[Scan-DC] Scanner Recomendations

[Doug Kitchener]

I have both Uniden (BC-396, not the XT, and BC-796) and PRO-197 (RS, of course) and like both... I tend to go in the direction of base/mobile radios rather than portables but the electronics are the same.  Mike has probably covered better what I'm going to say next, I just skimmed his message, but FWIW... the audio quality of the RS unit is far superior to the Unidens.  I believe the GRE/RS receiver itself is a little better ("hotter") than Uniden.  I _think_ the Uniden covers one milair band that the RS/GRE does not (I listen mainly to public safety and haven't gotten dragged into milair scanning yet!)  I understand that the GRE radios come with the programming cable (but don't hold me to that).  The RS and Uniden ones do not.  For my taste, the display characters are a little too small on the PRO and it provides too much information that cannot be controlled through the menu (minor!).  And finally, the Radio Shack ones occasionally go on sale - they were $200 off at Xmas and $100 off at Memorial Day... so watch and see if they go on sale over 4th of July or holidays after that and be ready to strike.

I used to throw the 796 in the car whenever I went anywhere, but have switched over to the PRO, because the audio is so much better, esp in the vehicle application (road/wind noise and so forth).

Plan on possible added expenses for programming cable and/or software.

Soooo... I don't dislike any of the ones I have... you pays your money and you takes your choice!  Having said that, I think the RS one _on sale_ is the best value if the lack of that one milair band isn't an issue for you.  Money talks!

By the way - forget hand programming and I highly recommend the BuTel software - have not tried anything else tho so others may be just as good.  And I learned to program the Uniden radios first, so I find those a bit easier to program than the RS/GRE.  Also, you will have a significant learning curve for both using and programming - I found this very daunting at first.

Good luck - let us know what you decide!

Doug




----------------------------------------
> Date: Sat, 6 Jun 2009 22:52:17 -0400
> From: fxpd614 at gmail.com
> To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Scan-DC] Scanner Recomendations
>
> What do you recomend? PSR-500, Uniden 396xt, or the Pro106?
>
> --
> Kenneth Fowler
> AIM: fxpd614
> fxpd614.blogspot.com
> http://www.facebook.com/people/Kenneth-Fowler/1524131853
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