InterceptRadio.com Forums :: View topic - PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106

So, I'm trying to figure out if it's worth spending the extra buckage. I'm getting everything I want to listen to with my Pro-164, which I picked up on sale for $99 back around Christmas. Sometimes it makes very strange noises on my 800Mhz listening (digital noises, possibly attenuation problem) and doesn't do great in some of the valley areas, but I think that's probably antenna as much as the radio (I'm currently using the Radio Shack 800Mhz antenna, haven't bothered upgrading the antenna beyond that yet).

I'm listening to WSP, some DoT, King Cty Sheriff, Several fire agencies (mostly 800Mhz), and some amateur frequencies.

Opinions/advice appreciated.

I have noticed IWN mentioned more and more often. Can someone please explain what this is.

Many thanks,
Wayne

My PSR-500 overloads real bad on VHF in Los Angeles. UHF and 800 are tolerable though. Often this can be attributed to handhelds having more sensitive frontends as a way to compensate for their small antenna plus less component count (filters etc) to keep the package small. Usually you can expect mobile radios to have a better designed frontend (PIN-diode switched bandpass filters, inband varactor passband tuning, triple-conversion, etc). Unfortunately this is not the case with the latest batch of scanner radios. In fact the older BC780XLT has a better frontend than the current BCD996T. Not to mention the PSR-600 mobile has the same sloppy frontend as the PSR-500 handheld. Generally the PSR500 is great in suburban/rural areas but it gets trashed in urban areas especially when connected to a mobile antenna. I'd be happy to pay more for the radio if the manufacturers would clean this crap up.

PSR-500: Built in discriminator data output

Author:	dog [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:	PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
So, I'm trying to figure out if it's worth spending the extra buckage. I'm getting everything I want to listen to with my Pro-164, which I picked up on sale for $99 back around Christmas. Sometimes it makes very strange noises on my 800Mhz listening (digital noises, possibly attenuation problem) and doesn't do great in some of the valley areas, but I think that's probably antenna as much as the radio (I'm currently using the Radio Shack 800Mhz antenna, haven't bothered upgrading the antenna beyond that yet). I'm listening to WSP, some DoT, King Cty Sheriff, Several fire agencies (mostly 800Mhz), and some amateur frequencies. Opinions/advice appreciated.

Author:	Rich [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:52 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
dog wrote: So, I'm trying to figure out if it's worth spending the extra buckage. I'm getting everything I want to listen to with my Pro-164, which I picked up on sale for $99 back around Christmas. Sometimes it makes very strange noises on my 800Mhz listening (digital noises, possibly attenuation problem) and doesn't do great in some of the valley areas, but I think that's probably antenna as much as the radio (I'm currently using the Radio Shack 800Mhz antenna, haven't bothered upgrading the antenna beyond that yet). I'm listening to WSP, some DoT, King Cty Sheriff, Several fire agencies (mostly 800Mhz), and some amateur frequencies. Opinions/advice appreciated. Tough call. The frontends on the latest Unidens and RS/GRE's have overload issues. I've been holding my breath to see if any of these manufacturers clean up their RF frontends when they release their next models.

Author:	Atomic Taco [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:46 am ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
I drool over the PSR. By spec, it seems to handle multi site quite well. The new Unidens do too. But the PSR has a really nifty feature that figures out the LCNs for LTR for you. And since it uses scan lists instead of banks or systems, it's pretty easy to scan conventional and trunked at the same time. The Unidens can do this, but you need two different systems. I have a Uniden BCD396T and two Pro-97s (the non-rebandable version of the Pro-164). They each have their own purpose, and I like the fact that I'm not limited to 10 banks on the 396. I'd base it on these things: 1) Do you want to monitor the silence of the IWN? It's really the only digital system 'round here. Of course there's the FDC in SeaTac, but it has pretty limited range. 2) Would you benefit from having more than 10 banks? 3) Do you want to learn a new scanner? I don't know if scanners will ever be selective enough. I know that even a portable radio kicks butt over any scanner. I've picked stuff up on a portable while the scanner was silent on the same frequency.

Author:	Gampawayne [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
I have noticed IWN mentioned more and more often. Can someone please explain what this is. Many thanks, Wayne

Author:	Rich [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:58 am ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
Gampawayne wrote: I have noticed IWN mentioned more and more often. Can someone please explain what this is. Many thanks, Wayne VHF Motorola trunk system for federal agencies.

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Author:	Gampawayne [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:21 am ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
Rich, Thank you, Wayne

Author:	Wilrobnson [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:49 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
I've not yet had an overload problem on the PSR, however I went from an older scanner that did straight to the PSR, so I'm adept and looking at the area and tuning the squelch and attenuator to match. One thing I've recently learned to like about the PSR is the ability to put all sorts of differing stuff in a 'list'. I.e.: List 1- Pierce Co Sheriff conventional Puyallup TRS Limit search 165-166mhz Sweeper search 406-420 nearfield stuff Puyallup schools conventional etc.

Author:	Rich [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
My PSR-500 overloads real bad on VHF in Los Angeles. UHF and 800 are tolerable though. Often this can be attributed to handhelds having more sensitive frontends as a way to compensate for their small antenna plus less component count (filters etc) to keep the package small. Usually you can expect mobile radios to have a better designed frontend (PIN-diode switched bandpass filters, inband varactor passband tuning, triple-conversion, etc). Unfortunately this is not the case with the latest batch of scanner radios. In fact the older BC780XLT has a better frontend than the current BCD996T. Not to mention the PSR-600 mobile has the same sloppy frontend as the PSR-500 handheld. Generally the PSR500 is great in suburban/rural areas but it gets trashed in urban areas especially when connected to a mobile antenna. I'd be happy to pay more for the radio if the manufacturers would clean this crap up.

Author:	Wilrobnson [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
Rich wrote: My PSR-500 overloads real bad on VHF in Los Angeles. UHF and 800 are tolerable though. Often this can be attributed to handhelds having more sensitive frontends as a way to compensate for their small antenna plus less component count (filters etc) to keep the package small. Usually you can expect mobile radios to have a better designed frontend (PIN-diode switched bandpass filters, inband varactor passband tuning, triple-conversion, etc). Unfortunately this is not the case with the latest batch of scanner radios. In fact the older BC780XLT has a better frontend than the current BCD996T. Not to mention the PSR-600 mobile has the same sloppy frontend as the PSR-500 handheld. Generally the PSR500 is great in suburban/rural areas but it gets trashed in urban areas especially when connected to a mobile antenna. I'd be happy to pay more for the radio if the manufacturers would clean this crap up. I haven't had any problems in Seattle proper, yet. I tried VHF when I was last in LA, but all I listened to was that 2-meter machine we talked about, which came in great. I'll give it a try in July when I'm back down there.

Author:	dog [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:37 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
I guess I'll keep watching. The RadioShack guy said I could get the 106 for around $400, and I see Hamradio.com has the GRE-500 for $450 or so...

Author:	KE7JFF [ Sat May 02, 2009 8:55 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
I have the Pro-106 and my I notice the overload only when I connect it up to my Diamond X50 on VHF; if I turn on the attenuator, it goes away.

Author:	Atomic Taco [ Sat May 02, 2009 10:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
PSR-500: Built in discriminator data output

Author:	SpudGunMan [ Sun May 03, 2009 8:50 am ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
Atomic Taco wrote: PSR-500: Built in discriminator data output so do the new uniden HT's just a FYI

Author:	401402 [ Thu May 14, 2009 2:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
i'm ron c,new back to B.C. canada,have the pro 106...........looking for help on freqs in the bellingham area-for pd/fd/border patrol/marine ect i love this radio

Author:	dog [ Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: PRO-164 vs GRE-500/PRO-106
Bringing this up again because I saw this http://www.uniden.com/products/productd ... er=Digital and it looks very appealing. i would love a smaller sized radio than my Pro-164. I also like the idea that it has a remote head for car operation.... Does anyone have one of these yet?

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