Uniden or Radio Shack? - Advice

[mormandy]

I am posting this of the benefit of anyone on the fence about which brand to buy. After about 15 years of owning both, and now owning a a 396 and 996 from uniden I decided to mix things up and buy a 2096. The 395 and 996 are completely state of the art in every sense, with far more features, more bands, greater advertised sensitivity, FAR FAR better selectivity, and they look like the state of the art units they are, for those who care about asthetics. My only complaint is that the sound quality could be a touch better on both, that is about it. In fairness, they are complex units, and will take some time to master. Once you do so, they will seem very logical. Now for the 2096. Let's start with something positive. The sound quality is good. With that said, the first impression is that it is an overpriced unit, that is a mickey-mouse toy compared to the uniden scanners. Everything about it says "cheap". The display can be covered up with half of my middle finger. The combo knob on the front is silly, and the buttons feel cheap. The way it displays information is just silly. Programming with banks still? Outdated concept. Intermod and noise are awful, just horrible. How in the heck does this thing pick up static noise with an open squelch on DIGITAL! It is missing the upper portion of the military air band, and doesn't get the 700mhz band. It does a lousy job of APCO25 decoding compared to the uniden units, and it costs as much as a 996 which is a far superior base/mobile unit. This unit is a discrace to the legacy of groundbreaking scanners like the 2006. Radio Shack has completed its downward spiral, and splattered on hard ground. I will return this unit on monday for a refund.

 

[KE4ZNR]

It does a lousy job of APCO25 decoding compared to the uniden units, and it costs as much as a 996 which is a far superior base/mobile unit. This unit is a discrace to the legacy of groundbreaking scanners like the 2006. Radio Shack has completed its downward spiral, and splattered on hard ground. I will return this unit on monday for a refund.

1) Posting the same exact thread in multiple forums is frowned upon...in the future please pick ONE forum in which to make a post...please do not cross-post...thanks

2) don't know why you have phrased the title as a question because it sounds like you have already made up your mind....

3) Don't know what planet you live on but most people regard the Pro96/2096 as better at the digital decoding than the Unidens...this has been proven time and time again..don't believe me? do a search here at Radioreference.com and Strongsignals.net...yes the Unidens have more "bells & whistles" but the GRE made radios tend to decode digital better and sound better....

Anyway, take your radio back and get you another Uniden if that will make you happy...don't know what you expect this thread to solve other than a chance for you to vent your frustration...

Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[n4voxgill]

some people buy for the gimmicks and some people buy for the performance. Pro96 and 2096 are the best for performance.

 

[Tom_G]

Well........

The general consensus around here is that the Uniden Radios have features galore and most people like the dynamic memory.
With that said, most people like the digital audio quality on the PRO-96 and 2096 much better.
The radio shack/GRE radios have much better audio all the way around.
I had a Uniden BR-330 for a while and I just could not hear it well when it was on my belt clip.
The PRO-97 audio cranks up nicely and works very well on the belt clip.
There is a very interesting thread on the Uniden Board titled "BC-396 Sensitvity" that I think is worth a read.
The Radio Shack/GRE radios may look a bit dated and some say they look clunky, but they do the important things pretty well.
Best of Luck.....

 

[Qwerty7]

Uniden or Radio Shack

I have never owned or operated a Uniden Digital Capable Radio. I have read a lot of comparisons of the two and gone over all the specs and reviews---I have no regrets.
The reception on both my 2096 and 96 are just fine, the audio is just fine, the sensitivity--just fine. Yeah yeah yeah I know there are differences---but so what. I am sure the Uniden is very cool like the Radio Shack models---I don't split hairs--I wanted to hear Digital and I now do. And I spent less. Sometimes the way people sound so shocked and offended by others purchasing a different model than theirs on this site is downright weird. I think both models are overpriced, really, considering they are plastic shells containing cheap electronics and a speaker. They are PLASTIC. "But mine has better plastic!".... but it is fun to watch and I learn a lot--enjoy your molded plastic box with mass produced electronic components inside ! I sure do.

 

[fmon]

mormandy,
Your post should have been # 158 in this link. Pro-96/BC396

 

[iMONITOR]

Radio Shack has completed its downward spiral, and splattered on hard ground. I will return this unit on monday for a refund.

Radio Shack does not manufacture the PRO-96/PRO-2096. They are manufactured by GRE. Radio Shack also sells the Uniden BCD396T, and BCD996T.

 

[VintageJon]

Interesting.
I have a Uniden-made Pro91 and it was a good scanner in it's day, but is damn-near useless here now. Monitoring Air and scanning weather,amatuer, baby monitors, wireless phones with it now. Not much action.

Pro96 doing everything for me, APCO, EDACS, Air,DPS FM, Amatuer, et al. I guess it depends on area and what you want.
I find the sensitivity to be excellent as I'm just running a 860mHz 1/4 wave or a RS 800MHz duck and I get everything from VHF up!!! I realize this is not what folks report but it's true here- Downtown Austin TX,armpit of Hyde park. Fixing to move to the edge of Travis/Williamson County so results may change.
As time allows I'll build a 15 element Yagi to install at new localation, expect great things on 800 band.

When I find a 996 at a good price and have the cash I'll give it a try as I can always sell it to someone mad for it.

Win96 is a critical item to have for your Pro96. It's be completely groovy here. MUST HAVE
item. I have programming cable from GRE, USB model, and it's flawless. Another MUST HAVE item.

73's
Jon

 

[James]

mormandy,
Your post should have been # 158 in this link. Pro-96/BC396

Actually # 158, 159, and 160. He posted it in three Forums.
Whats up with that.

Yes, my pro96 looks kinda like a Pacer (the car) I don't know why. It was my first impression.
But it does everything I have expected it to do. And with ease using Don Starrs Win96, Programming is a breeze. The extended frequencies feature has it neck to neck with my Yupiteru 9000 in milair. And it does decode digital much better (and automatically) I might add. LCD screen is very well laid out, and in a pinch I can hand prg. it.
Maybe GRE should place a lead liner in back and give it more heft!!
RS has been very good about offering updates, Afriend and I both had early modes cpu1.2?
Sent them in, came back in 10 days, no charge, Latest cpu version. As far as listening WFM. I have quite a few radios for that purpose, some the size of my thumb. Plenty TVs also. The two DSP upgrades have worked well also.

Kinda reminds me of a guy that pulls next to me F150 in his new Toyota Titan. Was so clearly trying to make a statement, allready moded his exhaust, I almost lay out the window and cried "WHAT A TRUCK!!!" makes my little 150 sound quiet. "DO YOU THINK THEY MIGHT SELL ME ONE" ??
Of course I would still want my American made 150 work truck for the really dirty heavy haulin.
But yours shore is pretty(don't scratch it) keep it waxed (to profile)
Ohh here I go again, rambling. Its late.
Enjoy what you have, and try not to convince everyone else that their choices SUCK!(even if they do)

Jim

 

[InlandAZ]

"Actually # 158, 159, and 160. He posted it in three Forums.
Whats up with that."

I'd guess agenda?

It never ceases to amaze me that those that have an obvious bias, post their biases in the most inappropriate forum.

Pssssssssssssst - you'll get a lot more atta boy, right on, you betcha comments in the Uniden forum (well... maybe... unless… heaven forbid they're mature adults who much like ourselves have made their choice and are quite content to let others do the same).

I like my GRE scanners (all of them).

These threads crack me up

 

[AZScanner]

Heh. Uniden or Radio Shack - it doesn't matter. The Phoenix AZ PRWN system sounds like crap on all of 'em.

-AZ

 

[hotdjdave]

Radio Shack also sells the Uniden BCD396T, and BCD996T.

Sure, now they do. And they overprice it like just about everything else they sell, too.

A BCD996T for $799.95, why? Just about everywhere else it is about $525.00.

 

[Skud]

I have always had RS scanners till now. Everything about them I like except I have to put in the dummy channel inbetween CC.
The reason I went with my first Uniden is I wanted to connect it to my PC set it in the house I get the best reception and with my laptop I can remotly connect to the pc and see and hear the scanner.

 

[iMONITOR]

Sure, now they do. And they overprice it like just about everything else they sell, too.

A BCD996T for $799.95, why? Just about everywhere else it is about $525.00.

:lol: I didn't say they were a good deal!

But the OP was faulting "Radio Shack" for his opinion of GRE scanners.

 

[Nasby]

That 396T looks pretty cheesy/cheap to me.

 

[Dubbin]

That 396T looks pretty cheesy/cheap to me.

If thats the case then you need glasses.

 

[Paris]

Direct Comparison

I've owned a Pro 96 for about 4 years, a Pro 2096 and a Uniden 396 for about a year, and I just bought the Uniden 996.

I live in an urban area saturated with signals. If I put the Pro 96 beside the 396, both with their stock antennas, with the squelch set to just above the threshold on both, both programmed with the same variety of trunked and conventional systems and frequencies, the Pro 96 blows the 396 away, picking up more than twice the number of signals the 396 does. The result is the same if comparing the 2096 to the 396. The Unden 996 does better, coming close to the Pro 96/2096.

Audio quality is slightly better on the Uniden Scanners, IMHO, but the volume levels between trunked and conventional systems are not normalized as on the RS scanners. This can be annoying.

Generally speaking, I think the 996 is easier to operate, ergonomically, but the Pro 96 is easier than the 396.. On the 396 adjusting the volume and the squelch is a two step process, whereas on the RS scanners it's done with a dedicated knob. On the 396 it's too easy to accidently lock-out a frequency while trying to hit the light button, if you're wearing gloves.

Both RS and Uniden scanners are easy to program with either Win 96 or Butel software. I find Butel much better and more functional, and I eagerly look forward to when Butel releases software for the RS scanners. The Virtual Scanners banks on the Pro 96/2096 are outdated, but functional, while the Dynamic memory Allocation of the Uniden Scanners should be a model for all future scanner makers to copy. OTOH the Service Searchs are much easier on the Pro 96/2096. For instance, if you want to switch between Aircraft or Marine bands, and your programmed frequencies, it can be done with a single button on the Pro 96/2096, while the same operation requires multiple entries and scrolling on the 396/996

I like the Uniden scanners very much; some of their features are very attractive. The Dynamic Memory Allocation and the Butel software possibly tip the balance in their favor, but if you want sensitivity, the Pro 96 and the 2096 is the clear choice.

 

[Raven95150]

Radio Shack also sells the Uniden BCD396T, and BCD996T.

Maybe they do in some places but I have not seen them at any stores here. (MN) The only Uniden product I have seen at RS is cordless phones.

 

[DaveIN]

Maybe they do in some places but I have not seen them at any stores here. (MN) The only Uniden product I have seen at RS is cordless phones.

Radio Shack only sells Uniden (non-OEM) products online via the web site.

 

[n4voxgill]

Radio Shack prices the 396 and 996 at Unidens suggested retail price. This is smart marketing as it makes their own brand a bargain at $499.95. But Radio Shack goes one step forward and regularly puts their own brand scanners on sale, including marking the Pro96 and 2096 down to $399.95. I don't recall the last time Uniden had a sale below the street price of their products. Wonder why Uniden never has a sale?