Whistler WS1095

[RadShackFan]

Ham Station Has It Advertised

WS1095 Digital remote head NO PRICE YET - $0.00 : The Hamstation!, Your one stop on-line source for amateur radio fun.

 

[Swipesy]

If and when Whistler releases a remote head unit, I will not be surprised if the price knocks our socks off (very high). I recall discussing a remote unit with Raj of GRE 4 years ago at the Dayton Hamfest. The problem back then according to Raj was a very high development cost with a very small market. While GRE had the unit ready to be released when they pulled the plug there was no talk of price. I would not be surprised to see the unit in the mid $600 - $700 range. Only time will tell.

 

[RadioDaze]

I would not be surprised to see the unit in the mid $600 - $700 range.

I don't even care if it's that much, I'll buy it. But I'm really skeptical that it will reach the market.

 

[CVASSB]

Please don't give them any ideas. That is way to expensive.

 

[DaveIN]

Have you seen the Radio Shack MSRP for the first four models?

You can bet it will be expensive.

 

[LIScanner101]

And they know the "competition" isn't that much cheaper.

 

[Swipesy]

Please don't give them any ideas. That is way to expensive.

Simple math. Uniden charges $200 + for its remote head and it can be purchased for $175 to $185. The PSR800 retailed for $499. So add $175 to $200 to the $499. It is highly unlikely Whistler is going to gift the remote head to us. With the design of today's cars there is little room to install scanners so the remote head will be worth the price just to get something mountable up on the face of the dashboard.

 

[garys]

Your underlying premise if faulty, as is your model. Uniden built their head from scratch as a separate product, the Whistler remote head is designed from the start as an integral part of the radio. That model is more along the lines of what the Ham radio manufacturers do. Ham radio is a bigger market (maybe) than scanners, but it's not that big a market.

Even factoring in the vocoder for P25, I don't think that the WS1095 as expensive as you project. Keep in mine also that Whistler didn't have to pay the entire R&D costs since GRE had done that and was selling off assets for what they could get.

For those who are looking at RS as a bench mark for prices, I'd say that you should look at their history of high MSRP prices and look at where the company is today. If they even get product, they are going to have a hard time selling it at those prices when there will be vendors with the same product for significantly less.

Simple math. Uniden charges $200 + for its remote head and it can be purchased for $175 to $185. The PSR800 retailed for $499. So add $175 to $200 to the $499. It is highly unlikely Whistler is going to gift the remote head to us. With the design of today's cars there is little room to install scanners so the remote head will be worth the price just to get something mountable up on the face of the dashboard.

 

[Ensnared]

Expensive

Have you seen the Radio Shack MSRP for the first four models?

You can bet it will be expensive.

I recall seeing some public statement about Whistler reflecting on the high price of digital scanners. I believe they; made reference to the inflated price of $699 for the PSR 800. Truthfully, I don't find that much difference in paying $600 or $700. It is much too expensive. I honestly don't know why RS would have such an elevated price. Furthermore, I thought I read where the high cost of the radio was related to obtaining proprietary access. Although this reportedly happened with GRE, I guess Whistler had to obtain it again. I really don't know how this works.

So, if I have to start a Piggy Bank, I will. Better yet, I will start a profanity jar. I should have sum in a relatively short time.

 

[DaveIN]

The intellectual property should have been a one time fee since GRE America was the Original Equipment Manufacturer for the clone radios in question for Radio Shack. As for a higher cost for the IP purchase, who knows since Whistler apparently did not opt for the GRE engineering support. Depending on the initial startup and production this could be part of the initial cost, but I suspect the waters will be tested to see what the market will bear. At least the folks who were not able to get a GRE PSR-800 will be able to get a slightly cheaper price from the current inflated used market. As for the WS1095, it's going to be a new model to hit the market. So I'm sure the cost will be driven by the fact that it is unique to the other models (with some exception to the PSR-800) in the DIN mobile with remote head configuration, and the possibility that it will also include the P25 Phase II/X2-TDMA modes.

 

[RadioDaze]

I don't see the 1095 listing for any more than $599.95. It cannot be more than the Uniden equivalent, strategically.

I don't take any stock in RS prices on products that haven't even been released yet. And if they list it high and then sell it for less when it arrives, they're perceived as heroes, or so they may think. Plus, that's where they get their margin for sale prices.

 

[SCPD]

I guess my question for the higher ups on this site is....
Has Whistler even contacted radioreference to be able to use Database for these 2 models?

 

[AuntEnvy]

WS1095 Remote Head

Can anyone tell me exactly what the remote head allows you to do, or what the benefits are?

I'm not sure if it's what I think it is...

Thanks

 

[Jay911]

The WS1095 is a scanner which happens to have a remote head. It's not a remote head package you can get for other scanners.

The WS1095 is the Whistler model code for the announced-but-never-released GRE PSR-900, which was a base/mobile version of the PSR-800. The 900 had a detachable/"remote" faceplate. Nothing more.

 

[troymail]

Can anyone tell me exactly what the remote head allows you to do, or what the benefits are?

I'm not sure if it's what I think it is...

Thanks

The bulk (guts) of the radio can be under your seat or somewhere else. The remote head is essentially only the "front slice" / panel of the radio with the display and controls/buttons.

Think of it as slicing the front face off of your radio.

 

[LIScanner101]

Are "we" sure this is a true remote head,

Or is it merely a detachable face very common with car stereo?

Because if it's the latter then it's going to be a pretty useless feature aside from deterring theft.

 

[AuntEnvy]

So, if it is a "true" remote head, the necessary wires are included for "remote" installation?

 

[Jay911]

Did my last post not go through?

It's connected to the rest of the radio by a cable. It's the PSR-900. It's not a remote head you can put on other radios.

 

[fxdscon]

Pic of the head removed from the scanner and operating.

 

[AuntEnvy]

Sweet!

Pic of the head removed from the scanner and operating.

Thank you.

How long is the cable?