PSR-800: Questions on PSR-800 and the (beta) 900 radio

[danesgs]

First I know the PSR-800 can be upgraded and the PSR-900 beta (precursor to the WS-1095) cannot and is not supported in anyway. I have zero money to spend so I upgraded the 800 to pickup P25 phase 2 with the upgrades found online and so far it works fine.

Question (1) Was the WS1095 P25 phase 2 compliant? I understand the GRE 800/1088 and the WS1095/1098 were progressions to current models but I am hoping that the beta 900/WS1095 is capable of P25 phase 2 but of course being a beta who really knows other than GRE and they are out of business.

Question (2) Is the Whistler upgrade strictly firmware or do they replace hardware as well?

Thanks
KJ4DGE

 

[N8IAA]

First I know the PSR-800 can be upgraded and the PSR-900 beta (precursor to the WS-1095) cannot and is not supported in anyway. I have zero money to spend so I upgraded the 800 to pickup P25 phase 2 with the upgrades found online and so far it works fine.

Question (1) Was the WS1095 P25 phase 2 compliant? I understand the GRE 800/1088 and the WS1095/1098 were progressions to current models but I am hoping that the beta 900/WS1095 is capable of P25 phase 2 but of course being a beta who really knows other than GRE and they are out of business.

Question (2) Is the Whistler upgrade strictly firmware or do they replace hardware as well?

Thanks
KJ4DGE

You can go to the Wiki section here on RR, and compare the radios. That should answer your first question. But, the WS1095 is not a Beta, but does Phase II and DMR. The WS1088/1098 do Phase II out of the box.

I believe that there is a hardware switch when doing the upgrade on the PSR800 to allow it to decode DMR.

TRX series is the latest from Whistler, with new SDR scanners coming out Q1 2019.

Larry

 

[Wackyracer]

No hardware upgrades necessary for the PSR-800 to do DMR...it is all firmware.

Seeing you admittedly did the hack, if you upgrade the dsp firmware to last version of 3.1 or later ...you WILL brick the radio and only Whislter can fix it by changing hardware.

 

[DJ11DLN]

Agree, no hardware upgrades necessary to decode DMR, EricCottrell proved that for us. As far as the PSR-900, none of those were ever sold to the general public. Mr. Starr has one he used as a development tool but Grecom quit the scanner business before the model was bug-free enough to be ready for market.

Let Whistler do it, is my advice here. I know what it is to be tight on cash but the $60 to have it done properly, including future support for any other upgrades that might filter down, is money very well spent.

 

[jaspence]

PSR 800

"Let Whistler do it, is my advice here. I know what it is to be tight on cash but the $60 to have it done properly, including future support for any other upgrades that might filter down, is money very well spent.:

I agree with the above statement. I have both a PSR 800 land the RS Pro 108. The RS supposedly could not be upgraded according to RS specs, but that was not true. They both handle my local simulcast very well, and the improvemnts added through the CPS due to the new firmware are welcome.

 

[danesgs]

Thanks for all the info

So the beta 900 I guess I can use for a doorstop or at best a very sophisticated aircraft radio, which by the way is not a bad deal. I do love the remote control head on the radio. Will consider sending the 800 in for upgrading when the cash flow is better. Really miss my PRO-106 which did Ft. Belvoir TRS so well but had to almost give it away to eat, know how that goes. Thanks again to all. Best wishes for the holidays!

KJ4DGE

 

[DJ11DLN]

So the beta 900 I guess I can use for a doorstop or at best a very sophisticated aircraft radio, which by the way is not a bad deal. I do love the remote control head on the radio. Will consider sending the 800 in for upgrading when the cash flow is better. Really miss my PRO-106 which did Ft. Belvoir TRS so well but had to almost give it away to eat, know how that goes. Thanks again to all. Best wishes for the holidays!

KJ4DGE

Wait, are you saying that you actually have one of the PSR-900's in your possession?

 

[danesgs]

Yes I actually have a PSR-900 beta

Don't ask me how I got it, but it looks identical to the WS1095

 

[danesgs]

PSR-900 Beta

The box this radio came in was complete and looks like it was never out of the box once. The box is labeled "PSR-900 Beta Version"
July 18th, 2012
GRE

How do you tell what firmware a PSR radio is using?

 

[JD21960]

PSR radio firmware checks?

@danesgs .... Just like the Whistlers .. you turn it on, press the "menu" button during the WELCOME screen as soon as it loads. It shows you whats on it until you press "menu" again. I remember seeing the video on YouTube of the GRE PSR900 beta at a trade show. I was looking forward to IT being produced. But we got something else. Have fun with it.