Uniden USC230 Scanner Germany to UK

The Uniden USC230 is a good scanner. It can be a bit confusing to use at first with its weird channel setup and custom modes. I guess this is how Uniden receivers are. I've never owned one before so was unfamiliar with how they operate. But once I figured out how they do things it was really easy to use. And actually quite nice to use.

It reminds me a bit of the mini ICOM IC range. In particular the ICOM IC R6. They both have a similar way of operating and share the same scroll wheel roller button at the top. I'm not sure which company thought of it first, or who ripped off who, but its quite a cool design.

Anyway, I just wanted to post a quick video of the Uniden USC230 "racing" scanner [yes, it was made for taking to the racing car track] picking up a CB transmission all the way from Germany when I'm in the UK. You can watch the quick video lower down.

I'm using a £2 aerial from Aliexpress and it picks up CB traffic from all over the place. I've heard Northern Ireland, Scotland, Italy, USA, Russia, France, Germany, and a few languages that I could not put a country to. Although I think one was probably somewhere in South America. Amazing really with a cheap scanner and an even cheaper aerial.

Uniden USC230 Frequency range:

25 - 87MHz [best for me / CB is active in my location and beyond]

108 - 174MHz [worst for me / not interested in airband]

216 - 225MHz [nothing there / never heard any signal there, ever]

400 - 512MHz [not bad / second best for me]

806 - 960MHz [nothing but digital encrypted signals and the odd choppy TV / radio]

1240 - 1300MHz [dead as a dodo]

It has many features [close call, DCS/CTCSS, Alpha tagging, 6.5kHz / 8.33kHz steps] and is nice and small in size. But its still well-built and quite tough. A bonus is that it only takes two AA batteries. Comparing that to my GRE 255 which takes 6 AA makes me want to puke. Comparing the two though in terms of performance, and while much more basic with less features, less channels, less steps etc etc, the GRE 255 [review] is the winner for me.

It picks up everything that the USC230 does [in the same frquency range], and it does so a little bit better. It even picks up a few things, weaker signals that the USC230 totally ignores or is just not capable of grabbing. And, the speaker on the GRE PSR 255 is definitely better and more clearer than the one inside the USC230. Overall they are very evenly matched when it comes to performance, but the GRE 255 does just about beat it the majority of the time. 

Quansheng UV 5R Plus Dead Dodo @ 27MHz

I knew that the UV 5R Plus was basically the same radio as the UV K5 8 [also known as the K6], but I still wanted to test it just to confirm. The test was to see if the UV 5R is as dead as a dodo @ 27MHz (CB bands) as the UV K5 8 is when egzumer has been installed. Well, the answer is yes, it's just as dead as the UV K5 8. Shame really. I had CB people talking on my GRE PSR 255, so turned on the 5R Plus to see if that could pick them up. Nope. Wouldn't stop on any frequency in and around 27MHz. Weird, because both Quansheng's work well everywhere else.

Good radio in most other fequency areas, such as 182MHz [West Midlands UK Bus Drivers] - but at 27MHz its totally dead.

It's quite obvious to me that its the software [I was totally wrong]. I wonder if the developers of egzumer will do some sort of update to fix this issue. I think they have done a few fixes over the year(s). I think one was sorting out the airband to be better. So its not out of the realms of possibility that they couldn't sort this CB problem out. But maybe the demand isn't there yet. But If enough people moan about it they might get round to it. So get moaning. Catch me tomorrow.

Realistic PRO-70 HAM Radio Test

The good old classic Realistic / Radioshack PRO-70 [50 channel] receiver with hyperscan. It doesn't have the widest frequency range [66-88MHz /137 - 174MHz / 380 - 512MHz], but its still a good scanner. I think some people still use this scanner in America for listening to the railroad / train networks. And as far as I'm aware, the Police / emergency services where its analogue. Here it is picking up some very clear UK 2-meter HAM radio talk @ 145MHz.

 

#TandyCorporation

How To Stop Squelch Noise Quansheng

In a previous post I talked about how I couldn't stop the Quansheng [with egzumer installed] from making that white squelch noise when monitoring a frequency. Like, as soon as the people stopped talking / transmission ends the squelch noise would begin, and it seemed like there was no way to turn if off and sit and monitor the frequency in silence. Turns out its the easiest thing ever.

Picture: The frequency [179 - 183MHz] is where many of the West Midlands / Birmingham bus stations operate. Can hear all types of transmissions from the bus drivers and staff in the depots. Just thought I'd let you know in case you were local-ish and wanted to listen.

Once in monitor mode [middle side button below the big TX / Transceiver talk button] and the transmission ends and the noise starts, all that is needed is to press the menu button once and the white noise will completely stop. Now the radio will sit on the chosen frequency in monitor mode in silence. The menu button is the big one at the top that says  "M" "A" on it. A big M and a small A. See the pic.

Amazing how easy it is and I was dumbfounded for ages trying to figure out why I couldn't get the squelch to be quiet. And here was me thinking; surely they didn't leave that option out. How silly if they have. haha. No. It's just that I'm stupid.. This works with both the UV K5 /K6 and UV 5R Plus. As long as they have egzumer installed. Not sure about with the stock software as I haven't tried it. I'd guess not though as the stock software is quite different. See ya later.