The NEW radio shack scanner by GRE

[Dougie]

Is this thought of yet or mabee possibly a possiblility, lol...
I am sure that GRE is thinking about the comeback now that U.N.I.D.E.N has releaesed the latest smallest talked about scanner on the market as of right now...

When will we see something come back towards uniden 396 ?


Doug in Baltimore...


Thanx friends !!!!

 

[rdale]

GRE has no representation here, so I doubt we'd ever get something pre-release...

 

[eyes00only]

As they say, "good luck with that"

Jerry

 

[ColoradoRedlands]

I hate the fact that all these things seem to have to get smaller. The size of the Pro-96, Pro-97 and BC796 are just fine.

Another pet peave I have is that everyone seem to be switching to the combined (nested?) volumn and squelch controls. I wish they would just stay with separate controls for each. The problem just get worse on the smaller scanners because it hard to turn one know without turning the other unless you use both hands.

Whew, now I feel better that I got that off my chest

 

[Voyager]

I hate the fact that all these things seem to have to get smaller. The size of the Pro-96, Pro-97 and BC796 are just fine.

But try getting the PRO-96 to stay in your shirt pocket. It's a real bear. When I first got it, I thought it was a brick (although a very nice brick). That opinion hasn't changed. It's still a brick - actually, a gripless brick now. It still has a function, but I find I use it more as a mobile scanner now and not a portable.

Now if only the size of the XTSs reached Visar dimensions. Motorola's P25 radios went back to 'brick class', too!

Joe M.

 

[n4voxgill]

Uniden tried to beat out the Pro96 with the BC396. They put all kinds of gimmicks in it. None of which I need nor want. But the Pro96 still wins with audio and digital decode. So uniden has put nothing out for me to spend money on. In fact I don't understand either company putting out any new scanners until the rebanding issue is settled and the final layout of 700 MHz is resolved. They are currently looking at mixing 6.25 kHz up to 50 kHz for various modes. So I will save my money until all the dust settles. No way I will go for a small unit that sacrifices speaker and battery capacity to make a unit to fit in a shirt pocket. Half my shirts don't even have a pocket so again, who cares.

Speaking of the BC396, I guess they have sold maybe 2,000 scanners and the confusing posts are way over the 100,000 mark. this has to be the most unfreindly unit ever made.

 

[rdale]

I'm not sure where you got those numbers, but back in the real world a large majority of 396 users are happy with it. I got rid of my Pro96 for the 396 and do not regret it.

 

[h8tdigitalradio]

...confusing posts are way over the 100,000 mark. this has to be the most unfreindly unit ever made.

Hello,

I would NOT say the 396 is the most unfriendly unit ever made. It is one of the most bashed, criticized, constructive, and destructive unit ever made. It is a nice unit. Glad I own one.

73

Dave AKA The Tripzter

 

[scanfan03]

Speaking of the BC396, I guess they have sold maybe 2,000 scanners and the confusing posts are way over the 100,000 mark. this has to be the most unfreindly unit ever made.

The only reason it is confusing is because it uses the brand new and never before scheme of programming, UNLIKE the Pro-96. People just can't comprehend that there are no more banks in Uniden scanners.

 

[mancow]

What's rebanding got to do with the 396?
One firmware flash and it's a done deal. The hardware already supports that frequency range so it's not an issue.


mancow

 

[rdale]

We all know that - but it sounds so nice when you also note the 100,000 confused users on this forum ;>

 

[WayneH]

Now if only the size of the XTSs reached Visar dimensions. Motorola's P25 radios went back to 'brick class', too!

The Visar was junk. The XTS line is the size it is because users want something that isn't the size of an iPOD. Smaller and smaller is NOT the future of radio gear.

Not all of us have little girlie hands. The 96 could be a bit more rounded but the size is just about right and I can operate it with one hand.

-Wayne

 

[scnnr]

But try getting the PRO-96 to stay in your shirt pocket. It's a real bear. When I first got it, I thought it was a brick (although a very nice brick). That opinion hasn't changed. It's still a brick - actually, a gripless brick now. It still has a function, but I find I use it more as a mobile scanner now and not a portable.

Now if only the size of the XTSs reached Visar dimensions. Motorola's P25 radios went back to 'brick class', too!

Joe M.

you want a brick , remember these old Uniden XLT'S . I never put one of those in my shirt pocket let me tell you :-]

 

[Voyager]

you want a brick , remember these old Uniden XLT'S . I never put one of those in my shirt pocket let me tell you :-]

In fact I do. I used to have one. (BC200XLT) I also had a BC100 (no XLT on the end) and a couple models before that that were crystal controlled. The BC100 was a 16 channel portable that used 6 AA cells. WOW! 16 WHOLE CHANNELS! :lol:

But, my point is that it's nice to not have to have the scanner blairing at your hip. With it in your shirt pocket, you can keep the volume down much lower. You also get a much better reception range do the the absense of your body which acts as a great attenuator.

Joe M.

 

[Voyager]

The Visar was junk. The XTS line is the size it is because users want something that isn't the size of an iPOD. Smaller and smaller is NOT the future of radio gear.

Not all of us have little girlie hands. The 96 could be a bit more rounded but the size is just about right and I can operate it with one hand.

-Wayne

I would even settle for GP300/P110/HT1250/HT750 size. In today's world, the XTS is almost as bad as the MH-10 was (or MH-70 for VHF).

I know - none of those portables I mentioned are "public safety" portables. So, the dog catcher can get away with a portable that is light and small, but those on the street have to wear big, bulky bricks. (sometimes even operating on the same system!) What's wrong with this picture?

As for your girlie hands, let's talk about the placement of the emergency button. RIGHT BESIDE the channel selector. Can you say 'flase alarm'? But, I guess we are getting off topic a little.

I stick by my point. The PRO-96 is to much of a brick for practical use in the field these days - especially when stealth is an issue. That said, I still love my PRO-96. I just use it in the car rather than on my side. It still has a feature or two that perform better than the competition.

Joe M.

 

[wwhitby]

Personally, I like bricks

My personal preference is for scanners/HTs the size of the PRO-96. I've got large hands and hate pressing the small buttons on smaller scanners.

My wish list for the next generation GRE handheld/mobile scanner:

- More characters in the display for alpha tagging
- Increased talkgroup storage
- 380-400Mhz conventional and trunking capability
- 700Mhz conventional and trunking capability
- True Mil Air capability
- AGC on analog as well as digital
- Reception of ProVoice talkgroups (they don't have to be demodulated, just passed through. I can lock them out.)
- Digital NACs
- Louder audio through the speaker jack
- A mode that automatically determines if PL or DPL is being used. Keep the current seperate PL and DPL modes.
- LTR trunking
- And lastly, a price decrease. I remember when $500 was for the top end "DC to daylight" communication receivers like my AOR 8K.....

BTW GRE, I love the V-scanner feature. I'll never buy another scanner without it.

Warren

 

[Al42]

In fact I do. I used to have one. (BC200XLT) I also had a BC100 (no XLT on the end) and a couple models before that that were crystal controlled. The BC100 was a 16 channel portable that used 6 AA cells. WOW! 16 WHOLE CHANNELS! :lol:

Mine (the 100) still works, although the display is a bit flakey.

 

[Al42]

My wish list for the next generation GRE handheld/mobile scanner:

- Increased talkgroup storage

Then you'd need a faster CPU. The CPU speed sets the number of talkgroups it can go through before you start missing transmissions.

- Reception of ProVoice talkgroups (they don't have to be demodulated, just passed through. I can lock them out.)

If you lock them out why do you want them?

- Louder audio through the speaker jack

Amplified speaker?

- A mode that automatically determines if PL or DPL is being used.

And do what? Open the squelch on carrier-only transmissions and on PL or DPL transmissions?

- And lastly, a price decrease. I remember when $500 was for the top end "DC to daylight" communication receivers like my AOR 8K.....

I remember when gas cost 22 cents/gallon. And I was happy to earn $6,000/year. For $500 you could buy a complete ham station, including tower and antenna, and probably still have enough left for a good used car.

Times change and prices - including salaries - go up.

 

[Voyager]

And do what? Open the squelch on carrier-only transmissions and on PL or DPL transmissions?

I think he meant as opposed to having to select the correct mode (CTCSS or CDCSS) before it would decode the tone/code. He wants it to show either like the Unidens.

Joe M.

 

[captaincraig44]

He wants it to show either like the Unidens.

So buy a Uniden! The V-scanner was great when it was the only game in town, but having used the dynamic memory feature of the 396, I find the v-scanner very limiting now with having only 10 systems available at a time. It's great to have any combination of 400 systems available with just a couple key presses. Makes it very convienient during a major incident.
Most of those items wwhitby wanted are, in fact, incorporated into the 396. I am certainly not a small guy, but I have no problem with the size of the keys on the 396. Portability is great.
FWIW, I don't stick with one brand and buy exclusive, I buy what is the best deal for my needs. It was the PRO-96, but now that has changed to the 396. When the time comes to replace the 396, maybe GRE will have something that I find more appealing and will go back to them, but until then . . .