Whistler Scanners, a user's experience.

[m10bk]

In short, Whistler scanners suck. The poor quality control of these units (analogue and digital models) leads to a short life span and inconsistent reception across the board. I own three and each one of them has unacceptable flaws. I will be looking at other brands from here on out.
Let the hating begin ;-)

 

[wizardofid]

I think all of today's scanners have their issues. If you think Whistler scanners suck, wait until you try Uniden... they have their own issues as well. (Yes, I own both a TRX-1, TRX-2 and a SDS200.)

 

[djeplett]

Couldn't agree more with the Wizard. I owned a TRX-1 and liked it but it isn't designed for simulcast. I switched to Uniden SDSs and although they handle simulcast perfectly, my SDS100 developed the cold solder joint problem and I had jonweinke repair it as it was out of warranty.

If you want very good receivers with high quality construction you'll have to go to public safety grade equipment and that usually drives your cost WAY up.

 

[KevinC]

Let the hating begin ;-)

Ok...I have owned and currently own numerous GRE-based scanners (to include GRE, RS and Whistler) and while they do have numerous inherent issues that irk the crap out of me (overload from FM broadcast, awful squelch hysteresis and noisy volume pots to name a few) I've never had one break.

On the other had I've had to send my Uniden 436, 536 and 396T in for repair.

 

[scannerjunkie]

My TRX-1 took some tweaking to get it to my liking. kinda like a muscle car. my 668/1080 and psr500 are still working very well. i wish whistler would take the PSR500 add phase2 and make it handle simulcast they would have a low cost simulcaster blaster on their hands. i would order one for sure. and its good to still see support coming from their end as as pc applications go.

 

[Nasby]

I've had my WS1040 and WS1065 for years. They are flawless on the non simulcast systems I monitor. They are workhorses!

And they've never had a clock issue, a hum, a cold solder joint, or problems with their dials (which are all common defects in the top tier Uniden models).

 

[iMONITOR]

I will be looking at other brands from here on out.

You won't have to look far for other brands. UNIDEN

 

[jaspence]

For every gripe posted, there are many users that get along just fine. I monitor the MPSCS system with a RS and a Whistler version TRX-1 with the factory update and have no simulcast issues at my location. I have had both major brands of scanners and prefer the V folder setup of the RS/GRE/Whistler to the Quick Key of the Uniden. My IC-R30 has become my goto radio because the audio and ability to scan two groups at the same time is better than any other brand I have owned.

 

[fxdscon]

I've had my WS1040 and WS1065 for years. They are flawless on the non simulcast systems I monitor. They are workhorses!

And they've never had a clock issue, a hum, a cold solder joint, or problems with their dials (which are all common defects in the top tier Uniden models).

I've never had any of those problems with any of my many Uniden scanners.

 

[buddrousa]

Once repaired properly my Unidens out preform my GRE/RS/Whistlers.

 

[usmiladim]

I've had my WS1040 and WS1065 for years. They are flawless on the non simulcast systems I monitor. They are workhorses!

And they've never had a clock issue, a hum, a cold solder joint, or problems with their dials (which are all common defects in the top tier Uniden models).

Can you please explain what simulcast systems mean? Thank you Sir

 

[fxdscon]

Can you please explain what simulcast systems mean? Thank you Sir

Check these links:

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Simulcast - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[usmiladim]

Check here:

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Thank You

Check these links:

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Simulcast - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Thank You Kindly

 

[georgesharpe]

I own both the Whistler TRX-1 & 2 + the Uniden 996 P2 & BC 325 P2. The Unidens are great for mobile and field use. The Whistlers are best for home use. For both sets of scanners, if you don't want to miss important local action, always save your best channels in a favorites list and scan your general lists during slow times.

 

[georgesharpe]

BTW, my friend in M.J. owns a RS 668 handheld, which he says "blows the others out of the water", for overall performance, but he wants WAY too much for it.

 

[usmiladim]

Check here:

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

BTW, my friend in M.J. owns a RS 668 handheld, which he says "blows the others out of the water", for overall performance, but he wants WAY too

BTW, my friend in M.J. owns a RS 668 handheld, which he says "blows the others out of the water", for overall performance, but he wants WAY too much for it.

I also have one but wasn’t sure if your talking to me. I do like it.

 

[georgesharpe]

This fellow in Canada wants almost $300 Cdn. for it.

 

[usmiladim]

This fellow in Canada wants almost $300 Cdn. for it.

e mail sent

 

[gmclam]

In short, Whistler scanners suck. The poor quality control of these units (analogue and digital models) leads to a short life span and inconsistent reception across the board. I own three and each one of them has unacceptable flaws. I will be looking at other brands from here on out.
Let the hating begin ;-)

I see this is your first post here. I wonder if you've ever tried a radio from other companies. I own an awful lot of radios, my tag line lists some of them, and can't specifically state that one manufacturer is wholly worse that others. Certainly some models do suck. And there are systems, locations, situations these days where only one specific model really works decently. Not perfect, as we're not spending that kind of money, but good enough.

I am in a little different position that most people because I am a h/w, f/w, s/w design engineer and do all my own repairs/etc. But even so there's only a few issues I've run into over the decades. Connections between the antenna BNC and PCB "break". Elastomer keypads wear out. Perhaps a potientiometer wears out. But those are not defects, they are from being used.

Yeah one brand is too sensitive and subject to input overload, another brand is not sensitive enough and has more difficulty receiving in rural environments. Stuff assembled in China might have quality control issues. I'd like you to elaborate more specifically with regard to your complaint.

 

[trentbob]

So original poster I'm trying to figure you out here. As far as the radios go it's all been said and I own them all including about a hundred more that are not listed on my signature bought in the last 50 plus years. Even have my tunable monitors all in a museum in the garage, maybe a better word would be boneyard.

All the reviews are accurate and have been discussed ad nauseam so maybe you are a real newbie. You also said I'll be looking at the other brands plural of scanners, there are no other brands oh, there is one other brand and then you have a professional pager and you have professional dedicated radios.

This is a tdma Phase 2 world now, not for everybody but that's coming, that's why Whistler is still in business. Uniden made a simulcast capable radio and Whistler did not and their long in the tooth offerings inherited from GRE don't work for most on P2, If they did work on P2 then the whistlers would be my favorite go-to radio just because of its size, once I remove the rubber spare tire case and I like the keyboard on the TRX and I always liked the displays, the GOOD quality control I give the designer Don Starr and his company GRE the credit for that, not Whistler, because Whistler hasn't changed anything except for cosmetic changes like keyboards and upgrading some of the older models. Don does not come on the Forum anymore. If this was still a type II smartzone system world, I go with the whistlers, always crisp and clear compared to the Uniden counterparts.

The Uniden SDR radios are pretty incredible. Fantastic display, good simulcast performance and I think good audio. There are some quality control issues. They have also not been updated and certain bugs not attended to because unfortunately and regrettably the one of a kind designer passed on a few months shy of a year ago.

So poster, I'm trying to figure you out, either you really are a newbie or you've been around the block. Your etiquette on RR is lacking but you did know about hating which is something that was more prevalent on RR years back. I think reality has set in for everybody now and there is less hate to be seen and less inflammatory post like yours, especially made on the Whistler forum. LOL.

Just my $0.02... Bob.