2¢
IMHO, my 500 is a far superior machine to my 96 when it comes to Motorola analog and digital voice operation, and P25 trunked operation. P25 digital voice is outstanding out of the 500. The vast majority of the time, it mutes perfectly, and the audio sounds deeper and richer than the same audio from the 96. One thing I never liked about the 96 is how you hear a slight audible hiss at the end of a P25 transmission. That does not happen with the 500. Its no XTS, but its pretty darn good for a scanner.
In comparison to the 96, the 500 seems to resist intermodulation a little better, at least on 800 MHz, which is all I really use it for. As for the memory and programming configuration, there is absolutely no comparison. The 500's object-oriented system, once you understand it and learn how to use it, is epic superiority in comparison to the 96's old school banked system. I would recommend software, though, as it makes life
a lot easier.
The memory capacity of the 500 is amazing, both in the working memory and the V-scanner capacity. If you are going to travel with a scanner and want to pre-program the data for everywhere you're going to be, the 500 is the one to have. Right now I'm only using 1248 blocks of the available 1852 blocks of memory and have only occupied nine scan lists out of the possible twenty for my primary file. That includes 27 sites of the statewide Motorola SmartZone Omnilink system, three additional standalone trunked systems (one P25, one EDACS, and one Motorola Smartnet), 1,182 talkgroups total for all systems, and 12 conventional channels. And that's only my primary file. I already have files set up and loaded for out-of-state road trips, configured to follow several statewide trunking systems with appropriate talkgroups, and local conventional channels, and all told I'm only using three total V-scanner folders out of the available twenty. You can't easily do that with a 96.
Bottom line, if 800 MHz trunking with great P25 digital voice capability is what you are looking for, spend the extra bucks and choose the 500 over the 96. I like my 96, its served its purpose, but the 500 is definitely the next big leap forward from the manufacturer who brought us the 96. And no, I don't work for GRE.
