Yaesu VR-5000 Receiver or Uniden BCD996T Digital Scanner

d0t-bat · Post by **d0t-bat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:20 pm

Im trying to decide between the above 2 scanners. The Yaesu does 10hz - 3GHz but the Uniden is also digital and has trunking. Reciever/Scanner same thing? Uniden seems to have much better features but all those frequencies are tempting.. can someone advise?

WPXZBP · Post by **WPXZBP** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:37 pm

Not too many places in WA are digital (that can be received) and there's not much trunking occurring in most of the "regular" scanner stuff.

VR-5000 is a nice rig (I owned one) but the memory system & setting up is a little tricky and you can't reduce the brightness low enough for it to be useful as a bedside scanner.

A scanner is a receiver but a receiver isn't necessarily a scanner.

JG-103 · Post by **JG-103** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:38 am

all depends what your going to use it for, dont forget that police will be fully digital soon and you wont be able to pick them up.

Im thinking of buying the 996t just to listen to the fire brigade, that way it covers both when they change freqeuncy band, so if you do get the 996t, let me know how it goes

d0t-bat · Post by **d0t-bat** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:10 am

Yeah i know police will be fully digital soon, without encryption id still be able to pick them up correct? with encryption is a different story, does anyone know what sort/technical details involved with thier encryption.

the VR5000 appeals to me because of the 10khz to 3GHz range, but lack of digital/trunking is the downer. both are basically the same price.

I also like the Uniden, just looking for a pro's cons type list before i go and purchase

Lino · Post by **Lino** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:56 pm

There is a few other options like the AOR-8600MK2 and its wide band coverage receiver and later on you can add the APCO-25 DIGITAL DECODING BOARD.I do have the radios that you mentioned plus the AOR-8600MK2 but at the end of the day it depends what you want to listen too.

Regards Lino.

d0t-bat · Post by **d0t-bat** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:08 pm

Thanks for the replies, I went with the uniden for now, might look into the VR-5000 at a later date.

Post by **vk6hgr** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:01 pm

d0t-bat wrote:Thanks for the replies, I went with the uniden for now, might look into the VR-5000 at a later date.

Looks like a fantastic scanner. The only problem I would mark against it is that it supports practically every major trunking system except for MPT1327

d0t-bat · Post by **d0t-bat** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:25 pm

Yeah, the firmware is upgradeable, but i dont know if you could upgrade it to access MPT1327 trunking system, in theory you could if it uses the same frequencies.

Post by **vk6hgr** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:27 pm

d0t-bat wrote:Yeah, the firmware is upgradeable, but i dont know if you could upgrade it to access MPT1327 trunking system, in theory you could if it uses the same frequencies.

Ahh well.

Those who own this scanner and other digital capable scanners, I'd be very interested if they're able to decode the D-Star amateur digital audio. The repeater will be going some time this year, and its frequencies are:

146.8375MHz
438.3000MHz

stevesperformance · Post by **stevesperformance** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:16 pm

vk6hgr wrote:
d0t-bat wrote:Yeah, the firmware is upgradeable, but i dont know if you could upgrade it to access MPT1327 trunking system, in theory you could if it uses the same frequencies.
Ahh well.

Those who own this scanner and other digital capable scanners, I'd be very interested if they're able to decode the D-Star amateur digital audio. The repeater will be going some time this year, and its frequencies are:

146.8375MHz
438.3000MHz

i'll see when it happens as i have a 996

Turbo · Post by **Turbo** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:01 am

I hate using the 996 - much prefer the old 780xlt anyday.

Lino · Post by **Lino** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:25 am

I bought the 996 about a year ago but i havent used it much at all prefer to use the 780 and the Yaesu-VR5000.

Regards Lino.

JG-103 · Post by **JG-103** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:57 pm

i love my 996

Post by **vk6hgr** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:59 pm

JG-103 wrote:i love my 996

We did a good job then, eh?

Fastlane · Post by **Fastlane** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:12 pm

Turbo wrote:I hate using the 996 - much prefer the old 780xlt anyday.

780XLT is a great unit. The whole ease-of-use thing went out the window with Uniden after this model sadly