PSR-500 and PSR-600 Pre Release

[n4jri]

Still no answer on 380 MHz trunking?

Here in Virginia, 380 MHz trunks are a matter of greater and greater concern. That would definitely be high on my list when considering a new scanner.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[w8jjr]

Here in Virginia, 380 MHz trunks are a matter of greater and greater concern. That would definitely be high on my list when considering a new scanner.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

How true. Was in DC last month and found 4 380 systems active.

 

[hotdjdave]

Spec List; LCD on Mobile Too Small

Anyone have the full spec list on the two models?

It is too bad the LCD on the mobile model is so small. It ought to be much larger for a mobile application so you can see it further away.

 

[DaveIN]

How true. Was in DC last month and found 4 380 systems active.

Were you able to track them? What was the base and offset?

 

[DaveIN]

A question came up on the yahoo group about fire "pageing". Is there a fire tone out feature simillar to the Uniden version?

Are there any new features in the Spectrum Sweeper that are different from Signal Stalker II?

 

[DaveIN]

Audio Quality: Sounds as good as the Pro-96 which I think everyone agrees has great audio quality. I do not have a 396 to compare to.

V-Scanners and memory: The V-Scanners work like the Pro-96 in that they store the radio's working memory (settings, frequencies etc) to a separate area of internal memory. The new radio's main memory is no longer banks / channels, but "objects". The Scan lists is how you group the objects for scanning and you toggle them on/off with the traditional method of pressing the number keys during scanning. So the arrow keys do not page through the V-Scanners. The V-Scanner function is in a separate menu much like the Pro-96.

Would you be able to assign a talkgroup list to multiple objects for a statewide system?

 

[windigofer]

A question came up on the yahoo group about fire "pageing". Is there a fire tone out feature simillar to the Uniden version?

Are there any new features in the Spectrum Sweeper that are different from Signal Stalker II?

As I understand it, part of the functionality of the LED colours is meant to be analgous to an alert per service, but as for firehouse paging codes, I have no idea on that. (Not a huge deal locally, seeing as we have over 100+ local fire departments using the same channels)

 

[mikey60]

Ya Mike,

You maybe very busy. Wait till I talk with you next. Would like AOR5000 support.
And of course GRE radios supported so we can use the OLD pro-96 to reactitivly control the
psr-xxx, and ...... and .....

Well, with the system in place for pro96com, you should be able to control just about any computer controlled scanner by creating a profile for it. I stopped at the currently available digital radios since the 9600 bps control channel indicates digital voice only.

Mike

 

[unitcharlie]

It would be nice if the fire tone-out would funtcion while the scanner was scanning... I'd rather monitor the goings-on all over than just leave the radio silent waiting for a tone-out..... I hear many of windigofer's fire departments and the others using those freqs further away... can't wait to useone of these in person....

 

[scanjunkie]

WOO-HOO...I'm giddy like a school girl!! I hope Santa is monitoring this thread!!

 

[iMONITOR]

Yup, that'd be the famous "tornado eye" Skywarn logo :3 (Speaking of which, the fact you can have multiple frequencies in a Skywarn bank is just plain nifty IMHO. We do have multiple severe weather nets locally, so this would be perfect)

Why can't you just program them in a regular bank like anything else? I don't see any advantage here.

 

[SCPD]

Some things that I can answer from the last day of posts....

Mil-Air: Is included and is "Spec-ed" this time, so the sensitivity is great. Is hand for me hear near the Wash D.C. ADIZ where we do see real activity.

380 MHz trunking: The trunking "object" includes a "VHF/UHF" selection, and you can put in all of the offset/base etc. It also has a full trunking table capability for each trunking object (with plenty of entry slots!). As far as I can tell there is no freq limitation on trunking like the Pro-96 had. So you enter the data in the trunking object, and it will tune to any freq (except cellular of course).

Trunk output on PC/IF: There will be some decoding for the PC to do, but it is simple ASCII output, and I have not seen a Spec yet. I am sure that information will be provided when it is available for sale.

Statewide talkgroup use efficiency: You only enter an object once. For example for a system, you enter it and then when you enter a talkgroup, you tell the talkgroup which system to use. Then you group the talkgroups into scan lists. So you can use the talkgroups in multiple scan lists and not have to enter the talkgroup more than once. I hear there will also be some pretty intelligent processing of multiple site (e.g. Statewide) systems.

Other Trunking.. The System object properly keeps track of the control channel when it switches frequencies regardless of scanning, pause, or MAN mode. This is good. So it seems you can pause on a TG and leave it for days and the system object will handle all of the CC tracking just fine for as long as the radio is powered up.

 

[brwkem]

Sure hope the shielding is better than previous models.

 

[windigofer]

Why can't you just program them in a regular bank like anything else? I don't see any advantage here.

The main feature with the Skywarn bank set is largely so that it can be used as an additional "priority bank" (as opposed to a single priority channel). I actually know of a few instances where this might well be handy (for example, if during a severe weather event you are monitoring local law enforcement/fire/EMS, and want to keep Skywarn stuff on priority--this is actually a big feature for spotters, because if (for instance) a tornado warning is announced on the local Skywarn nets and/or stuff like rotating wall clouds near their area they can be on the alert to pay special attention to that area).

Yes, this may be a bit moot with the PRS-500/PRS-600 due to multiple priority channels, but being able to group a set of "emergency" channels not normally monitored in a dedicated Skywarn "priority bank" is always handy IMHO. Again, your mileage may differ :3

 

[w8jjr]

Were you able to track them? What was the base and offset?

Did not have the time to research. I tracked in cc mode.

I saw something on Capital Hill Monitoring site dealing with the settings of some of the
fed 380 systems. I'll look this evening and see if I can find it

 

[Stick0413]

Someone mentioned it here or in the prior thread about doing the Wiki about these scanners (GRE section). Lindsay has now created a GRE page on there so letting everyone know that it can be done now. I would try to do it but I do not have the time. Leaving for Reno early in the morning and I have a lot of stuff to get done before I leave.

 

[Patrick_]

Sheesh, I was thinking about trading my BR330T and some other stuff for a BCD396T because my local fire companies switched to digital and there are so many digital systems popping up in my area and where I travel to; I think I might hold out until these babies are released, though.

That is, if I can't get in on the beta testing.

 

[w8jjr]

Well, with the system in place for pro96com, you should be able to control just about any computer controlled scanner by creating a profile for it. I stopped at the currently available digital radios since the 9600 bps control channel indicates digital voice only.

Mike

The aor5000 with the ard-25 does digital quite well. Just not many aor5000's out there.
I'll check out the profile.

 

[b52hbuff]

Some things that I can answer from the last day of posts....

380 MHz trunking: The trunking "object" includes a "VHF/UHF" selection, and you can put in all of the offset/base etc. It also has a full trunking table capability for each trunking object (with plenty of entry slots!). As far as I can tell there is no freq limitation on trunking like the Pro-96 had. So you enter the data in the trunking object, and it will tune to any freq (except cellular of course).

Do P25 systems require the use of Base/OFfset ala the Pro-96 or is there an ability for the radio to read these values from the P25 data stream?

 

[mikey60]

Do P25 systems require the use of Base/OFfset ala the Pro-96 or is there an ability for the radio to read these values from the P25 data stream?

Yes, P25 systems use a combination of base/offset/step tables to operate. It's done a little different than the 3600bps systems, but they are still used.

The Pro-96 doesn't read that information from the control channel. Instead it uses pre-programmed settings unless you use a program like Win96 to configure the multi-tables that may be used on some VHF/UHF systems.

Hopefully these new radios will read that information from the control channel when available, and use the defaults or a manually programmed set of tables when it isn't. This would keep the problems with the BCT396 during the Super Bowl in Detroit from happening again.

Mike