Whistler @ the CES 2014

[troymail]

"try less antenna"

The article you referenced said, in part:

....Attenuation of all the signals sometimes helps.
This is of course due to the fact that if you attenuate the
signals you possibly lose the ability to hear the interfering
signal from the multi-path source.
In lieu of attenuation, remember that the *less* gain your antenna system has,
the better off you'll be; reducing the overall signal at the receiver input will
(generally) increase the signal-to-signal ratio,
so capture effect will ameliorate the problem for you.....


Don

Many different things help sometimes. I've found changing antennas does very little to help. Radio placement is the biggest thing. There are "sweet spots" to park a radio to receive the systems well. Of course, this defeats having a mobile or handheld radio and those "sweet spots" change with various conditions.

I have a few good spots to receive the Baltimore City site of the Maryland FiRST statewide system but I'm not in Baltimore. On the other hand, while sitting inside the Anne Arundel County site it's even harder to find a good spot. The difference is probably receiving a single tower/transmitter for the Baltimore site (since I'm outside that area) but harder from within the Anne Arundel site because the radio is picking up signal from multiple towers/transmitters.

Trust me - you may not see the problem but it's there.... and you'll know when you start experiencing it.

 

[jasonk]

Don - come on down to Greene County with your Little antenna and see how she works .... I can save you the Gas Money ....she wont ..... Ive been dealing with all Scanner Brands and Types - and other than a Yagi pointed directly at 1 tower - the digital decode is about 20% .... You cannot monitor the Simulcast system here while mobile. From the videos I've seen in Houston - the new Uniden seems to handle it like a Champ ... I guess time will tell ....

Jason

 

[DonS]

They bought the rights to the radios along with the certifications for a plug and play business, just add a factory for a week.

At the very least, you neglected to mention:
* acquiring any old factory stock of parts that might exist
* attempting to buy original parts elsewhere
* finding and qualifying "equivalent" replacement parts where the originals don't exist
* specifying new, possibly incompatible parts if no original equivalents exist
* tooling up one or more factories to make custom things like chassis, keypad, LCD
* modifying firmware in case any hardware was forced to change
* having an initial (small) production run made
* testing that initial production run
* fixing any problems found
* finally, doing a "real" production run that will eventually make it to stores.

From my work with GRE, I know of at least one part in the PSR-500 family of scanners that was "end of life" a couple of years ago. That makes it somewhat difficult (read: nearly impossible) to continue the PSR-500 line in a 100%-compatible way.

This is not a "plug and play business". It's a bit more than "just add a factory for a week".

I certainly wouldn't expect Whistler to support old hardware that they're not even manufacturing. While that includes any possible hardware changes as above, it also includes any support for the PSR-500; note the picture in post #10 - that's a PRO-106 chassis, not a PSR-500. If you have a hardware problem with your PSR-500, Whistler won't be able to help.

 

[redburgundy]

I certainly wouldn't expect Whistler to support old hardware that they're not even manufacturing. While that includes any possible hardware changes as above, it also includes any support for the PSR-500; note the picture in post #10 - that's a PRO-106 chassis, not a PSR-500. If you have a hardware problem with your PSR-500, Whistler won't be able to help.

There must be some commonality in circuitry between the PSR-500 and PRO-106, even if the chassis is different.

 

[DonS]

There must be some commonality in circuitry between the PSR-500 and PRO-106, even if the chassis is different.

At the very least, the difference in chassis makes the main PCB (the one with the CPU, DSP, LCD connections, etc.) incompatible. The pads for the keypad are on that PCB; the PSR-500 and PRO-106 have their keypads in different locations.

You *might* be able to swap RF PCBs between the two models (I'd have to check the PCB layout drawings to be sure), but that's about it.

 

[k8zgw]

Not for everyone

Although it "looks" like your disagreeing with me, you may have proven my point.

Don - come on down to Greene County with your Little antenna and see how she works .... I can save you the Gas Money ....she wont ..... Ive been dealing with all Scanner Brands and Types - and other than a Yagi pointed directly at 1 tower - the digital decode is about 20% .... You cannot monitor the Simulcast system here while mobile. From the videos I've seen in Houston - the new Uniden seems to handle it like a Champ ... I guess time will tell ....

Jason

I never said anything about "mobile" scanning, some places it's still illegal.
What I am saying, the "best way" to listen to a Simulcast system, is from a base location
with as little antenna as you can "get away with" and/or A Yagi pointed directly at the tower
you want to listen to.

Don

 

[DonS]

A Yagi pointed directly at the tower you want to listen to.

Or, depending on the location(s) of the tower(s) you want to minimize, slightly away from the tower you want to listen to. It may very well be that pointing directly at the desired tower increases reception from an undesired tower, while pointing slightly away reduces the undesired tower enough that "it works".

EDIT:
The goal isn't necessarily to maximize one tower - it's to minimize all the others relative to the desired tower. Great post on it here, though I'm sure anyone with simulcast problems has already seen it:
http://forums.radioreference.com/sc...ated-guide-yagi-solving-simulcast-issues.html

 

[pratzert]

I've tried no less than 6 different types and sizes of antennas, all the way down to a 3" "racing antenna" and even a paper clip.

I also tried my luck with a Yago pointed at the closest transmission antenna and then experimented pointing at others and swinging the yagi around to see if anything helped.

I have moved my scanner around the house, around the office and have had no real satisfaction receiving the systems.

The Simulcast system(s) around Baltimore are just too difficult to receive.

Yes, I understand that it has a LOT to do with your specific location. There are a few people in my area who say they receive the simulcast systems OK... but the VAST majority of listeners in my area say it's a "no go".

Initial reports of the new Uniden scanners appear to be very promising and the video and audio examples of the scanner receiving simulcast systems make them sound "normal".

So I hope Whistler can make their new line of scanners do whataver it is that the new Uniden scanners seem to do.

BTW... I am using a Pro-106.

 

[k8zgw]

Two directions

Has anyone noticed that this thread is going in two directions ?

1) Whistler ...

2) Simulcast system(s)

if there is a mod that is watching this, maybe it should be "split"

I'll go to the Simulcast system(s) thread for now,
as the Whistler thread is "beating a dead horse",
when and if they put a new scanner on the market,
then we can discuss it.

Don

 

[dgmaley]

Different Antennas

Noticed a lot of complaints about distorted digital audio when multiple signal sources are available. P25 isn't the only digital format used with RF. Wonder if anyone has tried a Fractal antenna? Fractals are very popular with cell phone systems and are showing up as digital TV antennas.
The reason this may help is that most digital modulation systems are sensitive to any standing waves on the coaxial line. Fractals are very broad banded and stay that way even when around other objects.
A fractal TV antenna would be flat and would easily stick to a window. The connector won't be right.
Dave...

 

[KevinC]

Or, depending on the location(s) of the tower(s) you want to minimize, slightly away from the tower you want to listen to. It may very well be that pointing directly at the desired tower increases reception from an undesired tower, while pointing slightly away reduces the undesired tower enough that "it works".

EDIT:
The goal isn't necessarily to maximize one tower - it's to minimize all the others relative to the desired tower. Great post on it here, though I'm sure anyone with simulcast problems has already seen it:
http://forums.radioreference.com/sc...ated-guide-yagi-solving-simulcast-issues.html

A corner reflector works quite well for this...but as has been said, we are getting off-topic.

 

[dkf435]

I was going to say corner reflector or small 900Mhz grate style dish.

David Kb7uns

 

[beischel]

"have gone out of business the last few years because radio hobbyists are not spending money".

This to ME is due to the fact of $500 PLUS needed to get a scanner and also the fact there really is NO competition to drive each company into doing REAL new design work.

Who wants to buy a scanner every other year that only has simple upgrades done to it at $5-600 bucks each? Not many people.

Seems like some are trying to be like Apple with their tablets coming out every six months and making the older units obsolete in 1-2 years since they DO NOT continue updates for old units.

Just a cash COW in my opinion. Get something new and run with it to make money "before" anyone else tries to get into the playing field....lol

I have a GRE scanner and the same scanner under the RS label. The GRE I bought new for $349 and the RS model at $299. Both are digital desktop scanners. Quite a bit from the $500 you stated. So if you shop around, you can find deals.

If you don't want to invest in the hobby, that's your decision. But when manufacturers continue to go out of business for lack of business, then you cannot complain when there is one manufacturer remaining and no competition.

The facts are what they are. People may not like the message, but it is the reality.

 

[KevinC]

PLEASE EXPLAIN THE "Simulcast problem" ?

I have a GRE 800, listening to a Simulcast system
and have no problems.

Are you sure that the "PROBLEMS" are the fault of
the scanner, or it's location or how many signals it is receiving?

I am listening to two Simulcast system, from different towers,
however I am between them ( one is 3.4 miles west and the
other is 2 miles east) and use just the little stock antenna.
NO problems ever !!.

There are many reasons why Simulcast system "don't work"
and rarely are they scanner problems.

Try LESS antenna.

Don

Which 2 systems are they?

 

[k8zgw]

To answer your question - Cleveland and Lake County

I am listening to two Simulcast system, from different towers,
however I am between them ( one is 3.4 miles west
( This is the Cleveland Ohio Simulcast system)
and the other (Lake County Ohio Simulcast system)
is 2 miles east) and use just the little stock antenna.
NO problems ever !!.

Don

 

[troymail]

I am listening to two Simulcast system, from different towers,
however I am between them ( one is 3.4 miles west
( This is the Cleveland Ohio Simulcast system)
and the other (Lake County Ohio Simulcast system)
is 2 miles east) and use just the little stock antenna.
NO problems ever !!.

Don

It's either a different type of modulation than the systems we're having problems with or you're just in a good spot.

Consider yourself lucky!

 

[SCPD]

Who cares what they look like. Frankly, every Uniden scanner I have had performs very poorly when compared side-by-side with my GRE/Radio Shack scanners. This is especially evident on P25. Uniden is horrible and their firmware upgrades have made things worse. Latest Home Patrol upgrade decodes almost nothing forcing a roll-back to previous version.

In any case, Uniden "might" look better, but I'll take performance over looks any day.

Have you also noticed the HP1e doesn't decode ctcss dcs and nac codes all the time? have to sometimes power cycle unit 3 or 4 times for it to recognize the tones... especially in discovery and limit search modes...


no pl's programmed and in analog search mode pl's all are auto found but do not rapid decode as advertised...


HOWEVER the 536 works flawlessly..

I also plan on buying the ws1095 if/when its available as long as RS does not HIjack the prices... 599.00 for the old pro-197/106 is a lot... imagine the ws1095....Possibly inflated to the 700.00 - 800.00 price range...

 

[Talan]

This is a response to an inquiry I made to Whistler about purchasing a keypad for my 106.

Unfortunately we do not have any GRE parts as we only purchased the intellectual property, and do not yet have any Whistler parts that I could send you.

Once we are shipping scanners we will have a trade in program that will allow you to trade in your existing scanner to get a discount off of a new Whistler scanner so keep that in mind.

Please feel free to check back with me periodically and keep an eye on our website at whistlergroup.com and facebook page for updates on availability.

Thank you,

Sheri Nolan | The Whistler Group, Inc.
Customer Service/Warranty Manager

 

[LIScanner101]

Hi Sheri,

Thank you so much and good to see you on these pages. Whistler stands to do quite well with these scanners although the public consensus so far is that the price points are very much out of alignment with the competition.

 

[IowaGuy1603]

Hi Sheri,

Thank you so much and good to see you on these pages. Whistler stands to do quite well with these scanners although the public consensus so far is that the price points are very much out of alignment with the competition.

I think you need to re-read the post you are referencing

Poster Talan was quoting an email he/she got from Sheri Nolan............Sheri did not post .