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Unication G4/G5 Differences

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KI5IRE

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Hello,
I am looking into buying either a Unication G4 or G5 but was wondering what the difference is between the two?

Are there any large benefits to spending the extra money on the G5 versus the G4? Are there any significant features one has that the other doesn't?

I mainly plan to monitor a multi-site P25 system and a single-site system with my Unication.
 

belvdr

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G5 has additional VHF or UHF capability. I think that's the only difference, but someone more knowledgeable will know for certain.
 

IAmSixNine

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You nailed it. The only added benefit to the G5 is the additioin of what ever secondary band you purchase with the G5. Its basically a G4 with the extra band. Same protocols in both. P25 Conventional, Analog Conventional, P25 Phase 1 and P25 Phase 2 trunking. QC2 and a few other things.
 

boatbod

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G5 has additional VHF or UHF capability. I think that's the only difference, but someone more knowledgeable will know for certain.

Correct. The G5 has a VHF or UHF capability to go along with the 700-800 coverage whereas the G4 is 700-800 only.
 

belvdr

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I thought it could be P25 or analog. From what I gather, though, you can't monitor both UHF/VHF and 700/800 on one knob position
 

N6ML

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Sure you can... so long as all of the systems involved are conventional (i.e. not trunked). What you can not do is scan between a trunked system and any other system. The G4 and G5 (and G2 and G3) all support "analog" (FM), P25 Conventional and P25 Trunked. The difference between the G4 and the G5 is the additional band (VHF or a chosen UHF segment).
 

KI5IRE

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Just want to be sure, I can in face scan multiple sites, as long as they are connected to the SAME system, correct? There is a system with 11 sites near me and I was just curious if I can scan them all at the same time or if Ill have to put them on different zones.
 

N6ML

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Just want to be sure, I can in face scan multiple sites, as long as they are connected to the SAME system, correct? There is a system with 11 sites near me and I was just curious if I can scan them all at the same time or if Ill have to put them on different zones.

You can include multiple sites in a P25 trunked system, but the pager will not "scan" across them - rather it will "lock on" to the one that it determines is best, and will stay there until you go out of range of that site (suspected to be based on error rate), at which point it will again select the best site. You have no control over this, but you could define a separate system (and corresponding knob positions) for each of the sites that you travel around, and manually select instead.

P.S. it should be noted that it's common for large regional communication systems to carry subsets of talkgroups on each site - e.g. a city fire department's channels would typically be carried only on sites close to that city. If you get locked onto a site that doesn't carry your talkgroups of interest, you may be disappointed.
 

KI5IRE

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Also I am fairly impatient when it comes to waiting on new toys to ship, so I was wondering if anyone has figured out who fulfills orders the quickest or if anyone in here is local to the DFW area if there is anywhere local who sells them.
 

KI5IRE

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You can include multiple sites in a P25 trunked system, but the pager will not "scan" across them - rather it will "lock on" to the one that it determines is best, and will stay there until you go out of range of that site (suspected to be based on error rate), at which point it will again select the best site. You have no control over this, but you could define a separate system (and corresponding knob positions) for each of the sites that you travel around, and manually select instead.

Okay, N6ML, thank you for clarifying this. I will keep that in mind as I program my unit.
 

BenScan

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Ray's Pagers is GREAT!

For the Fort Worth system, you really need to program each site separately.

You won't be able to monitor Layer 1 and 2, NETCOM, Mansfield, Ellis Co, Johnson Co, etc. at the same time.

Happy Scanning,
Ben

Also I am fairly impatient when it comes to waiting on new toys to ship, so I was wondering if anyone has figured out who fulfills orders the quickest or if anyone in here is local to the DFW area if there is anywhere local who sells them.
 

IAmSixNine

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@chaseboyer I have ordered several G4 and G5 for work from Rays pagers sales and have been extremely satisfied with pricing and quickness to ship the units to me.
I too am in the DFW area and as @BenScan pointed out when it comes to Fort Worth system you will want to program each Layer as its own system.
In my G4 i have Irving FD as a group, GP as a group, Arlington as a Group, FTW and Medstar as a group, and the mutual aid channels as a group.
Since all of these are on different layers (sites) in the system i created individual systems in the PPS pager programming software.
It takes a little planning but i am extremely happy with my G4 units.
Unless you have a need for VHF or UHF trunking save the few bucks and get a G4.
While the added band is nice to have its a feature that you can use with cheaper motorola and other radios or scanners.
These are amazing at picking up P25 700/800 systems so use them for what they are intended for.
Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions, since were both local hopefully i can help.
 
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