Reading PD

[Investigator13]

Rpd

Wal-Mart is in North Reading.....my guess is the tallest building in Reading is probably the Jordan's Furniture building which is up on a elevated plot of land adjacent to 128. I still can't hear them on analog 483.6625, just that annoying humming noise although I can still here RFD on analog 483.4125.

 

[Investigator13]

Rpd

Confirmed a couple days ago through a Reading cop. They are permanently digital.

 

[zerg901]

Was any reason given for them going digital? Peter Sz

 

[Investigator13]

Rpd

No and didn't ask.

 

[hmburgers]

Reading seems to have gone digital today. Anyone have any information on this? APCO-25?

I know this is an old topic, but hoping someone can help me out...

Does anyone know if Reading PD can be heard using a BC785D with a BCI-25D card?

Reason I ask is because although I don't have a good understanding of P25 yet, I see that the 785D does not support all P25 "modes" (no 9600-baud). Since I don't have the BCI-25D card yet I wanted to check w/ some local folks to find out if I can pick up Reading PD w/ this setup before I buy the card... otherwise I guess I'll have to spring for 2-3X the price of the card in order to get a newer radio...

FYI, either way I plan to add it as a Live Feed here on the site to help out those who want to listen but can't swing the equipment costs.

Thanks

 

[garys]

I know this is an old topic, but hoping someone can help me out...

Does anyone know if Reading PD can be heard using a BC785D with a BCI-25D card?

Reason I ask is because although I don't have a good understanding of P25 yet, I see that the 785D does not support all P25 "modes" (no 9600-baud). Since I don't have the BCI-25D card yet I wanted to check w/ some local folks to find out if I can pick up Reading PD w/ this setup before I buy the card... otherwise I guess I'll have to spring for 2-3X the price of the card in order to get a newer radio...

FYI, either way I plan to add it as a Live Feed here on the site to help out those who want to listen but can't swing the equipment costs.

Thanks

9600 baud pertains to trunking systems, not decoding audio. The card will allow you to hear the P25 audio for Reading PD since they operate on a conventional (non trunked) UHF channel.

It's a bit confusing because people use the term P25 very imprecisely. "True" P25 trunking uses only digital audio and a 9600 baud control channel. P25 audio has nothing to do with trunking, it has to do with how the audio is processed.

 

[hmburgers]

9600 baud pertains to trunking systems, not decoding audio. The card will allow you to hear the P25 audio for Reading PD since they operate on a conventional (non trunked) UHF channel.

It's a bit confusing because people use the term P25 very imprecisely. "True" P25 trunking uses only digital audio and a 9600 baud control channel. P25 audio has nothing to do with trunking, it has to do with how the audio is processed.

In hindsight that all makes perfect sense. Thanks Gary! I'm off to scour ebay for a BCI-25D card ;-)

 

[garys]

In hindsight that all makes perfect sense. Thanks Gary! I'm off to scour ebay for a BCI-25D card ;-)

Good luck. They're pretty scarce these days.

 

[hmburgers]

Good luck. They're pretty scarce these days.

Yep... in my searching I see lots of activity around 2005 or so for them as they were on their way out of production, even a $99 direct from Uniden deal.

Today there is only one on ebay at moment, and it's $135 with multiple bidders and a day still left in the auction. Scannermaster has the GRE PSR-600 for only $370. $235 difference between them now and shrinking, if the card sells for >$170 I might as well just buy the newer radio and either try to sell the 785D or keep it as a second radio.

Hopefully before the end of the year I'll have some solution in place, I'll reply back here when I get the Live Feed up for anyone interested.

 

[garys]

Yep... in my searching I see lots of activity around 2005 or so for them as they were on their way out of production, even a $99 direct from Uniden deal.

Today there is only one on ebay at moment, and it's $135 with multiple bidders and a day still left in the auction. Scannermaster has the GRE PSR-600 for only $370. $235 difference between them now and shrinking, if the card sells for >$170 I might as well just buy the newer radio and either try to sell the 785D or keep it as a second radio.

Hopefully before the end of the year I'll have some solution in place, I'll reply back here when I get the Live Feed up for anyone interested.

I did a quick Bing search out of curiosity and saw pretty much what you saw. A couple of years ago someone else was looking for one of these and as it happened I had been at You Do It in Needham a day or two before and they had at least one. I don't know if they still have any left, but it might be worth a call.

There comes a point where the card might cost a lot more than it's worth and you might want to consider upgrading to a newer scanner. the 785 is pretty old by scanner standards and you might want to consider a 996T or 996XT. Or maybe even a GRE for that matter since the digital decoding on the GREs is a bit better than on the Unidens. Also consider the RS Pro 197 which is pretty much the same as the PSR 600. They use the same software and perhaps the biggest difference is that you have to buy the programming cable separately. I bought mine used on Amazon for $200.00, which I thought was a steal. I think Scanner Master has them for $299.99 with free shipping. They probably have the cables too. Check the RS website, they sometimes have refurbished units for reasonable prices.

 

[hmburgers]

Also consider the RS Pro 197 which is pretty much the same as the PSR 600. They use the same software and perhaps the biggest difference is that you have to buy the programming cable separately

I had overlooked the RS model... it's funny, they don't specifically say it will decode APCO-25 so I figured it couldn't, but in multiple places I've seen what you say--that's it's basically a PSR 600 which does decode APCO-25.

RS is running a web special, $290 for the unit, $18 for the cable, and there's a $20 off coupon online... so I picked up for just under $315 shipped to the door.

Between this and a few other accessories I've bought myself recently I better come up with something good for my wife for Christmas ^_^

 

[N1BHH]

One of the reasons I got my Pro-106 and Pro-197 was the price most of all. But the ability to have the actual NAC used showing is a plus with me.

 

[w2smw]

It just could have been a good sales pitch for new radios and an uneducated customer. There would be no big commision check for just a narrow band conversion of existing radios.

 

[garys]

I had overlooked the RS model... it's funny, they don't specifically say it will decode APCO-25 so I figured it couldn't, but in multiple places I've seen what you say--that's it's basically a PSR 600 which does decode APCO-25.

RS is running a web special, $290 for the unit, $18 for the cable, and there's a $20 off coupon online... so I picked up for just under $315 shipped to the door.

Between this and a few other accessories I've bought myself recently I better come up with something good for my wife for Christmas ^_^

I own a Pro 197 and use a PSR600 at work. They are virtually identical, although when you upgrade firmware you must use the radio specific version. I don't know why, but that's how it is. Other than that, they function identically and program with the same software. I use ARC500, but there are other packages out there.

It's a good point about the NAC. The 785D will not program NACs, let alone search for them.

The only thing I don't like about the PSR600/Pro-197 is the volume control. No detent on the knob (or the squelch) and GRE used a linear taper for volume not an audio taper. It's not too much of an issue for base use, but it's a PITA if you are mobile.

 

[hmburgers]

...GRE used a linear taper for volume not an audio taper. It's not too much of an issue for base use, but it's a PITA if you are mobile.

Not to get the thread too far off topic (which it is already )

...but what do you mean by "linear taper for volume not an audio taper"?

 

[hmburgers]

Not to get the thread too far off topic (which it is already )

...but what do you mean by "linear taper for volume not an audio taper"?

OK I see... "audio" = logarthmic scale. I understand that perfectly now, I deal with that often enough at work I had just never heard it refered to it as "audio" vs. logrithmic.

I found a thread about it elsewhere in case anyone else is curious... (Audio Taper vs. Linear Taper (whats what) and Cap Questions... - Seymour Duncan User Group Forums)

 

[garys]

OK I see... "audio" = logarthmic scale. I understand that perfectly now, I deal with that often enough at work I had just never heard it refered to it as "audio" vs. logrithmic.

I found a thread about it elsewhere in case anyone else is curious... (Audio Taper vs. Linear Taper (whats what) and Cap Questions... - Seymour Duncan User Group Forums)

Audio versus linear is the way that I've always seen it described, but it might not be the correct technical term. Either way, it's a sub optimal way to do volume control. That and the lack of a positive detent system so that the volume stays where you set it are the two biggest drawbacks to the GRE/RS scanners. Oh, and display size on the mobiles. I think that GRE cheaped out by using the same display in the handheld and mobile.