Why I will only buy GRE going forward

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torontokris

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yes correct its much more sensitive then Uniden for sure

just watch out for the overload in urban areas or close to

i recently purchased a psr500,and the first thing i noticed was how much more sensitive it is.mind you,im comparing it to a uniden 898t and a bc95xt.all 3 have their purpose,but im really impressed with the psr500.just my .02.
 

gmclam

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yes then a Uniden is probably better if your main selling point is a large screen...

also the Uniden has a larger FONT (esp on one line its almost a double sized font) so you can see it nice and clear
I don't measure the size of the display by the largest font, I measure it by the smallest font. On the GREs all lines are the same size. The last thing I want is the manufacturer deciding which items are of more importance for me to see. If it is worth being displayed, it is worth being displayed at the same size as everything else.
 

torontokris

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Well measure the 2 displays/fonts on both manufacturers and tell me which is bigger...

Also if 3 lines on the Uniden are the same size as the GRE.... whats the problem with one line being bigger and easier to see? I dont see how that is a drawback ?


I don't measure the size of the display by the largest font, I measure it by the smallest font. On the GREs all lines are the same size. The last thing I want is the manufacturer deciding which items are of more importance for me to see. If it is worth being displayed, it is worth being displayed at the same size as everything else.
 

SCPD

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I've owned both Uniden, Radio Shack, and GRE scanners. I had a Uniden base station unit in the mid 80's that was the first alphanumeric scanner available. It kept overheating and was being repaired or in transit more than it worked. I think the model was a BC-350. After 3-4 repairs Uniden wrote and said they would exchange the unit with a BC-300 that was not alphanumeric. Since it cost less than the BC-350 I thought this wasn't really fair but accepted the offer.

When the PRO-2006 came out I replaced the BC-300. I used it for my main base station until the PRO-2067 came out. Then I wanted to use the PRO-2067 in the car. I purchased the BC-780 for the new base station. It was not a good radio. It was less sensitive than the PRO-2067 and more importantly the tone scan was so slow I'm not sure why it was included with the radio. The systems I listen to carry the input tone over to the transmit frequency on the repeaters. That experience turned me off to Unidens.

I had purchased the PRO-92 before I picked up the 780. It is a great little radio. Then along came the PRO-96, another good one. I really like the Starrsoft software and being able to copy info from one file to the file of another GRE scanner. I then picked up two GRE PSR-600's, one for the car and one to use as a base station. Great radios! Very sensitive, better than the classic PRO-2006. I have so much invested in software and in the time taken to write the files that I will likely stick with GRE scanners for a long time.

The one thing I don't like about the 600 is when I'm driving in L.A. I have to stop scanning my federal natural resource list. It does not sound like inter-mod or front end capture. It sounds like open squelch and full squelch does not quiet it. This same thing happened in some parts of Phoenix on a trip I just got back from.

When I'm in rural areas, which I live in and try to stay in, the mobile performance of the 600 is unbelievable! I pick up conventional repeaters from 50-80 miles. Quite often these repeaters are not line of sight due to mountain terrain. Not bad for a radio hooked up to a Larsen scanner antenna on a Comet mount.

I own and still use three BC-760's (with the tone board installed on two of them) and one BC-235, the first trunk tracker. The 760's continue to perform flawlessly and they are very compact. The 235 has exceptional sensitivity on both trunked systems and conventional frequencies. It is one of the best conventional frequency scanners I've ever had. Those were my radios for the 90's.

The 00's have been a decade of GRE's, with the exception of the 780 that I'm not fond of. I don't see myself making a change to Unidens at this point.

I hope they both keep making scanners. The competition serves us very well.
 

gmclam

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Also if 3 lines on the Uniden are the same size as the GRE.... whats the problem with one line being bigger and easier to see? I dont see how that is a drawback ?
LOL. I'm sure there are lots of guys out there that think SIZE is all that matters ... just because a font is "larger" does not mean it is easier to read (especially for us "old folks"). An ugly BLOCK bold font with decent spacing between the characters is easier to read than a font made larger for the sake of being larger. I'd rather have 16 characters spaced out over 16 or more characters crowded together.

Take a look at the 996 display here and the 300 display here. Those bottom two lines on the 996 display are not as large as any lines of the 300 display, and are very tough (for me) to read. I'd rather see those lines "kerned out" more with at least one more pixel of blank space between the characters.

While I have very good vision with glasses on, the two different sizes of fonts cause my eyes to have to refocus when looking at different elements of the display. And as you guys know, when there is action on a scanner, there is often little time to glance over and see the information needed. I just don't have the same problem with the GRE display.
 

torontokris

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the bottom 2 lines on the Uniden are sytem and group quick keys.
Even if they were smaller I don't need to see them 24/7.

I can see the names /talk group ID much easier on the uniden. And the names are much more importent.

Everybodys opinion will be different, fair enough.

Do you own a Uniden and a GRE side by side an use both daily in a house and mobile like I do???
or are you just going by the stock Uniden "prototype" picture that off on an angle and got glare from some light?
 

gmclam

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the bottom 2 lines on the Uniden are sytem and group quick keys. Even if they were smaller I don't need to see them 24/7.

I can see the names /talk group ID much easier on the uniden. And the names are much more importent.

Everybody's opinion will be different, fair enough.
Yup. And to me there is no one item being displayed which is more or less important than another, including frequency, frequency text tag, TG text tag and banks/groups/etc selected.

Do you own a Uniden and a GRE side by side an use both daily in a house and mobile like I do??? or are you just going by the stock Uniden "prototype" picture that off on an angle and got glare from some light?
I run the scanners listed below 24/7. They don't include any Unidens for a lot of reasons. However, I do have, see, use, etc other scanners from time to time so I am not going by pictures and details here on RR. If the Unidens outperformed the GREs, it would be a different discussion. But I actually find NO attribute of a Uniden I like better than GRE; except the fact Uniden publishes their serial protocols.

I can't run these Unidens w/o looking at the display (necessary to be able to do while driving). The Unidens are not as sensitive and do not pick up signals as well. The display, regardless of "size", is NOT easier for me to see and read. And that's just the start of the list.
 

torontokris

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And your scanners listed below dont include a single Uniden.. yet you want to debate how much better the GRE is side by side with the Uniden that you "see" once in a while.

Load a Uniden and GRE scanner in a bottom console of a truck and run it everyday then we can talk more about whos display is easier to read.

I do run both side by side all day 24/7 so im speaking from experience (not just borrowing from a friend for 5 minutes)

Correct the Unidens arent as sensitive (the GRE rocks in low signal areas), but start using a GRE beside a pager tower or urban area and your "superior" GRE will be silent due to overload while the Uniden keeps picking up stuff. Not so superior in that case.


Anyways I dont agree with your points but so be it, your just backing GRE (whatever they have you find superior - im sure if it had no screen youd say they were superior still and the no display means clean lines or something), and I guess I should id expect that in a GRE forum.

I dont mind the debate, each unit has + and - im just tired of people comparing the units (saying how far superior theirs is) if they dont use both daily.




Yup. And to me there is no one item being displayed which is more or less important than another, including frequency, frequency text tag, TG text tag and banks/groups/etc selected.

I run the scanners listed below 24/7. They don't include any Unidens for a lot of reasons. However, I do have, see, use, etc other scanners from time to time so I am not going by pictures and details here on RR. If the Unidens outperformed the GREs, it would be a different discussion. But I actually find NO attribute of a Uniden I like better than GRE; except the fact Uniden publishes their serial protocols.

I can't run these Unidens w/o looking at the display (necessary to be able to do while driving). The Unidens are not as sensitive and do not pick up signals as well. The display, regardless of "size", is NOT easier for me to see and read. And that's just the start of the list.
 

torontokris

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Here is what I run... so i speak from experience when comparing models

BC250D 785D 296D 796D 396T 996T Pro-90 92 96 97 2096 106 107 197 PSR-500 600 4x 396XT 2x 996XT Pro-107 246T 346XT Motorola XTS3000 VHF 800MHZ m 123 MTX838 MTX2000
 
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gmclam

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Gre

And your scanners listed below dont include a single Uniden..
Yup. I practice what I preach.

yet you want to debate how much better the GRE is side by side with the Uniden that you "see" once in a while. .... (not just borrowing from a friend for 5 minutes)
LOL. What makes you think I have only used one for "5 minutes"? I actually have some Unidens here (yes more than one). But they do not perform, and awkward to navigate and therefore do not belong on my tagline.

Correct the Unidens arent as sensitive (the GRE rocks in low signal areas), but start using a GRE beside a pager tower or urban area and your "superior" GRE will be silent due to overload while the Uniden keeps picking up stuff. Not so superior in that case.
I have an outdoor antenna and monitor in a radius of about 100 miles. The strongest signals from my antenna (measured by RF meter) are broadcast FM stations followed closely by a couple of paging transmitters 2 blocks from here. A filter removed the FM broadcast and the paging transmitters are not a problem.

I mentioned it earlier; I have schematics for my scanners, but not the Unidens. I know that they do have "filters" in the front end to select the band desired. In order to have an overwhelming amount of signal that causes overload, desens, or whathaveyou; the signal must be in the same pass band. Not only do I live in an urban area, I travel the west coast a lot and have never had a problem with my GREs, and run from external antennas when not portable.

... you're just backing GRE (whatever they have you find superior - im sure if it had no screen youd say they were superior still and the no display means clean lines or something), and I guess I should id expect that in a GRE forum.
LOL. Not from me. I've seen junk from every company. Don't get me started on the firmware bugs in GRE scanners that I noticed in the PRO-92 which still exist in the PSR-300.

I dont mind the debate, each unit has + and - im just tired of people comparing the units (saying how far superior theirs is) if they dont use both daily.
I don't have to use something "daily" to know if it is good or not. I want to listen, not compare scanners all day. When something is connected in the exact same environment and does not live up, it is disconnected and set aside (to collect dust).
 

Deeke

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Whose display is bigger...............
I have more scanners than you do...........

Give it a rest guys, they make GRE, Uniden, AOR etc for MANY reasons.

As many reasons as the number of people.

Same reason they make Ford, Chevy, BMW etc.

Sounds like my nephews were when THEY were growing up.
 

torontokris

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a healthy debate about scanners giving an opposing point of view.. whats wrong with that?

-esp one labelled "why I will only buy a GRE"...
-in a GRE forum
-with replies about how GRE's are so great
-by super bias GRE fans who only own GRE's yet give their opinion like they know both models


So your nephews debated scanners as well? Wow thats awsome they are smart kids.
Thanks for the compliments.




Whose display is bigger...............
I have more scanners than you do...........

Give it a rest guys, they make GRE, Uniden, AOR etc for MANY reasons.

As many reasons as the number of people.

Same reason they make Ford, Chevy, BMW etc.

Sounds like my nephews were when THEY were growing up.
 

dsnymj

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I come to this forum to find information directly pertaining to my GRE radio(s), not whether [Uniden/Regency/AOR/Yaesu] is "better" in any way, shape, or form. I currently own (or have owned) radios from these other manufacturers but don't care to read about them in the GRE forum.

a healthy debate about scanners giving an opposing point of view.. whats wrong with that?

What's the point? The recent opposing point of view (I call it, "I hate GRE") thread in this forum went on for more than 100 posts... the horse is dead, why continue beating it?

The "I hate GRE" thread was interesting for a couple of posts, but beyond that it turned into a "holy war" and provided no useful information but a list of who was "for" GRE and who was "against." The same might be said about this thread.

Torontokris speaks from experience with many brands/models of radio, but comparative analysis seems more appropriate to the "General Scanning Forum" as it seems to be where those who might benefit from the compare/contrast information would look first. Perhaps the "debate" could be moved there?
 

gmclam

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I come to this forum to find information directly pertaining to my GRE radio(s), not whether [Uniden/Regency/AOR/Yaesu] is "better" in any way, shape, or form. I currently own (or have owned) radios from these other manufacturers but don't care to read about them in the GRE forum.
Then you are in the wrong thread. There are many better places on RR to get what you are looking for. If you have specific questions that you can't find an answer to, start your own thread. This is the "Why I will only buy GRE going forward" thread.

What's the point? The recent opposing point of view (I call it, "I hate GRE") thread in this forum went on for more than 100 posts... the horse is dead, why continue beating it?
This is the "I love GRE" forum. And FWIW, there is a similar thread stating why Uniden is the scanner of choice.

Torontokris speaks from experience with many brands/models of radio,
He is not the only person speaking from experience. Just because someone does not actively use a specific model 24/7 does not make them ignorant about it.
 
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Gentlemen, (and ladies)

This is the spirited kind of debate I like to see. Since I haven't made the plunge to a digital scanner yet, I like to learn what you old salts use and why. Like most rookies, one of the first questions I asked on this forum was "what's best". I got the high point replies, but this is the nitty-gritty.

For laughs, I found a Uniden 996T on Walmart's website for $644. I told them it was a discontinued model and that the XT sold for around $500. I doubt they sell many, but they don't tell you it's the t model either.

Quality, Price, Value. I can't wait to see what GRE introduces this week.
Thanks, HCH
 

dsnymj

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Then you are in the wrong thread. There are many better places on RR to get what you are looking for. If you have specific questions that you can't find an answer to, start your own thread. This is the "Why I will only buy GRE going forward" thread.

This is the "I love GRE" forum. And FWIW, there is a similar thread stating why Uniden is the scanner of choice.

He is not the only person speaking from experience. Just because someone does not actively use a specific model 24/7 does not make them ignorant about it.

Did *I* refer to *anybody* as ignorant? Not here... you obviously feel left out or slighted because I didn't mention you... this was unintentional. Please substitute "torontokris and gmclam" if it makes you feel better.

This is the "GRE Scanners" forum, not the "I love GRE" forum. I am in the right FORUM for my primary "brand" interest, so I doubt that there are "many better places on RR to get what" I'm looking for: other threads, certainly, but not other FORUMs.

I commented on how pointless - and possibly mislocated - this thread has become. I am not the first to request a "cease-fire" and likely won't be the last. Continue your "debate" if you must (you may have "fans" out there who are enjoying this) but it's not terribly interesting to ME any longer.
 

RogerH11

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Unidens are flawed because they scan the trunk channel for far too long (while missing conventional traffic) while GRE/Rat Shack scan it (trunk channel) like a conventional channel so you don't miss other trafffic. The 245's 5 second delay was like chinese torture not to mention the notoriously bad battery packs. Today, Uniden still scans the control channel for way too long, thus IMO, are defective radios.
 

jackj

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Scanning the control channel

Unidens are flawed because they scan the trunk channel for far too long (while missing conventional traffic) while GRE/Rat Shack scan it (trunk channel) like a conventional channel so you don't miss other trafffic. The 245's 5 second delay was like chinese torture not to mention the notoriously bad battery packs. Today, Uniden still scans the control channel for way too long, thus IMO, are defective radios.

All trunk scanners have to monitor the data stream on the control channel for at least one complete data cycle looking for the Talk Groups they are programed to monitor. It could be that Uniden monitors the control channel for a set time interval and GRE looks for the end-of-data marker. Another problem might be the P-25 wait time, setting it to zero might help reduce the time it spends on the control channel. In any case it can't scan the control channel at the same speed it scans conventional channels, there is just too much data to monitor on the larger systems.
 
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