?
 
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