I want to know which brand I should go with for my second scanner like in the title in terms of quality and reception. You can tell me which scanner is best. Looking for one with analog trunking.
Whistler vs GRECOM vs Radio Shack
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GRECOM made the scanners for Radio Shack back in the day. Whistler bought GRECOM. Sooooo I'd say Whistler is your choice unless you are talking about OLD stuff. The PRO-106/651 and GRE PSR-500 are the same scanner which is now the Whistler 1040. All virtually the same scanner. The Pro 197/652 and GRE PSR-600 are the same scanner which is now the Whistler 1065. You can look HERE for other Whistler products and what their Radio Shack/GRE equivalent are. I have the PRO-106, PRO- 197 and PSR-500. I also have a PSR-800. They all work great for their intended use.
I knew they did. I was talking about GRECOM's specific scanners, the ones branded by GRECOM themselves (PSR series).
I like my PSR-500 and 800. They both work great. Especially of P25 Phase 1 Digital. When I still had Analog trunking in the area they did great then too. Especially the 500.
How long is the analog trunking system you want to monitor going to be around? That may be something to consider before making a purchase. All of the ones that remain are going to need to be replaced at some point.
Everything went just about digital here, but this would be a scanner I could bring to areas that are mostly still analog. And it could introduce me to trunking systems.
Most trunking systems in service these days are digital (majority are P25, some are DMR, NXDN, etc) There's only a small handful of non-P25 (analog) trunked systems still in service in Michigan, you'll only be able to pick up the mode "A" ID'ed talkgroups. So if you want an "introduction" using an analog trunking scanner you'll be limited to the systems listed below (full USA & Canada report is listed here)
| Ann Arbor-Washtenaw County Government System | 170C | 105.88 | Ann Arbor | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2021-02-19 |
| Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) | 680E | 83.72 | Beverly Hills | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2020-03-19 |
| FCA US: Jefferson North Assembly Plant | 331F | Detroit | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2014-12-28 | |
| Ford Motor Company (Romeo) | 350F | Romeo | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2012-10-11 | |
| FCA US: Mack II Engine Plant | 740C | Detroit | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2014-12-28 | |
| Visteon Plastics Plant: Milan | Milan | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2020-11-26 | ||
| Ford Motor Company - Wayne Complex | 4606 | 97.3 | Wayne | MI | Type II Smartnet | 2022-01-07 |
| FCA Jefferson Ave | 002B | 97.3 | Detroit | MI | Type II | 2022-10-04 |
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I've always liked the GRECOM branded models better than Radio Shack. I doubt I'd evern own a Whistler, unless they create something new.
So did Uniden, and even Whistler made a few. You can check here to see who made which model, just scroll down to the bottom of this page-
Radio Shack Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki
I own a PRO-433 (Uniden made, trunks but no alpha tags 😵💫) and a PRO-197 (GRE-made)
I like the both. The 197 is obviously more feature rich and can decode P25. I feel like the 433 (and Uniden models in general for that matter) receives signals better and its speaker sounds a little better. I enjoy both even though they're old.
The main thing that the replies missed is I see is your in Allegan county which is simulcast- multiple towers that broadcast the same info and includes Kent and Ottawa counties.
I dont recommend any of those you mentioned as It might be for budgetary reasons? Now if you happen to live near a tower you will do better though.
Unidens normally do work better in simulcast areas, the SDS models are expensive, but will work in simulcast areas.
Here’s a forum post that bears out what I say about the Whistler brands. In the second post – (By me BTW) there is a video of someone in Saginaw that has a 4 tower simulcast that had the latest, greatest and highest cost whistler and how it essentially does not work! His solution is a G4 fire pager, same one that is used for the city-county fire personnel that cost $700, but the video was made prior to the Uniden SDS line release that work flawlessly in these situations.
Disregard message 7 there as they didn’t pursue that product.
WS1040/WS1065 vs Simulcast 800
I dont recommend any of those you mentioned as It might be for budgetary reasons? Now if you happen to live near a tower you will do better though.
Unidens normally do work better in simulcast areas, the SDS models are expensive, but will work in simulcast areas.
Here’s a forum post that bears out what I say about the Whistler brands. In the second post – (By me BTW) there is a video of someone in Saginaw that has a 4 tower simulcast that had the latest, greatest and highest cost whistler and how it essentially does not work! His solution is a G4 fire pager, same one that is used for the city-county fire personnel that cost $700, but the video was made prior to the Uniden SDS line release that work flawlessly in these situations.
Disregard message 7 there as they didn’t pursue that product.
WS1040/WS1065 vs Simulcast 800
I would just be using this scanner for travel instead of home. I know counties in northwest Indiana and parts of southwest Michigan are almost fully analog, and incase there is a business or department that still uses analog trunking, I can listen to it, along with how cheap I can find the units. I also plan to get a digital scanner, mainly the BCD436HP, because it's cheaper and I don't really plan to listen to police and fire, but I could listen to the stream of it if I really wanted to. I just want a cheap scanner I can bring to places that still use those systems as I travel.
DVINTHEHOUSEMAN
Up North
If you want a decent analog Radioshack scanner, I'd say go with a PRO-164 or a PRO-92. They both do analog trunking and they're pretty decent scanners, just the PRO-92 is older than the 164. You should read the wiki pages on the scanner you'd like to buy though and see if it has any issues that you wouldn't want before you purchase one.
The PRO-164 is really a GRE PSR-300. It's nice. But the PSR-310 is a much better option. Bigger LCD with a white backlight. The '300 is organized as 10 banks of 100 channels whereas the '310 uses Object oriented programming and holds just over 1800 channels. This is my fave analog scanner.
While the PRO-92 has a lot going for it (decodes CT/DC tones, can usually handle rebanded trunking systems, is PC programmable), it is a 5 volt design and operates from 6 AA batteries. The case is very fragile. Over time the connections between the circuit boards inside the unit oxidize and it does weird things (including not work at all). Then you have to take it apart and clean the connections (not for the novice).
Click the link RRDB | Michigan Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference and click a county and it will say if they use the MPSCS digital and what analog frequencies are left to tune in.
I will say that area in S.W. MI while we get locals to help the database, its an area we don't get as much info as other areas. So while we strive to get accurate listings, some might not be used anymore as some went to MPSCS digital or business trunking systems.
The border counties of Indiana, RRDB | Indiana Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference and what analog frequencies are left to tune in. Only county not saying they are still on analog is Laporte, but even they have a lot on the digital, it's likely the admin there missed to include the digital disclaimer.
I will say for analog since most 911 are all digital, people aren't using their old analog scanners and its hard for people to even give them away. Their is normally a LOT of used stuff at facebook marketplace, craigslist, even try used places like goodwill-salvation army, etc.
The classifieds on here too, but people here are more scanner savvy and don't seem to bother with listing the old analogs as much as the others. Just IMHO I wouldn't pay for than $20.
If some of these frequencies are used as yet, if you get a scanner that can do PL/DPL searches let us know if a current agency on the database is missing a PL/DPL for what they use. Let us know, so we can update the database for all.
I will say that area in S.W. MI while we get locals to help the database, its an area we don't get as much info as other areas. So while we strive to get accurate listings, some might not be used anymore as some went to MPSCS digital or business trunking systems.
The border counties of Indiana, RRDB | Indiana Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference and what analog frequencies are left to tune in. Only county not saying they are still on analog is Laporte, but even they have a lot on the digital, it's likely the admin there missed to include the digital disclaimer.
I will say for analog since most 911 are all digital, people aren't using their old analog scanners and its hard for people to even give them away. Their is normally a LOT of used stuff at facebook marketplace, craigslist, even try used places like goodwill-salvation army, etc.
The classifieds on here too, but people here are more scanner savvy and don't seem to bother with listing the old analogs as much as the others. Just IMHO I wouldn't pay for than $20.
If some of these frequencies are used as yet, if you get a scanner that can do PL/DPL searches let us know if a current agency on the database is missing a PL/DPL for what they use. Let us know, so we can update the database for all.
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I can confirm they are analog including police which I assume was Michigan City. I went down there just last summer and heard police on the police band, I don't know how analog they are but I assume they are all or mostly analog, I will be going down there again this summer and I will bring my scanner to listen to more.
DVINTHEHOUSEMAN
Up North
Object oriented is nice, however he did mention cost, which is not a strong suit for the object oriented scanners. The PSR-310 isn't super common, so the going rate will likely be comparable to a PSR-500 or its descendants. A PRO-164 can be had for between $50 and $125, making it more cost effective if you don't mind the bank and channel format.
So far, my PRO-92 has held up really well. No broken/cracked plastic and all the connectors have good conductivity yet. I don't know if you just got a lemon or if mine is just good, but without a larger sample size, it's about impossible to tell unless you have other sources as well.
It's definitely cheaper on the used market than the 164, going for between 20-50 bucks normally, but it does scan much slower (25 cps vs 60 with the 164), it's not narrowband filtered so signals within 25 kHz of the target may interfere, it has fixed step sizes, and the screen is 12 characters instead of 16. And yes, the batteries do add heft.
I just wanted to throw a couple examples out there, one that was cheap but works, and another model that was a little more but worked a bit better.
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