Why I will only buy GRE going forward

[beischel]

I have both the GRE 500 and 600. I previously owned a Uniden 996T. The Uniden was nice looking, felt solid, but was horrible on P25 systems. I have a Ohio MARCS tower near me and I believe that kept interfering with my ability to receive P25 transmissions for Cincinnati/Hamilton County. Audio always broken up and made it impossible to listen to P25 systems at my house. I gave that scanner to my nephew who has a father who is a firefighter. It seems to work at their house but they are not near any other system transmission towers. The other thing I noticed is that the audio on the Uniden was very bass sounding. Not crisp and clear.

At the Dayton Hamvention I purchased at GRE 600 and brought that home to try. Wow, what a difference. Easier to program. The audio sounded much better and crisp and clean. No interference from other systems so all P25 transmissions are solid and complete. A few weeks later I order the handheld 500 which is performing equally well. In fact the handheld sits in my basement office with stock duck antenna and picks up the digital systems and even conventional FM systems very well. Couldn't do that with the Uniden!

So GRE scanners are the only thing I will now buy in the future. Uniden lost me as a customer.

 

[CStarr59]

I hear what your saying and I can understand your point. Over the past several years, I have owned many Uniden and GRE scanners. all have been great, and I can't really say I've had a problem with any of them at all. Lately though I have been leaning towards the GRE scanners when looking to purchase because I like the crisp and loud audio and the bright easier to read screens. Within the last month I have purchased a new Uniden BC346XT, I used it for a bit and now it sits back in it's original box for sale. I just don't like the screen, it's hard to see with the redish color and the audio just doesn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic radio, just not for me. Then came the GRE made Pro-107 and this radio alone has put GRE over the top for me. It's everything I could ever ask for in a radio (less digital and I don't need that yet), but I'm sure when that time comes there will be one available. So I have to say I agree with you!

 

[nnjradiotech]

Just one question? Do you have the latest firmware for your Uniden scanners?

 

[k4fv]

I have found the GRE scanners to be more sensitive and Signal Stalker to be superior to Close Call. The Uniden's are more selective (less prone to intermod), have a better memory management system and a come in a smaller footprint. I use GREs around the house and portable and Unidens in the car. I don't believe there is a clearly superior scanner but rather one brand is better suited than the other based on the application/need.

 

[jackj]

I have owned several Uniden scanners in the past and currently own a 996T. No more Uniden scanners for me. This thing works great on analog systems and I really like the way it programs but P-25 performance sucks!! I bought it based on my past experence with Uniden. Out of the box performance on P-25 systems (Ohio's MARCS and Lucas County's system) was so poor that it was unusable. I've done all of the upgrades and updates that Uniden has published and the P-25 performance while better is still not good. The audio sounds like the person is gargling and is, at times, undecipherable.

I don't know what GRE scanners are like on P-25 systems but the one hand-held Radio Shack I have works great. Next one will be a GRE / Radio Shack scanner. There is just no excuse for selling a scanner that has such poor performance even after two firmware updates.

 

[meplat]

I have both the GRE 500 and 600. I previously owned a Uniden 996T. The Uniden was nice looking, felt solid, but was horrible on P25 systems. I have a Ohio MARCS tower near me and I believe that kept interfering with my ability to receive P25 transmissions for Cincinnati/Hamilton County. Audio always broken up and made it impossible to listen to P25 systems at my house. I gave that scanner to my nephew who has a father who is a firefighter. It seems to work at their house but they are not near any other system transmission towers. The other thing I noticed is that the audio on the Uniden was very bass sounding. Not crisp and clear.

At the Dayton Hamvention I purchased at GRE 600 and brought that home to try. Wow, what a difference. Easier to program. The audio sounded much better and crisp and clean. No interference from other systems so all P25 transmissions are solid and complete. A few weeks later I order the handheld 500 which is performing equally well. In fact the handheld sits in my basement office with stock duck antenna and picks up the digital systems and even conventional FM systems very well. Couldn't do that with the Uniden!

So GRE scanners are the only thing I will now buy in the future. Uniden lost me as a customer.

Thanks for posting this. As someone that's been looking for a digital scanner for a few weeks, your impressions of the GRE unit were helpful. From what I've been able to gather so far, it seems that the programming is easier and the units sound better.

All the best.

 

[SCPD]

I own several scanners .. Uniden and GRE. Below is what I love about each:

GRE 500 ... well it works fine and scans what I want it to. The only thing I would like better is that if it were the size of my 246T. That is the only thing - size does matter. It is a little more prone to intermod, but really not much worse that the Unidens I have used.

Uniden ... I have some 780's and a 246T, nothing newer as well I don't need it as we just have mainly an Edacs system up here and a little P25.

Probably my next scanner will be a 396XT as I have heard lots of good things and it is the right size for me.

So .. overall, they both work well.

 

[NYRHKY94]

I would tend to agree with Beischel & Jack, particularly when it comes to P25 digital decoding. As you can see from my signature line, I own several Uniden radios and do enjoy using them. However, when it comes to P25 digital (which is almost 100% of NH PD's), the RS Pro & GRE lines win hands down. They work "right out of the box" on decoding P25 digital with no tweaking needed. They sound clear and do not have the garbled underwater sound that my Unidens are prone to have. I often wonder why Uniden can't permanently solve this issue like the RS/GRE radios have? I have of course applied all of the Uniden firmware updates to date (which has improved P25 decoding). On the other hand, I find the Uniden line to be more a more attractive radio with a nicer form factor. Just my 2-cents.

 

[torontokris]

I notice you dont have a XT model yet (only the older 996T), try one of the XT's and see, the digital is much better then on the older scanners.

Is it as good as GRE's great sounding P25? thats up for debate.

... I own several Uniden radios and do enjoy using them. However, when it comes to P25 digital (which is almost 100% of NH PD's), the RS Pro & GRE lines win hands down. They work "right out of the box" on decoding P25 digital with no tweaking needed. They sound clear and do not have the garbled underwater sound that my Unidens are prone to have. I often wonder why Uniden can't permanently solve this issue like the RS/GRE radios have? I have of course applied all of the Uniden firmware updates to date (which has improved P25 decoding). On the other hand, I find the Uniden line to be more a more attractive radio with a nicer form factor. Just my 2-cents.

 

[Drafin]

And here we go again with the my scanner can beat up your scanner thread part 2.

LOL

Draf

 

[gmclam]

GRE vs Uniden - LOL

Although EVERY scanner I use is/was made by GRE, I won't go out on a limb and say that it is the only brand I'll buy from here on out. I believe in rating each model on its merits or demerits. The last thing we need is for GRE to become complacent.

But having said that, GRE beats Uniden hands down for me. I don't want a scanner so small I can't see it. BIGGER (displays) are better. I want CLEAR text on the displays, that means a "boring" "blocky" font, not something "fancy". Overload and intermod is only a problem when feeding the scanner too much signal - being too close to a transmission site, using an amplifier, etc. Notch filters are a better way to go rather than using a scanner so "deaf" it can't pick up what you want to receive.

GRE 500 ... well it works fine and scans what I want it to. The only thing I would like better is that if it were the size of my 246T. That is the only thing - size does matter.

Yup, SIZE matters. And I want a damn near HUGE display that I can read and a scanner that won't "slip through my hands". GRE wins this one.

It is a little more prone to intermod, but really not much worse that the Unidens I have used.

Here I sit with several scanners connected to an outdoor antenna. The strongest signal from that antenna is a paging signal very close to me (10dB hotter than the next signal of any frequency). Yet I don't have an issue that is so bad I am willing to get a deaf scanner to avoid it.

The best test I had recently was different ocassions with Unidens here sitting next to my GREs connected to the same antenna. The Unidens were not picking up what the GREs were. Perhaps it was the faster scanning speed (which can't be user adjusted), perhaps it was all the computers and other electronics nearby (the GREs had to deal with that too), or just a design mentality that says "we will avoid intermod at all costs". A boatload of features are MEANINGLESS if the scanner CAN'T HEAR!!!!

So if another manufacturer would like to come out with all the features we want, BIGGER displays (or means to feed to one), clear reception on all types of signals, reasonably priced, and at least the sensitivity of the current GREs, then I will buy them; and that includes Uniden.

 

[thewenk]

Anyone planning a digital scanner purchase based on comments in this thread would be well served to do a lot more reading on RR about these two manufacturer's scanners.

From what I can determine, performance varies depending on the P25 system you're listening to and the Uniden(XT) or GRE performance may vary significantly depending on the P25 system involved.

On the P25 system I listen to, I think one would be hard pressed to pick GRE or Uniden(XT) as the better performer. So it then comes down to a decision based on personal choice for features, etc. I am also of the opinion that the ease of programming goes to Uniden, but I think that is a rather subjective area too.

Dave

 

[jackj]

Xt?

I notice you dont have a XT model yet (only the older 996T), try one of the XT's and see, the digital is much better then on the older scanners.

Is it as good as GRE's great sounding P25? thats up for debate.

I spent over $500.00 for my 996T and got something that was useless for what I wanted. Over a year later and after downloading and applying 3 firmware updates, it still doesn't work well on P-25 systems. Now you want me to spend another $500-$600 for an XT to see if that will be better. NO THANKS!

 

[jackj]

I agree with everything you said Gmclam. However I think you are confusing desens with intermod. Intermod is the result of two or more signals mixing, either externally or in the front end of the receiver, and producing mix products that are on or very close to the desired frequency. While desens is caused by a close-by, strong, off frequency signal that overloads the front end of the receiver. Intermod will produce interference with the desired signal. Desens will just blank the receiver so it can't pickup the desired signal, you won't hear anything in most cases.

 

[gmclam]

Intermod vs desensitization

I agree with everything you said Gmclam. However I think you are confusing desens with intermod. Intermod is the result of two or more signals mixing, either externally or in the front end of the receiver, and producing mix products that are on or very close to the desired frequency. While desens is caused by a close-by, strong, off frequency signal that overloads the front end of the receiver. Intermod will produce interference with the desired signal. Desens will just blank the receiver so it can't pickup the desired signal, you won't hear anything in most cases.

I am familiar with both terms and did not confuse either. I guess I'd have to re-read my earlier post with that mindset to see why you gathered that.

I have a paging signal nearby on 152.840 MHz. On my PRO-97s, the signal is mixed with some other VHF signals and you can hear the paging tones in the background. This is greatly reduced, or non-existent on my PSR-300. It is not a problem on other bands because of front-end filtering in the scanner.

I have schematics for all of my scanners, and the modern GREs all have some sort of front-end filtering which selects a "band-pass" based on the desired receive frequency. I am not sure how much attenuation these offer outside the pass band, but it would have to be quite a bit to desensitize the receiver.

What I stated was that each time I've encountered one of the above, it is somehow related to signal being presented to the scanner. If you've got a desensitized receiver with no antenna connected, you have a different problem!

 

[Astrak]

IDK, if GRE decides to go with this iScan idea and not have a scanner with front panel programming I will most definitely go with the manufacturer that has front panel manual programming. I like GRE, I do not like the iScan.

 

[k9xyz]

........and someone cares....why?????

 

[brandon]

Don't limit yourself to one brand.
Each has their pro's and con's.

Uniden Pro's: Better for using in high RF areas, more custom searches, Close Call logging, computer control w/ ProScan (even older models), remote head unit, sexier looking scanners.

GRE Pro's: Better sounding digital (yes, even compared to 396XT I think GRE has it beat), Object oriented scanning, more tweakable settings (in later models), easier firmware update process, easier to use support website.

I'm proud to use both manufacturers and enjoy them greatly. Competition is good!

 

[meplat]

Yes, based on what has been posted in this thread and a couple others, I decided on GRE. Not because one is better than the other overall, but because of where I live and the systems that I wish to monitor. I prefer a larger radio with a larger display. I live in the country, so I'm not worried about anything overloading the front end of the radio. There aren't any antenna farms or towers close by.

I wrote a review on eham about a Yaesu 2 meter radio that was smaller with fewer controls. I prefer having more controls at my finger tips and less multiple button pressing. After all was said and done, I ordered a GRE.

Thanks all!

 

[jambo]

Gre all the way

I have both the GRE 500 and 600. I previously owned a Uniden 996T. The Uniden was nice looking, felt solid, but was horrible on P25 systems. I have a Ohio MARCS tower near me and I believe that kept interfering with my ability to receive P25 transmissions for Cincinnati/Hamilton County. Audio always broken up and made it impossible to listen to P25 systems at my house. I gave that scanner to my nephew who has a father who is a firefighter. It seems to work at their house but they are not near any other system transmission towers. The other thing I noticed is that the audio on the Uniden was very bass sounding. Not crisp and clear.

At the Dayton Hamvention I purchased at GRE 600 and brought that home to try. Wow, what a difference. Easier to program. The audio sounded much better and crisp and clean. No interference from other systems so all P25 transmissions are solid and complete. A few weeks later I order the handheld 500 which is performing equally well. In fact the handheld sits in my basement office with stock duck antenna and picks up the digital systems and even conventional FM systems very well. Couldn't do that with the Uniden!

So GRE scanners are the only thing I will now buy in the future. Uniden lost me as a customer.

I agree 100%. I myself have owned the handheld model (BCD 396T) and was very disappointed with it. Now it's nothing but GRE for me from here on out.