TRX-1: Not worth the money

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SLScanner

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Static

Got my TRX-1 Today have had a PRE5 For a number of years. It finally bit the big one. I am some what disappointed in the TRX-1 after that many years you would think they could get some of the static out of the scanners. It isn't much better than my old one. Anyone have a simple fix or a setting that will work.
I am using a 800mz Antenna from radio shack ones that I always use

I just might send it back for the price of it. It also has a black hair in the screen about 1/2" long. I through it was just under the protective film but NO! It isn't a big deal unless you are OCD.! then it is
Clyde
 

03msc

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after that many years you would think they could get some of the static out of the scanners

What "static" are you talking about? If you are on the fringes of a system or frequency that is analog then you are going to hear static no matter what scanner you use (even a professional radio on the fringes will have static)...otherwise they are very clear.
 

SLScanner

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Static

What "static" are you talking about? If you are on the fringes of a system or frequency that is analog then you are going to hear static no matter what scanner you use (even a professional radio on the fringes will have static)...otherwise they are very clear.

It is on Motorola 800 trunking system The static is during most of the talking I am in the middle of Salt Lake so I am not on the fringes
 

AggieCon

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Yes... Static can be an issue. You might look into an external amplifier. I use the GRE Super Amplifier. It makes a difference, even for broadcasts well within range. I find it really helps a simulcast EDACS system I monitor. I bet it would help with simulcast Motorola analog systems as well.

I am not sure if the filters are just right... Overall, the hardware technology is decades old, especially upstream of the processor.
 

troymail

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My local Motorola system is still analog - and I find that it is one of the hardest systems to listen to anymore given almost everything else around me is digital. I get interference from a variety of sources when listening to this analog system - the worst being when I'm driving and get near a cell tower. I sometimes hit ATT when passing a cell tower to be able to better hear the voices on the system and then turn ATT back off when I get away from it.
 

sparklehorse

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Got my TRX-1 Today have had a PRE5 For a number of years. It finally bit the big one. I am some what disappointed in the TRX-1 after that many years you would think they could get some of the static out of the scanners. It isn't much better than my old one.

It sounds like the same problem I have with my local Motorola analog trunk systems. Simulcast is the culprit, and yes, you would think they would have solved that problem by now, but my newest radios aren't much better than my 15 year old ones. An 800 MHz yagi, pointed in the right direction, might help. That's the only thing that has helped my situation, but I still get quite a bit of flutter. If your system has a fill-in site near you that is not simulcast you could try locking out the other sites and just track the non-simulcast one. Usually those don't carry all the system traffic, but it may carry the talkgroups you're interested in.

By the way, what's a PRE5?

.
 

AggieCon

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my newest radios aren't much better than my 15 year old ones

Because the front-ends are essentially identical. The only difference in these newer scanners is that they have processors for digital decode and digital voice, and they update the software to accommodate various features and formats. None of it is particularly groundbreaking.

Furthermore, none of the consumer scanners demodulate QAM properly, which is why things really fall apart with simulcast.
 

SCPD

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Hahaha .. Aggie Con, I am smiling. :D:D See .. really I am. Today I took my PSR-500 for a spin (only cause I was going to do some Air Band listening at the airport).

But bleep bleep what a piece of junk on my local Edacs system on the way there .. I almost had to shut it off.

I know why I use my commercial gear 99% of the time, cause well .. scanners absolutely suck in comparison. All my gear at home (scanners, ham gear and everything else) have descent external speakers with crystal clear audio .. and I have to say that I cannot listen to a bare bones scanner anymore and I am not even talking digital anything.

I think I am spoiled, and can totally understand where the OP is coming from.
 

SLScanner

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Battery Hog

My new Trx-1 is a Battery Hog. I have brand new rechargeable battery's and charge them inside or out of scanner doesn't matter. They only last 3 to 4 hours scanning. Does anyone have this problem or do I have some poor batteries.
Clyde
 

kh6sz

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My new Trx-1 is a Battery Hog. I have brand new rechargeable battery's and charge them inside or out of scanner doesn't matter. They only last 3 to 4 hours scanning. Does anyone have this problem or do I have some poor batteries.
Clyde

Sounds like poor batteries. I usually get 7-8 hours out of my PowerX 2700 MAh batteries.
 

troymail

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Yup - sounds like poor batteries but it also depends on the brand, type and age of the batteries, what you are listening to, how much voice you're hearing, backlighting, etc. Sometimes I get 10-12 hours easily but that's when monitoring specific things that don't talk much. Digital voice will tend to consume batteries faster than analog too.
 

AggieCon

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If your scanner is going non-stop, that sounds about right to me, especially if the volume is up and the backlight is on.
 

SLScanner

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LED no Sound

My TRX-1 has a delay on some of the channels my system is a Motorola 800. The let comes on and there isn't any sound. I have the Squelch all the way down also. Is there a setting that will make this better to where the sound comes on when the LED does
Thanks
SL Scanner
 

AggieCon

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My experience is that sometimes the LED likes to flash randomly for no reason at all.
 

SLScanner

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Poor Screen Contrast

Anyone else think the contrast on the screen of the TRX 1 is poor? I need to have it always plugged in so I can see what is broadcasting. I have tried all the different settings in the contrast settings and nothing works. I had a GRE 500 before you could see the screen display great. This is very discouraging you pay all that money for a handheld and you have to keep it plugged in.

Hope Whistler is looking at this post and will fix it.
SL Scanner
 

SCPD

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It will be fine if you turn the back light on. I use my PSR-800 and WS-1095 at home and they are both always plugged in with back light on, but i know this is not the case for everyone.
 
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I found the TRX-1 unlit display contrast to be pretty poor to my eyes as well. I think the background is not as naturally bright as, say, the silvery backgrounds on m other scanners.

As noted, turning on the backlight resolves the issue, but that also impacts battery life.
 

MichaelBhere

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There was a recent update that included back light on unmute. Give it a try, it worked well on my unit.
 
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