Pro96 status bit question.

[skipshark773]

After a failed attempt to acquire a digital scanner over christmas I am finally back in the game to attempt to find one. Currently there is fierce competition between the Uniden 296D and the Radio Shack Pro 96. I had ventured out to my local radio shack to ask them some questions about their product and was met by the response of "they dont really tell us about scanners, do you want to read the manual?" To make a long story longer: Does anyone know if the Pro 96 does status bit tracking at all? I didnt see that it did in the comparison post, but i cant really confirm if it does or doesn't (the manual dosnt say and nor does the sales personnel.)

Thanks in advance.

edit: obviously when you've got questions some radio shack's don't have awnsers....

 

[Voyager]

After a failed attempt to acquire a digital scanner over christmas I am finally back in the game to attempt to find one. Currently there is fierce competition between the Uniden 296D and the Radio Shack Pro 96. I had ventured out to my local radio shack to ask them some questions about their product and was met by the response of "they dont really tell us about scanners, do you want to read the manual?" To make a long story longer: Does anyone know if the Pro 96 does status bit tracking at all? I didnt see that it did in the comparison post, but i cant really confirm if it does or doesn't (the manual dosnt say and nor does the sales personnel.)

Thanks in advance.

edit: obviously when you've got questions some radio shack's don't have awnsers....

They have answers - they just don't match your questions. :wink:

1st: Read this: http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=12413

Now make up your mind as to which feature set you like more.

Status bits are only on 3600 systems which are going to be going the way of the dinosaur soon (especially with the rebanding speeding the changeovers along). I wouldn't put a lot of need in them.

Joe M.

 

[JoeyC]

Status bits are only on 3600 systems which are going to be going the way of the dinosaur soon (especially with the rebanding speeding the changeovers along). I wouldn't put a lot of need in them.

Joe M.

Certainly you don't think that everyone affected by rebanding will be abandoning their 3600 baud systems and going 9600?? I would HARDLY call a 3600 system "going by the way of the dinosaur soon" an accurate statement. There will be 3600 systems for MANY years to come, have no worries.

 

[skipshark773]

ah, im not too well read in digital systems. ive been using a bc246xlt since roughly 1999 to monitor trunked systems and can remember how helpful the status bit tracking was with the BCo Public Saftey type II system. But i will soon be taking up residence in the great state of colorado and realized that the majority of the state is run on their APCO-25 system. If the status bits are not a major issue for the digital systems then i think it would make more sense for to get the pro 96, even though i like uniden products. thanks alot for your help for this lost soul in the new digital world.

 

[mikey60]

For 9600bps systems, status bit are not used at all (well, not as they are on the 3600bps systems). The Pro-96 will ignore status bits on 3600 systems to a point. The will all show up as the base talkgroup ID. The only time the Pro-96 really does anything with status bits on 3600bps systems is when a transmission is encrypted, in which case the transmission is ignored by the radio.

Mike

 

[skipshark773]

cool. thanks alot you guys, alawys nice to know you have a good support community to fall back on when a quandary appears.

 

[JoeyC]

If the status bits are not a major issue for the digital systems then i think it would make more sense for to get the pro 96, even though i like uniden products. thanks alot for your help for this lost soul in the new digital world.

I would certainly not base my decision between the two on status bits. Both radios handle status bits and the Unidens have the ability to both ignore or handle them. I haven't heard if the RS scanners have the ability to monitor status bit transmissions independant of the base TG, if not the Unidens have the lead there as there may be instances you would not want the status bit ignored.

But has been already stated, since you are moving into 9600 baud land, the status bit situation is a mute point.

 

[Voyager]

Status bits are only on 3600 systems which are going to be going the way of the dinosaur soon (especially with the rebanding speeding the changeovers along). I wouldn't put a lot of need in them.

Joe M.

Certainly you don't think that everyone affected by rebanding will be abandoning their 3600 baud systems and going 9600?? I would HARDLY call a 3600 system "going by the way of the dinosaur soon" an accurate statement. There will be 3600 systems for MANY years to come, have no worries.

In my region, there used to be a dozen 3600 systems. Today, there are 3 or 4 left.

Yes, many people are going to 9600. OH MARCS WILL be making the change, too. If NexTel wants to pay for the update, why wouldn't they go to 9600? If the new equipment is all 9600, why stick with 3600? Or haven't you noticed that the 3600 equipment is not going to be supported under the rebanding? The only ones that will stay on 3600 are those who won't be affected by the rebanding, and as soon as Motorola decides to cut all support for 3600 (not all that long), they too will have to upgrade.

VSELP was once thought to be the greatest, too.

9600 is taking over - like it or not. P16 (3600) is yesterday. P25 (9600) is today.

Joe M.

 

[JoeyC]

9600 is taking over - like it or not. P16 (3600) is yesterday. P25 (9600) is today.
Joe M.

Calm down and take a chill pill dude. While 9600 is the direction trunking is headed, everybody will NOT be converting tomorrow, as you make it appear.

 

[WayneH]

I think if the trend was P25 Trunking California of all places would be following it. As one of the largest States with many large systems we have one single, small P25 system operating on 380MHz.

P25 Trunking is definitely not the thing......yet.

-Wayne

 

[Voyager]

I think if the trend was P25 Trunking California of all places would be following it. As one of the largest States with many large systems we have one single, small P25 system operating on 380MHz.

P25 Trunking is definitely not the thing......yet.

-Wayne

So if it ain't done in CA, it ain't done, huh? :lol:

So, how is CA's statewide system coming these days?

MI is P25. AK is P25. CO is P25. OH will soon be P25 (they are P16 control with P25 voice). That's four statewide systems out of how many in operation (statewide systems, that is)? That's also just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Rebanding will speed up the process. I never said it is going to happen tomorrow. But there are nowhere near the number of 3600 systems there once was. NexTel removed a LOT of them from the air (literally).

BTW, when did CA split from LA (which is also P25 - only conventional).

Now, 380 MHz... that's another new thing (relatively new).

3600 is dying - that's a fact. There are no new 3600 systems being proposed anymore. 3600, and P16, is old news. Their days ARE numbered no matter who wants to believe otherwise. With them go status bits and fleetmaps.

Joe M.

 

[Samuel]

We just had 2 systems in the DC area come online that have 3600 Control Channels so how you can say that is beyond me. Not supporting 3600? So the XTS5000 is gonna be killed soon? I dont think so.

 

[skipshark773]

slightly off topic, but: is there any way for the pro 96 to scroll through the programmed ID list while in the trunked system? for example: after having programmed in the ID's and then entering into scanning mode you can then "hold" on an ID. Is is there any way to move about between programmed ID's to hear other traffic when in this hold mode? I have been unsuccessful in finding any way to do so, and have also poured through the manual in the search of a soultion.

 

[RolnCode3]

So if it ain't done in CA, it ain't done, huh? :lol:

So, how is CA's statewide system coming these days?

BTW, when did CA split from LA (which is also P25 - only conventional).

Joe M.

It's done...just wrong :wink: J/K!!!!

CHP seems to enjoy their statewide system. (and I DO know what you'r referring to)

CA split from LA a LONG time ago. It just hasn't been a ballot initiative yet. Soon, though.

 

[Voyager]

slightly off topic, but: is there any way for the pro 96 to scroll through the programmed ID list while in the trunked system? for example: after having programmed in the ID's and then entering into scanning mode you can then "hold" on an ID. Is is there any way to move about between programmed ID's to hear other traffic when in this hold mode? I have been unsuccessful in finding any way to do so, and have also poured through the manual in the search of a soultion.

Yes. Do this once:

HIT PGM TRUNK (go to the last ID slot and enter any ID) FUNC TRUNK

Now that you have the last slot selected on your scanner, anytime you want to hold on any ID, hit:

PGM TRUNK (enter ID) FUNC TRUNK

and you will be holding on that ID - WITH text tag if it's programmed anywhere in your scan list. If it's a duplicate ID, you will have to hit the enter button TWICE.

You can't scroll IDs like you can with channels.

I find the direct entry mode (described above) much easier than scrolling to an ID and hitting FUNC HOLD.

Joe M.

 

[Voyager]

We just had 2 systems in the DC area come online that have 3600 Control Channels so how you can say that is beyond me. Not supporting 3600? So the XTS5000 is gonna be killed soon? I dont think so.

When and what systems?

BTW, the XTS5000 is no longer the most capible XTS portable. It won't even do 700 MHz. Expect it to be replaced within the next few years.

Joe M.

 

[rescue161]

So what radio replaced the XTS5000?

BTW the XTS5000 DOES do 700 MHz.

 

[Samuel]

Charles County, Maryland and Fauquier County, Virginia both came online in the last six months to name a few and I believe our statewide radio system (STARS) is going to be 3600 Control

 

[WayneH]

So if it ain't done in CA, it ain't done, huh? :lol:

Correct. You 'ain't' from California, so you wouldn't understand.

So, how is CA's statewide system coming these days?

Due to funding the idea was put on the back burner. They're also waiting to see what happens with 700MHz.

BTW, when did CA split from LA (which is also P25 - only conventional).

Exactly, I was speaking trunking.

3600 is dying - that's a fact.

Well, that's your opinion and unforuntately we're stuck with it huh? :lol: We currently, in the SF Bay Area, have had two T-band Motorola 3600 systems recently installed. One of them is an OmniLink system. I guess facts don't carry from state to state.

-Wayne

 

[Voyager]

So what radio replaced the XTS5000?

BTW the XTS5000 DOES do 700 MHz.

What radio replaceD the 5000? I said it would be replaced in a few years. If it's done already, I don't know what replaced it.


I must have been confusing it with the XTS3000 then with respect to 700 MHz. Are you sure ALL XTS5000s do 700 MHz? (not counting the VHF/UHF ones, of course)

Joe M.