Unication G4

[troymail]

Based on reliable user reports about Unication devices, I took the dive this week and now have a Unication G4 in my hands....

In a word -

COOL.

While it does have limitations (it's a pager not a scanner), I'm so far listening easily to Baltimore City, Baltimore County (south site), Prince George (north site when talkgroups are reverted to P25 Phase 1).

Stretching it a bit, I'm also hearing the Harford County site of CMARC.

Although I receive it fairly well on my other radios, I've also programmed BWI Airport which is working well (not a surprise).

I programmed some other more distant things but all are currently showing out of range.

All of this is on the stock 2" stubby antenna...

Did I say ?

 

[davidzimmerman]

5 more week's i'm getting the G5VHF Pager Counting Down The Days till i can get it

 

[troymail]

Basic things I'd like to see added (when they can):

1. P25/Phase 2 - reported coming soon
2. Ability to mix trunk and conventional
3. Ability to scan more than one trunk system at a time

Even without 2 & 3, I like this thing (and it's only been about 2 hours!)

 

[emtLarmy15]

Does anyone know if the G5 has the capability of dual watch so to speak? Can it be scanning a trunked system and simultaneously monitor a vhf conventional for paging?

 

[troymail]

Does anyone know if the G5 has the capability of dual watch so to speak? Can it be scanning a trunked system and simultaneously monitor a vhf conventional for paging?

Best I can tell - no. You can't mix trunk system talkgroups and conventional in the same "scan".

 

[troymail]

Basic things I'd like to see added (when they can):

1. P25/Phase 2 - reported coming soon
2. Ability to mix trunk and conventional
3. Ability to scan more than one trunk system at a time

Even without 2 & 3, I like this thing (and it's only been about 2 hours!)

This thing works great.... can't wait for Phase 2 firmware!

 

[markjrenna]

Phase 2 is 6 months away

 

[verhoffj1]

G4

Phase 2 is 6 months away

Didn't they say It would be available over a year ago? I don't understand why we can't get a certain date?

 

[markjrenna]

I just called them. They told me late 3rd quarter. I'm buying the moment it's released. If it works.

Didn't they say It would be available over a year ago? I don't understand why we can't get a certain date?

 

[cpetraglia]

Phase 2 is 6 months away

Told me that a year ago when I bought mine. !!

 

[troymail]

Took my first test "drive" with the G4 yesterday. I was heading out of P25 areas to the Maryland eastern shore.

With a RS800 antenna on the radio itself, I listened to the F16 crash in Prince George County yesterday while traveling towards, over and beyond the Bay Bridge. Reception wasn't perfect but good enough to hear alot of the action. The signal didn't start dropping out until about the Rt 50/31 split.

Looking at the map, I decided to try to receive PG and St. Mary's County on the drive down Rt 50 once I got near Cambridge. The south site of PG came in crystal clear on the bridge over the Choptank River. I also stopped at a rest stop in Mardela Springs and was listening to St. Mary's County. While capturing the information for the St. Michaels site of FiRST on St. Michael's Rd just off the Easton bypass, I switched around and heard a bit of Baltimore County.

On the return trip, coming over the Bay Bridge, I was seeing full bars for the Harford site of CMARC and nearly full bars of St. Mary's County with a radio mounted RS800 inside my truck. Receiving these systems while being over the bay and up that high shouldn't seem all that surprising but I don't think any other radio I have will do that (but I'm going to verify on my next trip over the bridge in the next few days).

Oddly, I was seeing out of range for the PG system between the base of the western side of the bay bridge until I got up into and through Annapolis.

I wouldn't say that the reception was something I'd be happy with for fulltime monitoring in those areas but just getting any reception of these systems from these distant locations using a radio and roof/mag mounted RS800 handheld antenna is amazing in my opinion.

On Tuesday, I listened to Baltimore City all afternoon in my back yard with the G4 on my belt using the stock stubby antenna.

If the Phase 2 firmware works as well (and I can't imagine why it would not), this is certainly going to be a welcome addition to my lineup - and hopefully this leads to an equivalent more scanner like solution in the not too distant future.

 

[verhoffj1]

Told me that a year ago when I bought mine. !!

This is exactly why I'm skeptical about buying one I'm thinking I'm going to hold off until phase 2 is out and confirmed working.

 

[SShuster221]

Experience with G5

I have been a beta tester for Unication for 4 Years. They have told us we should have the Firmware for Phase 2 before summer (June) possibly. I will report tests when we have it. The P25 and VHF work amazingly well. Some minor issues with site roaming but all in all very solid system. As for why release dates keep changing I heard it was from issues with the vocoder. So we shall see moving forward.

 

[jimf]

Now if they could just fix the phase 1 problem of just plain missing transmissions. I would be happy.

 

[IAmSixNine]

What problem is that?
If your scanning a lot of stuff and the device starts scanning it wont pick up in progress transmissions. IS that that your referring to?

 

[cpetraglia]

A talk group scan delay would help. Have you tried one TG in one knob position and seen if that helps or eliminates the missed comms ?

 

[troymail]

Even with some of these issues, the G4 receives simulcast trunk systems better than anything else I've had my hands on other than possible a Motorola radio....

 

[Thunderknight]

What problem is that?
If your scanning a lot of stuff and the device starts scanning it wont pick up in progress transmissions. IS that that your referring to?

I don't know if that is what that poster was...but I will refer to it. It's really annoying the G4/G5 doesn't late enter. I don't know why they don't fix that. My regular P25T radios do.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I don't know if that is what that poster was...but I will refer to it. It's really annoying the G4/G5 doesn't late enter. I don't know why they don't fix that. My regular P25T radios do.

I agree. But since i know its a limitation of the unit i have arranged my scan set up to accommodate that.

 

[boatbod]

I don't know if that is what that poster was...but I will refer to it. It's really annoying the G4/G5 doesn't late enter. I don't know why they don't fix that. My regular P25T radios do.

No technical reason not to be able to do this. It's part of the P25 spec to allow radios to start part way through a transmission.

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