Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

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DrumGeek
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Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by DrumGeek »

Hi All,

I have a nice Xmas bonus burning a hole in my pocket and want to buy a digital handheld scanner.
I've been hankering after one of the two choices above for a while and now is the time to pull the trigger on one of them.

As a bit of background, I've been scanning for over 25 years, have no problems with programming radios (I'm a 'techie' by trade) and for around the last 15 years I've been the proud owner, and pretty much daily user of a Uniden BCD396T.
This is an awesome bit of kit and I still love it, but with a lot of users around me going digital it would be nice to have something I can put in my coat pocket again rather than lugging a laptop and RTL stick around!

So, which of the above would be the best for UK use?
I'm tempted to stay with Uniden but what would I be missing out on with the Whistler?
I know the 3600 will be very USA focused but the 396T is too and it's never bothered me.

Does the 3600 still have Close Call?
Does the TRX1 have something similar?

I'd be grateful to anyone that owns either of the above scanners (or even better, both of them!) if they'd give me some honest opinions. :thumbup:

Thanks

(I'm off to read some reviews, watch some Youtube vids on them both!)

Mark...
Uniden UBCD3600XLT| Uniden UBC780 XLT | Commtel COM215 | Realistic Pro-35 | Realtek RTL820 SDR x4 | SDR Play RSP2 | PiAware/Flightaware ADS-B Receiver | Yaesu FT-891 | Yaesu FT-817ND | Wouxun KG-UV8D | Tytera MD-380 | Anytone AT-D868UV
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by Metradio »

DrumGeek wrote: 18 Dec 2017, 22:54
Does the 3600 still have Close Call?
Does the TRX1 have something similar?

I'd be grateful to anyone that owns either of the above scanners (or even better, both of them!) if they'd give me some honest opinions. :thumbup:
The 3600 has Analogue Close Call but is hit and miss on Digital repeater and does not work on Digital simplex..
The TRX1 has its own version of Close Call that works quite well..

The 3600 is well packaged whereas the TRX1 is an ugly brute

The 3600 is not as sensitive as the TRX1

In high signal strength areas both work well

Both are a pain to program

The 3600 is not well supported by Uniden as it is marketed and supported by Avera (www.avera.eu), a box shifter in Holland...
The TRX1 is well supported in the UK by Moonraker

(3600) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1821112504797565/
(TRX1) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1459154764101554/

Mike
Connect Systems CS750 and CS800, Hytera PD-365, Motorola DP4600.
Raspberry Pi 2 and DV4Mini HotSpot.
AOR AR-DV1 Digital Voice Receiver / eSPY on ARD V1.

Whistler WS1088 / TRX-1 / Whistler Q / UBCD3600XLT / WTR Browser.
DrumGeek
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by DrumGeek »

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your reply.
I've found there actually isn't much on Youtube for either radio (in English anyway!)
I've downloaded the user manual for each and have read through the 3600 one (loads and loads of options as I suspected)
I'm reading through the TRX-1 this afternoon.
They both seem to have their own Pros and Cons so I'm still a bit undecided.

Also (not getting at you here) I love how people expect absolutely everyone to be on FarceBook. :thumbdown: :roll: I've resisted it for this long so I can't see me being on that group anytime soon, ah well...

I have a few more questions re the TRX-1 if I may?

1. I've read that it only does either a Service Search or (what sounds like 1 only) Limit Search. Is it possible to setup multiple limit search ranges as with custom search on the Uniden? Or maybe you can edit the Service Searches?
2. Is there a UK bandplan you can choose on initial setup?
3. How does it cope with a system that has RAS enabled? Actually, does the 3600 cope with this too?

Thanks
Mark...
Uniden UBCD3600XLT| Uniden UBC780 XLT | Commtel COM215 | Realistic Pro-35 | Realtek RTL820 SDR x4 | SDR Play RSP2 | PiAware/Flightaware ADS-B Receiver | Yaesu FT-891 | Yaesu FT-817ND | Wouxun KG-UV8D | Tytera MD-380 | Anytone AT-D868UV
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by sec1223 »

the 3600 DOES do dmr simplex after the recent update in november.. iv got a 3600 and a trx2.. love them both
cant stand IGNORANT b******ds
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by Metradio »

DrumGeek wrote: 19 Dec 2017, 15:55 Also (not getting at you here) I love how people expect absolutely everyone to be on FarceBook. :thumbdown: :roll: I've resisted it for this long so I can't see me being on that group anytime soon, ah well...
Shame, that is where the majority of the info is today..
I have a few more questions re the TRX-1 if I may?

1. I've read that it only does either a Service Search or (what sounds like 1 only) Limit Search. Is it possible to setup multiple limit search ranges as with custom search on the Uniden? Or maybe you can edit the Service Searches?
2. Is there a UK bandplan you can choose on initial setup?
3. How does it cope with a system that has RAS enabled? Actually, does the 3600 cope with this too?
At the moment it is not possible to do multiple limit searches or edit the service search

Yes there is a selectable UK Bandplan

Both have no problem with RAS

Mike
Connect Systems CS750 and CS800, Hytera PD-365, Motorola DP4600.
Raspberry Pi 2 and DV4Mini HotSpot.
AOR AR-DV1 Digital Voice Receiver / eSPY on ARD V1.

Whistler WS1088 / TRX-1 / Whistler Q / UBCD3600XLT / WTR Browser.
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by Metradio »

sec1223 wrote: 19 Dec 2017, 16:02 the 3600 DOES do dmr simplex after the recent update in november.. iv got a 3600 and a trx2.. love them both
They have improved it but it is not perfect... Also still fails on close call..

Mike
Connect Systems CS750 and CS800, Hytera PD-365, Motorola DP4600.
Raspberry Pi 2 and DV4Mini HotSpot.
AOR AR-DV1 Digital Voice Receiver / eSPY on ARD V1.

Whistler WS1088 / TRX-1 / Whistler Q / UBCD3600XLT / WTR Browser.
DrumGeek
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by DrumGeek »

Ok thanks to both.

With regard to software for the 3600, does the Sentinel software come free with the radio (or free download) or does it cost extra?
Can you do the easy imports from other lists with Sentinel as it sounds like you can do with the Whistler software?

Thanks,
Mark...
Uniden UBCD3600XLT| Uniden UBC780 XLT | Commtel COM215 | Realistic Pro-35 | Realtek RTL820 SDR x4 | SDR Play RSP2 | PiAware/Flightaware ADS-B Receiver | Yaesu FT-891 | Yaesu FT-817ND | Wouxun KG-UV8D | Tytera MD-380 | Anytone AT-D868UV
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by Metradio »

DrumGeek wrote: 20 Dec 2017, 16:57 With regard to software for the 3600, does the Sentinel software come free with the radio (or free download) or does it cost extra?
Can you do the easy imports from other lists with Sentinel as it sounds like you can do with the Whistler software?
The Sentinel software is free and comes with the 3600 and is also downloadable from:
http://www.servicedocs.com/index.asp?document_id=18035

No, it is difficult to import from anything into Sentinel..
Pity you do not do Facebook there are loads of frequency files written for use with Sentinel..
At the moment I am trying to help a software author write something so that you can import from Ofcom's WTR database, the Whistler import was done in a few hours but the 3600 is proving difficult with Sentinel. It looks possible with Butel's program but it means users having to buy the program..

Mike
Connect Systems CS750 and CS800, Hytera PD-365, Motorola DP4600.
Raspberry Pi 2 and DV4Mini HotSpot.
AOR AR-DV1 Digital Voice Receiver / eSPY on ARD V1.

Whistler WS1088 / TRX-1 / Whistler Q / UBCD3600XLT / WTR Browser.
DrumGeek
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Re: Uniden UBCD-3600XLT or Whistler TRX-1?

Post by DrumGeek »

Thankyou very much again Mike.

Well, after much deliberation, I've just ordered a UBCD-3600XLT.

I don't really mind making up radio configs from scratch but the possible software to import from the WTR sounds really handy, I wish you luck with that and will certainly keep an eye on here for any updates on it.

I'm very at ease with Uniden radios which is one of the reasons why I chose the 3600 but I'm sure there will be more questions once it arrives :D
You never know, I may even create one of those lovely zero privacy Farcebook accounts (if I can figure out how to supply them with the least information possible!) :roll:

Anyway I want to thank you for all your help, it has been very much appreciated. :thumbup:


Cheers,
Mark...
Uniden UBCD3600XLT| Uniden UBC780 XLT | Commtel COM215 | Realistic Pro-35 | Realtek RTL820 SDR x4 | SDR Play RSP2 | PiAware/Flightaware ADS-B Receiver | Yaesu FT-891 | Yaesu FT-817ND | Wouxun KG-UV8D | Tytera MD-380 | Anytone AT-D868UV
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