New Scanner Advise

[lls207]

Hi
I finally saved enough to buy a Whistler TRX-1 scanner. My questions are: since this has come out and enough people have bought them, are they worth the money.
Second, I live in Los Angeles. They will soon be migrating,does anyone one know if I will still be able to listen to them. I know about the new MOTOROLA APX8000 ability to encrypt.
Third, can I set this radio up myself, or do I have to pay the company I buy from?
Fourth, where is the best place to buy one of these?
Thank you, I appreciate the help
LLS207
Eaglerock, California

 

[hardsuit]

lls207 - All good Questions.
First, Whistler TRX-1 is a great value for Scanning, it receives almost everything, and gets most of the Digital Modes for FREE. Unlike Uniden which charges for "updates" that its radios can receive anyway, just locked away. Just ONE thing the Uniden has is it can TRUNKTRACK the Latest Digital Systems,
the Whistler cannot, they can only Trunktrack Analog and P25 systems. but my Whistler works great at Scanning Digital Systems.
TRX-1 is Whistlers flagship scanner, so it should have the Ability to scan The Los Angeles metro area with no problems, the Rub is the Police are likely to Encrypt, we will have to see. but I would think the Dispatch, Patrols, Fire and EMS would be in the clear.
YES, you can set up this radio yourself, Whistler scanners come with a chip already programmed with the Entire USA and Canada Database (out of date) and a Whistler PC software for FREE updates and free Database updates as well. do not pay anyone for Programming a Whistler, its pretty easy.
Whistler no longer sells Direct to Consumer unless its a Refurbished product.
that said, you can buy from Authorized sellers on Amazon, Universal Radio, Scanner master, and Zip Scanners. One warning about Scanner Master and Zip Scanners is they are BOTH High Pressure sales , they will TRY to sell you extra things that you don't need, and TRY to sell you Programming that you don't need, You can program the Whistler scanner BETTER than any of them, because you know what you want to Listen to. I recommend Universal Radio, no pressure SALES and wide selection of Scanners. easy to compare. buy your accessories in a Regular electronics store. I bought my Batteries and Charger from IKEA, great charger.

 

[daddyjohn]

The TRX-1 is a great radio, I love mine. At the time I got it, Uniden was not NXDN capable so I got the TRX-1. And now that Uniden does have that capability they still charge extra for it. And most people would never know that the Whistler doesn't trunk track the NXDN because it still tracks it and you can still have the trunked channels and talk groups.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

 

[pallen444]

Wait to get one Whistler about to have a new scanner 4th Quarter this year thats what iam waiting on.

 

[hardsuit]

pallen444 - yes, the TRX-100 handheld and the TRX-200 mobile/base. they are Digital Phase 2 scanners but with IQ SDR for superior D-Phase 2 reception. they also get NXDN, iDAS and DMR for FREE. and the new units will have A2DP Bluetooth streaming. but other than the PRESS release Whistler has yet to show Images, or Technical SPEC on the units or the Price. It will Likely use the Same shell as the TRX-1 uses. as my 5 year old RS Pro-688 / WS 1088 uses the same shell as a NEW TRX-1.

 

[Swipesy]

I concur with Pallen444. I would wait until January 2019 and see what the new Whislers radios have to offer and also what happens to the price of TRX-1 & 2 after the release of TRX-100 & 200.

 

[lls207]

Sunday Night

Thanks everyone.
All my questions answered.
LLS207
Los Angeles