Shopping for MSP, Minnesota area..

[kb9klc]

Simulcast 6 tower system
Locally…
996P2….👎
536…….👎
SDS100🤔
G5…….👍👍👍👍👍👍👍(in my home environment with an inside antenna

I'm gonna have to agree on the Unication G5. Made anything else I've ever used at my home look poorly.

 

[jjhendo]

Here's the deal, In MY area, on the Day I tested it, on the System I checked it on, I could not tell any difference between the SDS 100 and a BCD536. Again that was that one time for about an hour (or so) on a simulcast system I monitor day in and day out. People will tell you or argue with you that they cannot do Simulcast. People that know the truth will tell you it may not, but it depends on your location to the towers in your area. If you have one tower close and the others are "some distance off", obviously that has a better chance of working than if you're right in the middle of all the simulcast towers. To be sure, if you're wanting to listen to simulcast, you should likely go with the SDS series unless you care about things like I don't know VHF analog or such nonsense. That's where the SDS stuff lacks. Of course you already have a good analog scanner so you could do what I do and use one device for the simulcast and the other for the analog duties.
IF you understand the limitations of a Unication voice pager that's the better choice for heavy simulcast. But again, it has limitations compared to a normal scanner. I'm told the SDS uses the same software the 536 does (and it says so when I open it up also) so it's not too daunting at all to program of you put a little effort in it. Everything is a learning curve. If I'm not mistaken the uniden DMR upgrade is $75.

Hmmmm, ok. I'm not too sure of the tower locations (or how to find out.) Little more digging to do. Think I'm looking for an analog with a few more features now, too..

 

[jjhendo]

I'm gonna have to agree on the Unication G5. Made anything else I've ever used at my home look poorly.

Ohh, ok. I haven't even looked at those yet.

 

[ryolsen8]

Hmmmm, ok. I'm not too sure of the tower locations (or how to find out.) Little more digging to do. Think I'm looking for an analog with a few more features now, too..

Are you wanting an analog scanner or a digital one? Public Safety wise, there is very very little analog in Minnesota anymore.

 

[jjhendo]

Are you wanting an analog scanner or a digital one? Public Safety wise, there is very very little analog in Minnesota anymore.

Maybe both to cover the bases? I get about twenty analog EMS and one or two law enforcement stations now. Or at least I was going to if I got an SDS, not sure about other BCDs..

 

[ryolsen8]

Maybe both to cover the bases? I get about twenty analog EMS and one or two law enforcement stations now. Or at least I was going to if I got an SDS, not sure about other BCDs..

There is virtually no VHF in-use anymore in Minnesota... What VHF frequencies are you picking up? We use the ARMER system, a P25 Phase I system. You'd want an SDS to properly monitor it.

 

[jjhendo]

There is virtually no VHF in-use anymore in Minnesota... What VHF frequencies are you picking up? We use the ARMER system, a P25 Phase I system. You'd want an SDS to properly monitor it.

There's still some EMS believe it or not. I'm trying to round up eight for an old crystal scanner. I might barely make it, ha.

 

[Robdobb]

There's still some EMS believe it or not. I'm trying to round up eight for an old crystal scanner. I might barely make it, ha.

I got 5 active vhf frequencies for fire and ems in Wadena county.

 

[kb9klc]

The "real" radios, as expected, perform the best on our simulcast system. The Unication comes very close. However these are very limited in the number of things I can monitor

Can you elaborate on this compared only to your "real radio". Also can you say what "real radio" you have ?

 

[jjhendo]

I got 5 active vhf frequencies for fire and ems in Wadena county.

Not bad!