PSR-500 or Uniden BCD-396T for $335. Which should I get?

[user786]

Someone in a scanner store bartered with me for my services and in return they are offering me a GRE PSR-500 or a Uniden BCD-396T scanner for $335 brand new in sealed box.

Which one should I get and why ?

I know the BCD-396XT is due out in beginning of 2009 but I can't wait that long to use this credit so I need to choose something this week.

 

[SWCOScanner]

Personally, I'd take the GRE, although from what I can tell, programming it, even with software, will be like trying to speak in Swahili... I've just never been big on Uniden scanners, I guess.

 

[unitcharlie]

Someone in a scanner store bartered with me for my services and in return they are offering me a GRE PSR-500 or a Uniden BCD-396T scanner for $335 brand new in sealed box.

Which one should I get and why ?

I know the BCD-396XT is due out in beginning of 2009 but I can't wait that long to use this credit so I need to choose something this week.

I'd go with the PSR500... get Win 500.... it might take a little bit of learning but the result will be awesome.... besides, there are enough people in here who wouldn't mind helping you learn your new radio!

 

[GTO_04]

Get the PSR-500. Win500 will make programming it very easy. Uniden is playing catchup with the 396XT which will not be out until early 2009. The PSR-500 has better audio, better sensitivity, and better digital decoding.

GTO_04

 

[torontokris]

Of course all the replys in the Uniden forum were for the 396, and all the replys here were for the 500

so up to the original poster.

Take either then re-sell it brand new haha

 

[hoser147]

Having used both I would go with the 500.....

 

[cbro298]

What should i get

Well if you get the 500 for 335.00 you may set yourself up to get scammed.That is about 100.00 off the deal The Radio Co offers.If you get one for that price let me know where you made your purchase and i will get another one.It has been fantastic for me despite some of the negative comments by some.

 

[scannersnstuff]

i read the uniden and gre forum with equal interest.with that being said, get the PSR-500.

 

[tommyscan]

be careful of GREAT deals. New in the box? If so, then see what guarantees you have. I myself say spend the extra yourself when you have it and really buy what you are looking for. If uniden products makes you happy then I wouldnt compromise.

 

[cellphone]

If you read the first post it says "scanner store bartered with me for my services". I'm guessing that user786 did $150 worth of work for this store. This is a way to pay him back, and only cost the store about $50. I'm guessing that $335 is not their price for everyone.

Regarding the choice between the scanners...This is a tough question. I have a 396 and it is a great radio, except for digital reception on simulcast systems. The 500 is a better choice for this type of system, but the 500 is a much larger radio. I'd say go for the 500, and sell it on ebay for 350-400 if you don't like it. Then you can buy the 396XT when it comes out.

 

[k5xs]

I have both, and...

I have the Radio Shack PRO-106 (PSR-500 equivalent) and the BCD396T.

They both do very well on P25 systems and both decode very well.

I recently took the 106 with me on a trip to an urban area with lots of RF, but (ignorantly) I left the 396 home. The 106 absolutely crashed on front end overload. I was really disappointed, but more with myself for not having brought the 396T to see how it handled the same environment. I'll be making a return trip to the same area in January and will bring them both so I can do a head-to-head comparison, but I can't imagine the 396 doing any worse (and from a simple test in my ham shack, the 396 handles a nearby transmitter a lot better).

The 396 is a LOT smaller and travels better, and the case plastic is harder and has a better finish. The 106/500 case looks to be cheaper plastic, and it is more vulnerable to scratching.

I like the 106/500's display better (it's bigger and clearer).

The 106/500 seems to scan faster.

The 396 belt clip is a LOT better.

They seem to me to have equal sensitivity on all bands.

Both have good receive audio, though the 396 seems stronger.

The 396 has quieter audio (there is a notable hiss on the 106/500, particularly in the aviation band).

Other comments:

- I far prefer the 106/500's 4-battery shell design to the 396T's three battery design. My charger does four at a time, and when I am on the road and using alkalines, with the 396 I end up with these odd batteries I need to keep track of. Also, I find it far easier to pop battery trays out and in on the 106/500 than replacing individual cells on the 396.

- The 396 SMA connector is well designed, but I like the BNC on the 106/500 better.

- I far prefer the traditional separate and directly accessible controls for volume and squelch on the 106/500. I don't like having to press in on the 396's knob to activate the menu-driven volume control. I like even less having to do the "F" and press-in step to adjust the squelch.

- I like the programmable multi-color LED on the 106/500.

- I like the easy-access 1/8" 106/500 programming port better than the rubber-covered 396's.


Both are very good scanners, and I am happy with both.

 

[K2QI]

My vote goes towards the PSR-500 simply because it's a great scanner. The one thing that the Uniden has going for it is slightly better performance on airband (it's front end isn't as susceptible to intermod), and form factor. Otherwise, the PSR-500 is a great receiver and is backed up by one of the best support departments in the industry.

 

[Landman]

Those of you having trouble with front end overload in RF hell urban areas on the 500/106 try this:

Radio shack 800 MHz antenna, Global ATT turned on, radio mounted on a holder that allows the antenna to be at least as high as the bottom of the windows in the vehicle.

I used to have about 60-70% coverage in my home town with other scanners. The other 30-40% of the city was cell site overload areas. With the above setup I now get at least 95% coverage with only 5% of the city being overloaded. I tried many different antenna and ATT on or off combinations and this is the one that worked the best. I know, I know, if you are gonna use a good antenna and ATT on then why not a use a smaller antenna and ATT off. I tried that. It did not work as well. Some of the antennas I tried were expensive commercial antennas made for actual two way 800 MHz radios. Nothing worked as well as the setup I described above. I tried this setup in several urban areas and it worked well in all of them.

 

[hoser147]

Save your fingers folks, he bought the 396 according to his post in the Uniden forum. http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126525

 

[K2QI]

I ended up using two different filters in series to help cut out the QRN/QRM. One is a notch, the other a bandpass filter. I can leave ATT off, and now pick up distant airband quite well, plus ground control and tower signals from JFK and LGA. Not a practical solution if you're mobile, but it does work well for me at my QTH.

Those of you having trouble with front end overload in RF hell urban areas on the 500/106 try this:

Radio shack 800 MHz antenna, Global ATT turned on, radio mounted on a holder that allows the antenna to be at least as high as the bottom of the windows in the vehicle.

I used to have about 60-70% coverage in my home town with other scanners. The other 30-40% of the city was cell site overload areas. With the above setup I now get at least 95% coverage with only 5% of the city being overloaded. I tried many different antenna and ATT on or off combinations and this is the one that worked the best. I know, I know, if you are gonna use a good antenna and ATT on then why not a use a smaller antenna and ATT off. I tried that. It did not work as well. Some of the antennas I tried were expensive commercial antennas made for actual two way 800 MHz radios. Nothing worked as well as the setup I described above. I tried this setup in several urban areas and it worked well in all of them.