So, my 436 and 536 just arrived back from Uniden clock reset repair recall.......and as I turned on my TRX-1 to test it side by side, the TRX-1 just asked me to set the clock........are you kidding me? My RTC issue just TRANSFERRED from my Uniden to my Whistler the same day I receive it from repairs......W T F.
Anyway, initial impressions of the 436 vs TRX-1 on 3600 Motorola P25 800MHz edge of range reception.
A draw......so far. My home is not near any cell towers, so the limiting factor for distant 800MHz decode is simply the raw signal. I held the 436 and TRX-1 side by side and also on each side of my head, and walked around my apartment, where signal is really bad, sometimes non existent depending on what trunked frequency gets chosen. There really was no winner, they both performed differently is the same way.
Let me explain that. They would seem to take turns receiving transmissions. Sometimes the TRX-1 would get a lock first, next the 436 would be first. The 436 seems to be able to pull in voice quicker and lock on quicker, but then strangely, the TRX-1 gets a lock, and the next few transmissions on the frequency, the 436 looses the voice while the TRX-1 still receives. So basically, it's a draw. And please no one say that one scanner is affecting the other causing this......it's a bars and "T" thing, talking operating on the fringe. I can speculate that the 436 may be more sensitive, but as it rushes to get that P25 out the door, it forgets it's keys......or without an analogy, it might be auto adjusting decode threshhold or whatever and that causes it to then loose the voice? Perhaps the TRX-1 chooses to wait for just the right moment until it gets what it believes is the best setting, then slams into gear and keeps the voice flowing by not rushing? Maybe if I played with specific P25 settings for edge of range the 436 could improve, but we are talking mobile moving target testing, so can think about that later.
Anyway, just speculating, but in a mobile 800MHz environment, moving down the road, for now, it would seem they would almost be matched. Being in TV news, where information is important, I think I would go for the missing the first few words but having a better follow through of additional voice traffic, i am trying to hear conversations and descriptions, not simple 10-4's, or units responding or going on scene......if that makes sense.
So, how about sound quality? Well, turning my 436 past 12 on loud P25 voice rattles and buzzes the speaker. It sounds like trying to overpump the driver on an over the ear Walkman headphone, just too much bass to deal with. Even Motorolas come with low cut options and treble boost specifically because at high volume, all that bass just moves the element too muc physically..........the TRX-1 remains as loud at max but has no vibrations, thanks to the tinnier audio. Winner.....TRX-1. TRX-1 also wins on voice quality at low levels, because it has less bass......but I still have a major hiss on the TRX-1, while the 436 is dead quite between words or on P25 carrier.........Winner there, Uniden?
Will do some more "under the cell tower" testing after the weekend.........
Paul
