My G4 is Fantastic!

[ScottPDX]

I just have to say, I have spent the last year trying to get a RS PRO-668 and a Whistler 1080 operating inside a ring of P25 simulcast towers inside Portland, Oregon city limits, and everything tried and tweaked was poor at best. All the LSM Simulcast distortion actually made me go back to using the newer P25 radios on Motorola Smartzone 800 Analog for a time. Then early this year, they shut that Analog 800 off. I just about gave up the hobby, but decided to give it one more try with the G4. Oh man, it works.

ScottPDX

 

[davidzimmerman]

my G5 BLOWS away my TRX-2

 

[MTS2000des]

There is no comparison when it comes to receiver performance other than a subscriber radio itself. Consumer scanner receivers pale in comparison to Unication in areas of digital performance (sensitivity/selectivity/BER), battery life, build quality, user interface, etc.

But remember, the Unication is professional tool not a hobby toy.

 

[cinsu]

Thanks for the write up. I have a BCD396XT and have nothing but problems. I’m near the airport so I’m in a pretty saturated RF environment. My 996P2 gets significantly better performance and I’m considering a SDS100


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[Casey]

It is incredible!!!! It just works, no settings or adjustments to audio...blows away the newer more expensive hobby stuff

 

[ScottPDX]

Thanks for the write up. I have a BCD396XT and have nothing but problems. I’m near the airport so I’m in a pretty saturated RF environment. My 996P2 gets significantly better performance and I’m considering a SDS100


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I too am interested in an SDS100 as I had better luck with the SDR-RTL’s (true I/Q LSM modulation that the SDS100 is based on) after giving up on the RS PRO668 and Whistler 1080. But there was still a little LSM Simulcast distortion on the RTL-SDR’s, (that the G4 just doesn’t have while I use it indoors), maybe based on my use of small indoor antennas. I will be waiting until early next year before a purchase on the SDS100 to let it mature first. If you buy one, please post your experiences with it. I do want another scanner besides my G4, for the additional capabilities. But I don’t think the SDS100 is quite there yet.

ScottPDX

 

[AK9R]

Please don't start the same thread in different forums. That's known as cross-posting and is specifically prohibited by RadioReference forum rules.

 

[JD21960]

Agree 100%. My unnamed "scanner" was a total washout when it came to P25 Simulcast.
I thank** the EARLY adopters of the G4/G5 Pagers who posted here on RRef and posted videos on YouTube with toy scanners sitting side by side with them. THAT made my mind up after a trip downstate here in ILL-annoyed with my scanner where I heard NOTHING. Got a G5 right after that from Ray's Pager's PA. Thanks Unication for making a product that works.
Welcome to the club

 

[k-9policexj]

Unication Vs. Uniden

I too am interested in an SDS100 as I had better luck with the SDR-RTL’s (true I/Q LSM modulation that the SDS100 is based on) after giving up on the RS PRO668 and Whistler 1080. But there was still a little LSM Simulcast distortion on the RTL-SDR’s, (that the G4 just doesn’t have while I use it indoors), maybe based on my use of small indoor antennas. I will be waiting until early next year before a purchase on the SDS100 to let it mature first. If you buy one, please post your experiences with it. I do want another scanner besides my G4, for the additional capabilities. But I don’t think the SDS100 is quite there yet.

ScottPDX

Scott, if you haven't already checked out the Oregon forum... a member did a really great write up of his SDS100. And the reasons it went away....

The Unication is a great unit. I'm going to get another one pretty soon I think... going back and forth between another G5 or a Bendix-King P800 still need to do some homework on the latter...

Ryan

 

[David628]

I just ordered a G4 with phase II and can’t wait until it gets here! I live in a simulcast area now also and the SDS100 I have does really well also.

I have a noob question for you unication owners. Can you hold on a talk group once programmed by pushing a button during receive, or does this unit just scan and hold only while the TG is active? So if local PD one is active is there a hold button to keep it on that TG like on typical scanners?

Thanks


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[troymail]

I have a noob question for you unication owners. Can you hold on a talk group once programmed by pushing a button during receive, or does this unit just scan and hold only while the TG is active? So if local PD one is active is there a hold button to keep it on that TG like on typical scanners?

Thanks


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No ...

 

[David628]

No ...

Thanks, I was considering the G4 purchase prior to my SDS100 purchase, but bought the SDS100 first to see if it improved my simulcast reception issues.

The G4 was always on the “to buy list” for a month after getting the SDS100. I finally had the funds to get it and see what it’s all about.

I’m still trying to read through all the Unication threads and learn more about them. I literally just made the decision to buy one two days ago and am playing catch-up on the thread material.


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[troymail]

You can program a system's talkgroups in any combination and number of knobs (mini-configs).

For example, I have a knob that contains a whole bunch of county talkgroups - law, fire, ems, etc. - the next knob is fire only - the next knob is fireground(s) only. In some cases, I've also create a knob for single talkgroups (simulates holding on a talkgroup).

Lots of options....

 

[David628]

Sounds awesome! Can’t wait to get it.


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[ScottPDX]

Scott, if you haven't already checked out the Oregon forum... a member did a really great write up of his SDS100. And the reasons it went away....

The Unication is a great unit. I'm going to get another one pretty soon I think... going back and forth between another G5 or a Bendix-King P800 still need to do some homework on the latter...

Ryan

Thanks. I’ll check that out.

Scott

 

[k-9policexj]

Unication G5

Thanks, I was considering the G4 purchase prior to my SDS100 purchase, but bought the SDS100 first to see if it improved my simulcast reception issues.

The G4 was always on the “to buy list” for a month after getting the SDS100. I finally had the funds to get it and see what it’s all about.

I’m still trying to read through all the Unication threads and learn more about them. I literally just made the decision to buy one two days ago and am playing catch-up on the thread material.


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The decision to get the Unication for me was one of the best I've made since our system (Portland, Or) went to P25. You won't be disappointed with it's performance at all.

The biggest drawback, and it's been pointed out many times, that it's not a true scanner per-se.... You can get around it's shortcommings (which are few) by really thinking about how you configure your talkgroups and zones.

You'll be happy you decided to get one...

 

[scanmanmi]

Thanks, I was considering the G4 purchase prior to my SDS100 purchase, but bought the SDS100 first to see if it improved my simulcast reception issues.

So what happened?

 

[David628]

So what happened?

It’s SDS100 is working flawless 99 + percent copy on all Colorado Springs simulcast signals. I live up north near the Air Force academy. I want the G4 to run daily in my office all the time and the SDS100 will be used to hold on specific talk groups when something important or interesting happening.


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[IAmSixNine]

Scott, if you haven't already checked out the Oregon forum... a member did a really great write up of his SDS100. And the reasons it went away....

The Unication is a great unit. I'm going to get another one pretty soon I think... going back and forth between another G5 or a Bendix-King P800 still need to do some homework on the latter...

Ryan

KNG2-P800 is a great radio.
I got one at the end of last year when the factory was offering 500 off new units. While mine did have an board issue they were quick to have me send it in and replace the RF deck. Since im a 99.9% RX user the issue was not immediate. However it did cause higher then normal battery drain.

I also have 2 G4 units and can say that both have excellent features. I tend to put more scan lists (with more TG) into my G4s and if i nee to hold on a specific channel i go to my KNG2-P800. But thats just how i have things set up.

 

[b1100mac]

Reference the Unication G series radios, As I have said in earlier posts, if we want radios of the quality that our first responders use, one must be willing to partake in a bit a learning curve and adjust to a different way we use them. Simple customized user programming makes my (5) G-5’s friendly to my needs and easy for me to navigate (back to the learning curve thing).
Sure it would be nice to have some more “scanner” features in the G series radios and we may certainly see that from Unication in the future, but for now there is no other product on the market AT THIS PRICEPOINT that performs like these radios. If i want a reciever that performs like the big boys use, I have decided to master how to operate them like the big boys do.
P.S. to above poster CINSU, I listen to the RWC system weekly in the cellphone lot at PHX airport and have no RF issues whatsoever....mac